GDT: 3/3 Blue Jays @ Astros. April 19, 8:10 ET Series tied 1-1

[JaysAllMighty]

Blue Jays

 

Pitcher Jose Berrios ®

 

1. George Springer ® DH

2. Bo Bichette ® SS

3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ® 1B

4. Daulton Varsho (L) LF

5. Matt Chapman ® 3B

6. Alejandro Kirk ® C

7. Whit Merrifield ® 2B

8. Kevin Kiermaier (L) CF

9. Nathan Lukes (L) RF

 

 

 

 

 

Astros

 

Pitcher Luis Garcia ®

 

1. Mauricio Dubon ® 2B

2. Alex Bregman ® 3B

3. Yordan Alvarez (L) DH

4. Jose Abreu ® 1B

5. Kyle Tucker (L) RF

6. Jeremy Pena ® SS

7. David Hensley ® LF

8. Jake Meyers ® CF

9. Martin Maldonado ® C

 

 

 

 

Edited April 19, 2023 by JaysAllMighty

[JaysAllMighty]

Blue Jays, Astros meet in rubber match of series

One after another, the pocket of right-handed hitters at the heart of the Toronto Blue Jays' lineup delivered hits to the opposite field on Tuesday, base knocks that produced a positive result in the middle game of this three-game series in Houston.

 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Matt Chapman belted opposite-field home runs in the top of the fourth inning before Bo Bichette chased Astros starter Jose Urquidy with an RBI single to right field in the fifth to pace the Blue Jays' 4-2 win.

Guerrero hitting the ball in the air the opposite way was a positive sign while Bichette going to right field is a part of his general approach. Chapman has been on a tear of late, homering for a second consecutive game while increasing his extra-base hits total to a major-league-best 14.

"Overall, up and down, that's been pretty consistent throughout the lineup this year," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of the opposite-field hitting.

Right-hander Jose Berrios (1-2, 7.98 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Blue Jays on Wednesday, the rubber match of the series. He notched the victory in his previous outing after allowing one run on four hits with six strikeouts over five innings in the Blue Jays' 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday -- Tampa Bay's first loss of the season after 13 straight wins. Berrios surrendered 12 earned runs over 9 2/3 innings over his first two starts of the season.

Berrios is 4-3 with a 4.81 ERA over seven career starts against the Astros with 33 strikeouts and 16 walks in 33 2/3 innings. He faced the Astros once last season on April 30, allowing one run on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in a 2-1 home victory.

 

Right-hander Luis Garcia (0-2, 7.71) will start the series finale for Houston. Despite recording a season-high seven strikeouts against the Texas Rangers on Friday in his most recent outing, Garcia was the pitcher of record in the Astros' 6-2 loss after allowing five runs on six hits and two walks over five innings. He has yet to log more than 15 outs in a start this season.

Garcia is 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA over three career starts against the Blue Jays. He went 0-1 with a 5.25 ERA in two outings against Toronto last season, including a home start on April 24 during which he allowed five runs on five hits and one walk with six strikeouts over six innings but did not factor into the decision of the Astros' 8-7 victory.

Already without second baseman Jose Altuve (thumb) and left fielder Michael Brantley (shoulder), the Astros placed outfielder Chas McCormick (back) on the 10-day injured list earlier Tuesday before sluggers Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker were dinged in the eighth inning.

Alvarez turned an ankle on his RBI single and was subsequently lifted for a pinch-runner. Tucker fouled a pitch off his right knee and remained in the game despite being doubled over in pain for an extended period. Tucker also delivered a run-scoring hit in the eighth.

"We probably won't know until Wednesday to see if they're sore or not," Astros manager Dusty Baker said of the status of Alvarez and Tucker. "I'm sure they'll be sore but it depends on how sore, so we'll have to wait and see.

"You can't time it but if you had to, we'd rather them (injuries) happen early and have time to rebound versus in the middle or late in the year."

 

--Field Level Media

[John_Havok]

[Grant77]

I was kind of hoping Alvarez and/or Tucker would be too banged up to play this game.

[Solaxys]

As always with Berrios starts... hope for the best, brace for the worst.

[Laika]

Is it notable that Biggio is not starting against a RHP?

 

Maybe not. I guess it's not a pure platoon. Lukes gets the start at his expense though, which is interesting.

[John_Havok]

Is it notable that Biggio is not starting against a RHP?

 

Maybe not. I guess it's not a pure platoon. Lukes gets the start at his expense though, which is interesting.

 

Merrifield is pretty hot right now (9 for his last 25 with 2 doubles) probably just want to keep him in there and ride with it

[Laika]

I guess it's over for Brandon Belt.

 

Yeah it's early but he has the worst K% in baseball for players with 40+ PA. He has not put one good swing on a baseball this year in 11 games. He is 35.

 

In a week or two you have to consider cutting him loose.

[John_Havok]

I guess it's over for Brandon Belt.

 

Yeah it's early but he has the worst K% in baseball for players with 40+ PA. He has not put one good swing on a baseball this year in 11 games. He is 35.

 

In a week or two you have to consider cutting him loose.

 

Nowhere to go but... up?

 

[Stangstag]

Is it notable that Biggio is not starting against a RHP?

 

Maybe not. I guess it's not a pure platoon. Lukes gets the start at his expense though, which is interesting.

 

Don’t really agree with it but whatev… Lukes is likely ass

[JaysAllMighty]

I guess it's over for Brandon Belt.

 

Yeah it's early but he has the worst K% in baseball for players with 40+ PA. He has not put one good swing on a baseball this year in 11 games. He is 35.

 

In a week or two you have to consider cutting him loose.

 

so you think they're going to flush 9.3M down the drain?

[Stangstag]

I guess it's over for Brandon Belt.

 

Yeah it's early but he has the worst K% in baseball for players with 40+ PA. He has not put one good swing on a baseball this year in 11 games. He is 35.

 

In a week or two you have to consider cutting him loose.

 

I don’t think they seriously consider it until end of May. Not like we have another DH candidate tearing things up at the moment

[Laika]

so you think they're going to flush 9.3M down the drain?

 

I have no f***ing idea what they will do

 

But once that K rate is mostly stable, it becomes an opportunity cost question

[Brownie19]

I don’t think they seriously consider it until end of May. Not like we have another DH candidate tearing things up at the moment

 

I agree with this. Cutting Belt just gives more AB's to Lukes and Biggio and honestly, I'd rather stick with Belt given those options. The f***ing guy can't just be done can he? I guess he can, but f***.

[John_Havok]

I agree with this. Cutting Belt just gives more AB's to Lukes and Biggio and honestly, I'd rather stick with Belt given those options. The f***ing guy can't just be done can he? I guess he can, but f***.

 

It's like he has this little pause in his swing right now, I dont know how to fully describe it but its like he starts his weight transfer, and just hold his hands back for another split second like he's trying to decide whether to swing or not, then cuts it loose and he's already late. I think his issues are with trying to wait too long

[Jonn]

Nathan Lukes has a career .744 OPS in the Minors and is starting in RF for some reason.

 

I get Belt and Biggio are struggling but they aren’t going to get better by sitting.

[John_Havok]

Nathan Lukes has a career .744 OPS in the Minors and is starting in RF for some reason.

 

I get Belt and Biggio are struggling but they aren’t going to get better by sitting.

 

If it's a scheduled DH day for Springer, Belt just has to sit unless Vlad is getting a full day off.

 

The rationale for Merrifield in at 2b over Biggio is probably just that Merrifield is hot and they want to ride it ... and figure Lukes in the OF and Merrifield at 2B is better defensively than Biggio at 2b and Merrifield in RF.

 

Speculation on my part a bit I guess.

[glory]

The Jays were playing Tapia in the OF over Biggio last season, and this is a guy (Tapia) that they couldn't wait to non tender after the season. Not sure they view Biggio as anything beyond a bench player at this point. They had Lukes on the 40 man roster all winter for some reason, and have stashed him on the bench to do nothing aside from today's start. Maybe Lukes has some compromising photos in his possession or something.

[Jonn]

If it's a scheduled DH day for Springer, Belt just has to sit.

 

The rationale for Merrifield in at 2b over Biggio is probably just that Merrifield is hot and they want to ride it ... and figure Lukes in the OF and Merrifield at 2B is better defensively than Biggio at 2b and Merrifield in RF.

 

Speculation on my part a bit I guess.

 

What are we basing Merrifield hotness off? His batting average? His OPS is .687. I already don’t like how many Outfield starts he’s getting. He’s passable at Second Base. He shouldn’t be starting as a corner Outfielder in the Major Leagues. Maybe against Lefties but still iffy.

[John_Havok]

What are we basing Merrifield hotness off? His batting average? His OPS is .687. I already don’t like how many Outfield starts he’s getting. He’s passable at Second Base. He shouldn’t be starting as a corner Outfielder in the Major Leagues. Maybe against Lefties but still iffy.

 

Over the past week he's a 131 OPS+ with a couple doubles and has a 6 game hit streak with 3 of those games being multihit games.

 

Im not saying it's right or wrong to be playing him, just thinking that's probably what the Jays are doing, riding the hot hand while the other guy (Biggio) struggles

 

I will say though I'd rather see Biggio in the OF than Lukes. Lukes probably better defensively since he plays CF, but Biggio is the better stick for sure.

[Stangstag]

If it's a scheduled DH day for Springer, Belt just has to sit unless Vlad is getting a full day off.

 

The rationale for Merrifield in at 2b over Biggio is probably just that Merrifield is hot and they want to ride it ... and figure Lukes in the OF and Merrifield at 2B is better defensively than Biggio at 2b and Merrifield in RF.

 

Speculation on my part a bit I guess.

 

Then just do Merrifield LF/Varsho RF/Biggio 2B. Idk I don’t like Lukes starting at all. Especially when everyone is healthy. 0 reason for him to be in the lineup.

 

Now watch him pop 2 homers and make me look dumn

[Stangstag]

The Jays were playing Tapia in the OF over Biggio last season, and this is a guy (Tapia) that they couldn't wait to non tender after the season. Not sure they view Biggio as anything beyond a bench player at this point. They had Lukes on the 40 man roster all winter for some reason, and have stashed him on the bench to do nothing aside from today's start. Maybe Lukes has some compromising photos in his possession or something.

 

Lukes is Bradley Zimmer without the pop.

 

This front office loves useless lefty outfielders.

 

Lukes, Zimmer, Bradley, Tapia, Fisher, Pelacios, Brito, Carrera…. Just off the top of my head

[Omar]

Let's go Nathan Lukes. Don't listen to the nay sayers.

[wilko]

Let's go Nathan Lukes. Don't listen to the nay sayers.

 

Thanks Dad!

[Solaxys]

Lukes gets a triple tonight. Book it.

[max silver]

Lukes is Bradley Zimmer without the pop.

 

This front office loves useless lefty outfielders.

 

Lukes, Zimmer, Bradley, Tapia, Fisher, Pelacios, Brito, Carrera…. Just off the top of my head

 

Lukes hasn't really even had a chance to hit in the majors yet so it's a little up in the air what he will able to do. He produced a 151 WRC+ in AAA so far and had a nice spring as well so he might be able to surprise a little bit.

[Brownie19]

Lukes hasn't really even had a chance to hit in the majors yet so it's a little up in the air what he will able to do. He produced a 151 WRC+ in AAA so far and had a nice spring as well so he might be able to surprise a little bit.

 

I think it's worth a shot, given what we've seen from Belt and Biggio so far...

[Jonn]

Over the past week he's a 131 OPS+ with a couple doubles and has a 6 game hit streak with 3 of those games being multihit games.

 

Im not saying it's right or wrong to be playing him, just thinking that's probably what the Jays are doing, riding the hot hand while the other guy (Biggio) struggles

 

I will say though I'd rather see Biggio in the OF than Lukes. Lukes probably better defensively since he plays CF, but Biggio is the better stick for sure.

 

I just don't think Cavan Biggio is going to bust out of a slump if hes not playing. They are going to have to make a decision on him soon. Its frustrating because he was such a good player his first 2 years.

[John_Havok]

I just don't think Cavan Biggio is going to bust out of a slump if hes not playing. They are going to have to make a decision on him soon. Its frustrating because he was such a good player his first 2 years.

 

Biggio is a tough guy to judge though over 33 PAs where his babip is .176. There's so much random s*** in that sample size... his K rate is slightly up, his walk rate is slightly down... He could have 2 games going 3/4 and his numbers would look normal again just with the sample size.

 

I dunno, I'm sure with him it's well past the point of him being expected to be anything but a stop gap/multi-positional utility guy. He's still an excellent baserunner for what it's worth.

[Orgfiller]

Biggio is a tough guy to judge though over 33 PAs where his babip is .176. There's so much random s*** in that sample size... his K rate is slightly up, his walk rate is slightly down... He could have 2 games going 3/4 and his numbers would look normal again just with the sample size.

 

I dunno, I'm sure with him it's well past the point of him being expected to be anything but a stop gap/multi-positional utility guy. He's still an excellent baserunner for what it's worth.

 

With him it’s all about the batted ball data. He’s not hitting the ball hard at all, hard hit rate of only 11% and his IFBB rate is 33.3%. He’s literally popped it up for a third of his batted balls. Gross.