Blue Jays’ vibrant bats visit Yankees
In 2015, Josh Donaldson went on a tear down the stretch en route to capturing the AL MVP award. Is history about to repeat itself?
Toronto’s scalding-hot third baseman leads his team into battle vs. the Yankees this afternoon, with a 1:05 p.m. ET first pitch in the Bronx. Online sports book BetDSI gives the hosts odds of -132 to snatch the home opener, while John Gibbons’ gang represents a +122 underdog. The over/under run total currently sits at 8.5.
Over his last 13 contests, Donaldson is batting .347 with six homers and 12 RBIs. He’s also receiving ample help from another veteran who tends to shine during pennant chases. Catcher Russell Martin, whose two-run blast in the eighth inning keyed yesterday’s 5-3 win over Tampa Bay, holds a .338 average since Aug. 13
Nonetheless, the tandem will face a stiff challenge shortly. Masahiro Tanaka (11-4, 3.12 ERA) takes a five-game unbeaten streak into the proceedings. Joe Girardi’s ace went at least seven innings in three of his six August assignments.
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Gibbons answers with R.A. Dickey. The knuckleballer owns a 7-6 mark with a 1.09 WHIP in 22 career outings vs. the Yanks, but this affair’s all about the offense. Expect the Blue Jays to manufacture just enough of it to extend that division lead.
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