Boston @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( May 8, 2015 ) Boston 0, Toronto 7
The Boston Red Sox have enough problems with their pitching staff without having to worry about the offense as well. The Red Sox will try to string together a few hits when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays in the second of a three-game series on Saturday.
Boston dropped Friday’s opener 7-0 and has lost six of the last seven games while struggling in all areas. The Red Sox fired pitching coach Juan Nieves prior to the series but the real issue of late is hitting with runners in scoring position, where Boston is 4 for its last 52. The Blue Jays had their own starting pitching issues but are beginning to turn things around with wins in three of the last four games. Toronto pitchers have surrendered a total of two runs in those three victories and yielded only two hits in Friday’s triumph.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), RSN (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Joe Kelly (1-1, 5.72 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Drew Hutchison (2-0, 7.47)
Kelly is coming of his shortest outing of the season – a 4 2/3-inning stint against the New York Yankees in which he was ripped for five runs and nine hits. The 26-year-old has surrendered five runs in each of his last three starts and yielded a home run in his last four. One of those came against the Blue Jays on April 27, when Kelly struck out 10 in six innings but was charged with five runs on as many hits.
Hutchison has been just as shaky of late and was reached for six runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings at Cleveland on Sunday. The 24-year-old was reached for six runs on nine hits and five walks at Boston on April 28 but escaped without factoring in the decision. Hutchison has failed to make it through the fifth inning in four of his six starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays C Russell Martin is 14-for-23 over his last six games.
2. Boston DH David Ortiz will return Saturday after serving a one-game suspension for making contact with an umpire.
3. Red Sox LF Hanley Ramirez (shoulder) missed the last three games and remains day-to-day.
PREDICTION: Blue Jays 8, Red Sox 4