The Toronto Blue Jays head to the Bronx this weekend to take on the Yankees in a three-game series. The two teams are battling it out behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the highly competitive American League East Division. Both teams feature power-hitting lineups and power arms. The pitching matchup on Friday features Blue Jays' lefty Yusei Kikuchi (2-0, 4.70) taking righty Domingo German (1-1, 3.86) of the Yankees. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM EST.
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The Blue Jays head to the Bronx after a tough series in Houston, losing two of three to the defending champions, including an 8-1 loss on Wednesday night. Overall, the Jays have dropped three out of five games to fall behind both the Yankees and Orioles as everyone continues to chase the fast-starting Tampa Bay Rays. After starter Jose Berrios left the game after allowing just two runs on three hits in seven strong innings, the Jays bullpen coughed up five hits and six runs in the eighth inning to turn a 2-1 game into an 8-1 game. In the top of the 8th, the Blue Jays loaded the bases with no one out but failed to get a run across.
“Eighth inning, you load the bases with the top of the order (due up),” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “It’s the guys you want up there and just didn’t push one across. That and kind of snowballing there in the bottom of the eighth against Zach (Pop) and Adam (Cimber). That’s the difference.”
Let's WIN this series! #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/TukL5aWiia
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 20, 2023
Lefty Yusei Kikuchi takes the hill on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. Kikuchi is 2-0 on the season and the Jays are 3-0 in his starts this season. He has allowed 16 hits in 15.1 innings pitched including five home runs. Kikuchi has struck out 17 while walking just three batters. Kikuchi made six appearances against the Yankees last year, including four starts. He was 1-1 with an ERA of 3.54 while allowing 14 hits in 20.1 innings pitched. He also had a K/9 rate of 10.62 while allowing four home runs to the Bombers.