Blue Jays and Athletics Begin Three-Game Series in Toronto
Friday, August 9, 2024
7:07 p.m. EDT
The Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics will square off in a three-game series starting Friday evening at Rogers Centre. Both teams are currently struggling, with Toronto sitting at 53-62 and Oakland at 48-68.
The Blue Jays have been inconsistent all season, but they have shown signs of improvement lately. They have won four of their last six games, including a series win over the Chicago White Sox. Toronto’s offense has been led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has 23 home runs and 75 RBIs.
The Athletics, on the other hand, have been one of the worst teams in baseball this season. They have lost eight of their last ten games and are in danger of finishing with their first losing record since 2015. Oakland’s offense has been anemic, averaging just 3.9 runs per game.
The pitching matchup for Friday’s game features Jose Berrios for the Blue Jays and Mitch Spence for the Athletics. Berrios is 9-9 with a 4.11 ERA this season, while Spence is 7-7 with a 4.40 ERA.
The Athletics will be looking to avoid a sweep in Toronto. They will send left-hander Cole Irvin to the mound on Saturday, while the Blue Jays will counter with right-hander Kevin Gausman.
The series finale on Sunday will feature a matchup of right-handers Frankie Montas for the Athletics and Chris Bassitt for the Blue Jays.
