Game #145 Preview: Sanchez vs Price

After falling apart late last night to allow the Red Sox to officially clinch a Playoff spot, the Blue Jays look to bounce back and prevent the Red Sox from reaching win number 100 in the second of 3 games in Boston. Tonight’s game gets underway at 7:10 ET.

Blue Jays’ Starter

Aaron Sanchez looks to build upon his strongest start in months in this one, as his outing against the Rays was his best since June 15 due to missing a lot of time thanks to an injured finger. In his most recent start against the Rays, Sanchez made it through 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits with a pair of walks, striking out a season high matching 8. He also allowed a pair of home runs, something that he hasn’t done a whole lot of this season.

On the season, Sanchez is 4-5 with a 5.17 ERA. He is getting strikeouts at a rate that’s right in line with his magical 2016 season, but he walking more than 2 batters more per 9 innings than he did that season. At 94 innings on the season, he is also closing in on 100 innings pitched, which would mark the second time he reached that threshold in the Majors (if you add postseason to his 2015 total, he only gets to 99.2 innings).

Red Sox’ Starter

One of the most hated men in Boston gets the start tonight, the man the Boston Globe calls “tone deaf and provocative,” David Price gets the start for the Red Sox. He is having yet another solid season for the Red Sox, currently sitting at 14-6 with a 3.57 ERA. He’s not pitching as deep into games as he normally does, averaging under 6 innings per start. While the strikeouts are there and the walks are close to a career normal, he is allowing home runs at a rate much higher than he was accustomed to before coming to Boston, although it’s still a not-terrible 1.13 per 9 innings.

Price has faced the Jays 3 times this year, throwing a total of 17 innings. He earned the win in all 3 of those games with a 3.71 ERA. Jays’ batters hit .234/.310/.444, launching 3 home runs and a knocking 4 doubles.

Blue Jays’ Lineup

Rowdy Tellez and Billy McKinney sat yesterday with the lefty Sale on the mound. I wonder how much Gibby will actually give them starts against lefties down the stretch. I would guess that they’re on the bench in this one too.

Yangervis Solarte came up with a pinch hit single in a hard fought at bat against a lefty last night. He started on Sunday fresh off the DL, then had last night off. I would guess that he’s back in the starting lineup tonight.

This feels like a game that Luke Maile will draw the start in. Jansen and McGuire don’t have much experience working with Sanchez, although Jansen did catch him his last time out.

Red Sox Lineup

Steve Pearce got the start against Borucki yesterday, and really got things going in the 7th inning nightmare with a triple to CF just out of Pillar’s reach. I would imagine that he’s on the bench against Sanchez, and Mitch Moreland is back at 1B.

I would guess that Brock Holt and Rafael Devers are both in the lineup today, as Alex Cora looks to maximize the number of lefties he sends out there against Aaron Sanchez. If not, he’s really not paying attention as righties have a .293 wOBA while lefties have a .391 wOBA off Sanchez (league average wOBA is .315).

Yesterday’s Heroes

Teenage sensation (:sadface:) Juan Soto launched a pair of home runs, knocked a double, wrapped 2 singles and drew a walk in a 5-8 day across a pair of games to earn the Monster Bat award. The Nationals, now 8 games out in both the NL East and Wild Card races, won both games against the Phillies 3-1 and 7-6. Soto was especially impressive in the nightcap, which is where he slugged his 2 home runs, including the go ahead home run in the top of the 10th. His WPA in that game was .724, making up for his -.012 in the first game, but still good enough to earn WPA King as well.

Mike Foltynewicz threw a complete game, allowing 1 run on 6 hits and a walk. He struck out 7 as the Braves took down the Giants 4-1 thanks to Folty’s Pitcher of the Day work. That complete game was just the 40th in all of baseball this season, well short of last year’s record low 59. The 59 mark took the record from 2016’s 83, the first time the league ever had less than 100 complete games.

Find the Link

Find the link between Price and Rex Brothers.