Red Sox Series Preview: The Blue Jays Are Back

Jun 10, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman

(20) celebrates as he crosses home plate after hitting a home run against Miami Marlins in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Those jerseys may be blue, but the Toronto Blue Jays (31-30) are red-hot, right now. Winners of eight out of their last ten games, the Blue Jays are playing some incredible baseball. Even when the games are close, Toronto is finding a way to win, stirring the pot in the American League East.

Jun 10, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Toronto Blue Jays fan holds up a sign as she celebrates the Jays 7-2 win over Miiami Marlins at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox (27-34), on the other hand, are 5-5 in their last ten games, and were recently swept in their three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles. It has looked pretty inconsistent for Red Sox Nation, as their boys are hoping to make a fight of it at home, in Fenway Park. The Red Sox are 15-14 at home, compared to their dismal 12-20 away record.

Considering that the Blue Jays’ hot streak has been due to “home cookin'” with a record of 11-18 in away games, the Red Sox may be able to put the Blue Jays to rest.

One of our BoSox Injection staff members also pointed out that the Blue Jays were seven games below .500 before they went on this streak. That’s the same number that the Red Sox are behind, right now.

Will fortunes change? Check out the tale of the tape:

** All statistics come from MLB.com

Jun 6, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher

(56) delivers a pitch during the 1st inning of the game against the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Pitching Matchups @ Red Sox (Fenway Park)

June 12th @ 7:10 PM ET

• Drew Hutchison (5-1, 4.91 ERA) vs. Joe Kelly (2-4, 5.40 ERA)
• The righty for Toronto has a much better record than his counterpart, before tonight’s game, but has only recently pulled things together. He may not have many losses, but he has given up a ton of runs early in some games, before Hutchison’s team bailed him out for six no-decisions. However, in his last three starts, Hutchison has a combined five runs, four in one game, while striking out 16 opposing batters. He earned two wins in that span.
• Kelly continues to be inconsistent. At least, after suffering an embarrassing loss against the Minnesota Twins, where he only lasted 1.2 innings, Kelly has pitched 11 innings where he allowed just two runs. He struck out nine batters in that stretch.

June 13th @ 1:35 PM ET

• R.A. Dickey (2-6, 5.35 ERA) vs. Clay Buchholz (3-6, 4.07 ERA)
• Both of these pitchers were once considered the aces of their respective rotations. While Dickey has been directly demoted, Buchholz shows some signs of life in the midst of some heckling from Red Sox Nation.
• The 40-year old knuckleball pitcher for Toronto has no wins in his last three appearances, although two of those games were strong. Dickey only allowed two runs in each of those two games, lasting 6.0 and 5.2 innings, respectively, and struck out a combined 11 batters.
• With Buchholz, you never know what will happen. He earned the loss in a start against Minnesota, where he went 7.1 innings and only allowed two runs. He picked up a win by blanking the Twins a few weeks later, striking out eight batters in eight innings. Then he lost his most recent outing by allowing four runs on ten hits in only 4.2 innings of work. Who would make any kind of bet on this game?

June 14th @ 1:35 PM ET

• Marco Estrada (3-3, 3.78 ERA) vs. Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 0.44 ERA)
• Estrada is a 31-year-old righty, whom the Blue Jays are experimenting with, this season, to be a starter, after top prospect Daniel Norris proved to need a bit more seasoning. Estrada has not disappointed. He has averaged about three runs for his last three starts, but he has also lasted seven innings in two of those games, with six innings in the third game. He has strikeout potential and does not walk many batters, making him a tough test for the Red Sox to work out of the game.
• If someone is going to outlast Estrada on the Red Sox rotation, it’s going to be Rodriguez. The lefty has become a sensation in Boston, with two wins in his three starts, with the third resulting in a no-decision. In that particular game, Rodriguez threw a ton of pitches that the opposition fouled off, but they only earned three hits against him in six innings, blanking the score.

Jun 7, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays team celebrate with right fielder

(19)after he makes the winning scorein the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays won 7-6. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

Blue Jays’ Key Players To Watch:

• First baseman / designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion has been doing his famous parrot-wing arm while rounding the bases more frequently, lately. With a .417 batting average, a home run, and four RBIs in the last seven games, Edwin looks to be heating up before the summer truly begins.

• Right fielder Jose Bautista is absolutely pounding the ball at the right moments for the Blue Jays. He has three home runs and five RBIs, while batting .316 in the last seven games. The face of the franchise is carrying a big stick, and leading his team by other means as well. He has six walks and two stolen bases in that same stretch, showing how getting on base and being a threat is more important than just getting individual hits.

• Third baseman Josh Donaldson has shown the rest of the A.L. East, including Boston’s own Pablo Sandoval, how to play the position properly. With incredible defense and driving the ball over the fence twice in seven days, helping his RBI total to five runs, Donaldson is finding his new home in Toronto very comfortable, this year.

Jun 6, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman

(26) lines out to left field during the 4th inning of the game against the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park. The Red Sox won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Red Sox’ Key Players To Watch:

• Utility man Brock Holt is anything but an afterthought. He has hit so well that he finds himself in the lineup more than some of the players whom were starters in April. Holt has been the bolt of energy that the Red Sox have needed, hitting .429 in the last seven games. His nine hits and two RBIs have justified him being put into the two-spot in the batting lineup.

• Second baseman Dustin Pedroia continues to prove to be a great leadoff man, hitting .375 and coming across the plate six times in the last seven games. The question will be if anyone will drive him in, once he gets on base against the Blue Jays.

• Left fielder Hanley Ramirez would normally be the featured attraction with his numbers leading the team, in the last seven days. He leads the team with four RBIs in that stretch. However, Ramirez is not in tonight’s lineup, with Holt being in left field, instead. Will this move happen again, tomorrow? After hurting himself against the Orioles, Ramirez seemed to recover, but will this day off turn into more?