GDT: Yankees @ Blue Jays Game 3 of 4 1:07 EST

[Spanky99]

Blue Jays Lineup...

 

1. Kevin Pillar ® CF

2. Josh Donaldson ® 3B

3. Jose Bautista ® RF

4. Kendrys Morales (S) DH

5. Justin Smoak (S) 1B

6. Troy Tulowitzki ® SS

7. Devon Travis ® 2B

8. Darwin Barney ® LF

9. Luke Maile ® C

 

Joe Biagini RHP

 

Biagini had a pretty big breakthrough in his last outing. He reached career highs in innings (six) and pitches (95) and allowed just two runs. This will be his sixth start, and he's no longer on a strict pitch count.

 

Yankees Lineup...

 

1. Brett Gardner (L) LF

2. Aaron Hicks (S) CF

3. Aaron Judge ® RF

4. Matt Holliday ® DH

5. Starlin Castro ® 2B

6. Didi Gregorius (L) SS

7. Chase Headley (S) 3B

8. Austin Romine ® C

9. Rob Refsnyder ® 1B

 

Jordan Montgomery LHP

 

Montgomery is coming off his shortest outing of 2017, a 4 1/3 inning affair that required 100 pitches. The rookie has struggled with deep counts, but has walked one or fewer batters in three of his last four starts.

 

PREVIEW...

 

By Keegan Matheson / MLB.com

 

The Blue Jays and Yankees will send Joe Biagini and Jordan Montgomery to the mound on Saturday afternoon for their third of four games at Rogers Centre this series.

 

This should be the first start in which Biagini is able to push a full starter's workload after being stretched out from a bullpen role. Inserted into the rotation in early May as Toronto dealt with multiple starters on the DL, Biagini completed six innings his last time out and reached a new high of 95 pitches.

 

Biagini's final bullpen outing before the switch came against New York, who got to the right-hander for three runs on four hits over 1 2/3 innings. Toronto manager John Gibbons doesn't see that outing, or any past performances, impacting Biagini on his start days.

 

"I don't even think Joe realizes that, to be honest with you, knowing Joe," Gibbons said. "He's pitched pretty good. The last time he faced the Yankees, we were stretching him out anyways, and they got him late. I don't think it matters to Joe."

 

Montgomery has enjoyed mixed levels of success in his rookie season with the Yankees, but the future looks very bright for the 24-year-old left-hander. Over his first nine starts, Montgomery owns a 4.11 ERA while staying in line with his career strikeout averages, averaging 8.6 per nine innings.

 

In his last start against Baltimore, Montgomery allowed eight hits over 4 1/3 innings, but he limited the damage to one earned run with five strikeouts. Saturday will be his first career start against the Blue Jays

Things to watch for in this game

 

• Montgomery spreads his pitch selection very evenly, making him a unique pitcher in that regard. Beyond his fastballs, Montgomery has thrown 167 changeups, 152 curveballs and 149 sliders to keep opposing hitters guessing. His most effective pitch to date has been the slider, which has produced a .163 opponents' batting average, .245 opponents' slugging percentage and 22.8 percent whiff rate.

 

• Toronto catcher Russell Martin was held out of Friday's game with a neck issue, and his status for Saturday's matinee is not known. Gibbons said that this is not the same nerve issue in Martin's neck and shoulder that forced him to the DL earlier this season. Martin had really started to lock in at the plate recently, hitting home runs in two of his last three games against Cincinnati.

 

 

 

LETS GO BLUE JAYS *CLAP, CLAP* *CLAP, CLAP, CLAP*

 

LETS GO BLUE JAYS *CLAP, CLAP* *CLAP, CLAP, CLAP*

 

LETS GO BLUE JAYS *CLAP, CLAP* *CLAP, CLAP, CLAP*

 

[G-Snarls]

No Martin again

 

[Angrioter]

Easy W

[Daniel Labude]

Lets Go Blue Jays!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rancher]

Jokin`Joe Biagini no laughing matter to the Yanks. Go get èm Joe!

[bones10]

lets get to .500 and never look back..

[Spanky99]

Muahahahaha...

 

By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com | @feinsand | June 2nd, 2017 + 1 COMMENT

 

Our first Trade Deadline Power Rankings for June isn't as notable for the names on the list as much as it is for those that are nowhere to be found.

 

For the first time since early April, no member of the Blue Jays appears in our rankings -- a sign that Toronto's season has turned around in a major way.

 

Francisco Liriano, Jose Bautista, Marco Estrada and Josh Donaldson have each appeared here during the first four installments, but the Blue Jays' red-hot month -- Toronto went 20-10 from April 29-May 31 -- has them flirting with the .500 mark after a dreadful 6-17 start.

 

Even after Thursday night's lopsided loss to the Yankees, the Blue Jays sit only 6 1/2 games out of first place in the American League East. Some industry insiders believe that with their rotation healthy once again and both Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki back in the lineup following their respective stint on the disabled list, it's not crazy to think Toronto will be the biggest threat to New York in the division.

 

"The Blue Jays are the most complete team in the division," one team executive said. "The fact that they've hung around in that race after the way they started, they're going to be dangerous."

 

So while teams such as the Royals, Phillies, Marlins, Giants and Padres might be formulating their plans to sell off pieces at the non-waiver Trade Deadline, the Blue Jays may finally have some other things in mind as the season enters its third month.

[el duque]

Winning this series would mean for me that the Blue Jays can really fight with the Yankees in this division, for the moment they are still in last place

[Spanky99]

Winning this series would mean for me that the Blue Jays can really fight with the Yankees in this division, for the moment they are still in last place

 

Whatever that means, lol.

[jaysfan2014]

Muahahahaha...

 

By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com | @feinsand | June 2nd, 2017 + 1 COMMENT

 

Our first Trade Deadline Power Rankings for June isn't as notable for the names on the list as much as it is for those that are nowhere to be found.

 

For the first time since early April, no member of the Blue Jays appears in our rankings -- a sign that Toronto's season has turned around in a major way.

 

Francisco Liriano, Jose Bautista, Marco Estrada and Josh Donaldson have each appeared here during the first four installments, but the Blue Jays' red-hot month -- Toronto went 20-10 from April 29-May 31 -- has them flirting with the .500 mark after a dreadful 6-17 start.

 

Even after Thursday night's lopsided loss to the Yankees, the Blue Jays sit only 6 1/2 games out of first place in the American League East. Some industry insiders believe that with their rotation healthy once again and both Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki back in the lineup following their respective stint on the disabled list, it's not crazy to think Toronto will be the biggest threat to New York in the division.

 

"The Blue Jays are the most complete team in the division," one team executive said. "The fact that they've hung around in that race after the way they started, they're going to be dangerous."

 

So while teams such as the Royals, Phillies, Marlins, Giants and Padres might be formulating their plans to sell off pieces at the non-waiver Trade Deadline, the Blue Jays may finally have some other things in mind as the season enters its third month.

 

As it stands right now, all of the NL East (excl. Washington), San Diego and San Fran will be sellers. NL Central teams could be added if someone ever pulls away in that lousy division (who picked the Brewers to lead the NL Central on June 3?). The wild cards in the NL are coming out west, as the D-Backs, Dodgers and Rockies dominate the division.. though if someone like Colorado fades, a Central team could get in there..

 

AL is so close, nobody is close to being a seller yet--Oakland is on the fringes, as is Kansas City.. but the mediocrity of the AL Central is keeping KC in the race. AL West is a joke.. the question is how many games will Houston win by? 20? 30?

 

The AL East is pretty tight.. anyone could win that division.

[Spanky99]

As it stands right now, all of the NL East (excl. Washington), San Diego and San Fran will be sellers. NL Central teams could be added if someone ever pulls away in that lousy division (who picked the Brewers to lead the NL Central on June 3?). The wild cards in the NL are coming out west, as the D-Backs, Dodgers and Rockies dominate the division.. though if someone like Colorado fades, a Central team could get in there..

 

AL is so close, nobody is close to being a seller yet--Oakland is on the fringes, as is Kansas City.. but the mediocrity of the AL Central is keeping KC in the race. AL West is a joke.. the question is how many games will Houston win by? 20? 30?

 

The AL East is pretty tight.. anyone could win that division.

 

Ok... that wasn't the point of me posting that?

[Spanky99]

I'm laughing at everyone starting the sell, sell, sell threads and posts in which I laughed at knowing there's 5 more months of ball to be played. This team is too good, period.

[el duque]

Whatever that means, lol.

if you lose 1000$ and then you win 750 you are still loosing money so despite the good month of may Jays should keep winning. Beating the leaders of the division will be a good start, can they? I do hope so

[KevinGregg]

Zeke finally managed to get himself benched

Wow

[Spanky99]

if you lose 1000$ and then you win 750 you are still loosing money so despite the good month of may Jays should keep winning. Beating the leaders of the division will be a good start, can they? I do hope so

 

No s***, not so eloquent mate.

[Omar]

Gardner = pesky sob

[Spanky99]

Looking at AL OF'ers, Gardner has a case for the ASG.

[Spanky99]

Lets Cruise Joe!

[Stoneyen]

Can we please get Alford or Pompey up here starting in LF

[Spanky99]

That was a strike blue?

[Spanky99]

Attaboy Joe!

[Omar]

Im okay with giving Judge a free pass every at bat today.

[Spanky99]

I hope Pillar gets it together again... he's like 2 for his last 32 or something, IIRC.

[Spanky99]

Im okay with giving Judge a free pass every at bat today.

 

Same, although Biagini had him out on a K. Flippin' ump.

[Spanky99]

Yeah, this ump's a knob.

[KevinGregg]

Yeah, this ump's a knob.

 

Totally

[Omar]

I hope Pillar gets it together again... he's like 2 for his last 32 or something, IIRC.

 

Been awful since JD and Tulo came back. I wonder if tries to over compensate when the big boys are around? Either way he's working his way back down to 8/9 in the order.

[Spanky99]

Been awful since JD and Tulo came back. I wonder if tries to over compensate when the big boys are around? Either way he's working his way back down to 8/9 in the order.

 

Yeah, a swap with Travis.

[TorontonianJD]

That or F*g*t-gate has affected his psyche.

[Spanky99]

Well yeah, he's a starter now... dumn and dumner.