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Playoff-hopeful Jays, Yanks kick off crucial series
By: Staff Writer - StatFox
Published: 9/23/2016  at  12:19:00 PM
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By Brad Kallet

NEW YORK YANKEES (79-73)

at TORONTO BLUE JAYS (83-69)

First pitch: Friday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Line: New York +170, Toronto -200, Total: 9.5

The Blue Jays and the Yankees, playing for their playoff lives, kick off a crucial four-game series in Toronto.

Coming into this series, the Blue Jays (83-69) lead the Tigers by a game for the first American League wild-card berth, and are just 1 ½ games ahead of the Orioles for the second. The Yankees (79-73), on life support but still breathing, are three games behind the Tigers for the second wild-card berth. On the mound for the Yankees in the opener will be RHP Bryan Mitchell (1-1, 6.00 ERA, 1.75 WHIP). He’ll be opposed by Blue Jays LHP Francisco Liriano (7-13, 5.08 ERA, 1.53 WHIP). In 15 games between these two teams this season, the Blue Jays have gone 9-6—though the Yankees swept them in the Bronx earlier this month—and have won five of six at Rogers Centre. Five of those six games went UNDER the total, and 10 of the 15 games overall went UNDER. Joe Girardi’s club is just 35-42 away from home this season. The Jays have played very well in Toronto, posting an impressive 42-32 mark.

The Yankees look very different than they did at the start of the season, and the youth movement has—to the surprise of many—led to wins. The Bombers haven’t played very well over the last week-and-a-half, however, dropping eight of 11. C Gary Sanchez (.333, 19 HR, 38 RBI), despite just 168 at-bats, has taken the league by storm, and is getting strong consideration for Rookie of the Year honors. 2B Starlin Castro (.273, 21 HR, 69 RBI), who had a fine first season in New York, might be done for the year with a hamstring strain. Playing next to him, SS Didi Gregorius (.279, 18 HR, 67 RBI) has probably been the most consistent Yankee all year. The veterans still on the roster—CF Jacoby Ellsbury (.262, 9 HR, 52 RBI, 18 SB), LF Brett Gardner (.257, 7 HR, 39 RBI, 16 SB), 3B Chase Headley (.255, 14 HR, 50 RBI) and DH Brian McCann (.241, 19 HR, 56 RBI)—have largely disappointed. Gardner (6-for-13 with 1 2B, 1 3B, 5 RBI) has had success against Liriano. Newly acquired 1B/DH Billy Butler (.289, 5 HR, 35 RBI) is 8-for-35 lifetime against him with a homer, and 1B Mark Teixeira (.197, 13 HR, 38 RBI) is just 4-for-21 with a homer and 10 strikeouts. Mitchell faced the Blue Jays for the first time earlier this month. He threw five scoreless innings and earned the win.

The Jays, again, have been one of the most dangerous offensive teams in baseball. They’re fourth in the AL in runs (722), second in homers (214) and tied for third in on-base percentage (.328). Reigning MVP Josh Donaldson (.284, 35 HR, 94 RBI) has had another big year, as has 1B Edwin Encarnacion (.266, 42 HR, 123 RBI). RF Michael Saunders (.257, 24 HR, 56 RBI), SS Troy Tulowitzki (.251, 24 HR, 73 RBI), C Russell Martin (.236, 20 HR, 73 RBI) and DH Jose Bautista (.230, 19 HR, 60 RBI) remain threats, but they’ve had down seasons. No one on John Gibbons’ roster has more than four career at-bats against Mitchell, though Tulowitzki has homered off him. Liriano is 2-4 with a 4.29 ERA in his career against the Yankees. His team has gone just 2-7 in those starts. The left-hander hasn’t faced the Yanks since 2012.


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