Series Preview: Toronto Blue Jays at Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies will welcome the Toronto Blue Jays to South Philadelphia on Tuesday night.  The Grapefruit League rivals are set for a quick two-game, mid-week set with start times of 6:40 EDT and 4:05 EDT, respectively. 

The Phillies enter the series on the losing six of their last seven games including a demoralizing sweep by the Los Angeles Dodgers.  During the six game losing streak, the Phillies starting pitchers allowed four-plus runs in all of the games and registered a 9.91 ERA. The Phils snapped the six-game skid on Sunday defeating the Boston Red Sox, 6-1, to avoid back-to-back sweeps.  

Toronto comes into the series fresh off a three-game game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  TheJays outscored the Buccos 22-2 in the three-game set in Pittsburgh.  The Jays come into the series as the 9th overall offense in MLB.  Toronto’s pitching staff is middle of the road, ranking 12th in all of baseball. 

Here’s more on the upcoming series. 

Probable Starters

Game 1– TOR: Alex Manoah (1-2, 4.71 ERA) vs. PHI: Aaron Nola (2-2, 4.64 ERA)

Game 2: TOR: Kevin Gausman (2-3, 3.86 ERA) vs. PHI: Zack Wheeler (3-2, 4.26 ERA) 

Where They Stand

TOR: 21-14, 7 GB (TB) in the AL East

PHI: 16-19, 8 GB (ATL) in the NL East

What to Watch For

• Three Toronto hitters are in the Top 10 of AL batters in batting average
  • 3B Matt Chapman- .349 (1)
  • SS Bo Bichette- .329 (2)
  • 1B Vlad Guerrero Jr.- .318 (7)
• The trio rank 1-2-3 in the AL for hits
  • Bichette- 49 (1)
  • Chapman- 44 (2)
  • Guerrero Jr- 42 (T3)
• Chapman leads the AL in doubles (17)
• Toronto starter Kevin Guausman ranks 2nd in the AL in strikeouts (58)
• Phillies CF Brandon Marsh ranks in the Top 10 in batting average (6), on-base percentage (7), slugging (3), and on-base plus slugging (3)
• Marsh leads all of baseball in triples (4)
• Phillies RF Nick Castellanos is 2nd in the NL in doubles (13)