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TORONTO ( HUTCHISON )
MINNESOTA ( NOLASCO ) |
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| 969 | TORONTO | +105 | Ov 8.5,-120 | -120 | Ov 8,+100 | | 970 | MINNESOTA | -115 | Un 8.5,+100 | +110 | Un 8,-120 |
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| All Games | 23-28 | -6.9 | 25-24 | 5.2 | 0.259 | 0.325 | 0.435 | 0.759 | 4.6 | 0.255 | 0.320 | 0.427 | 0.747 | | Road Games | 9-16 | -5.9 | 15-9 | 5.0 | 0.243 | 0.305 | 0.398 | 0.703 | 5.4 | 0.280 | 0.345 | 0.478 | 0.823 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 15-23 | -9.2 | 18-18 | 5.0 | 0.250 | 0.321 | 0.419 | 0.740 | 4.6 | 0.252 | 0.321 | 0.416 | 0.736 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +0.3 | 3-4 | 5.3 | 0.279 | 0.342 | 0.492 | 0.834 | 3.7 | 0.260 | 0.290 | 0.379 | 0.669 | | Grass Games | 9-13 | -2.8 | 14-7 | 5.4 | 0.252 | 0.318 | 0.411 | 0.729 | 5.1 | 0.271 | 0.339 | 0.467 | 0.806 | | Day Games | 8-8 | -0.5 | 7-8 | 5.7 | 0.282 | 0.357 | 0.448 | 0.805 | 4.5 | 0.267 | 0.327 | 0.440 | 0.767 |
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| All Games | 5.2 | 0.259 | 0.325 | 51 | 1710 | 443 | 108 | 6 | 60 | 0.435 | 247 | 167 | 383 | 27 | 317 | 49 | 27 | 42 | 20 | | Road Games | 5.0 | 0.243 | 0.305 | 25 | 847 | 206 | 50 | 3 | 25 | 0.398 | 111 | 75 | 218 | 13 | 148 | 23 | 13 | 19 | 6 | | Righty Starters | 5.0 | 0.250 | 0.321 | 38 | 1274 | 319 | 80 | 3 | 43 | 0.419 | 174 | 133 | 292 | 22 | 251 | 33 | 22 | 33 | 19 |
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| All Games | 3.88 | 1.205 | 146 | 69 | 63 | 126 | 17 | 50 | 147 | 6-10 | 6 | 8 | 42.9% | | Road Games | 4.97 | 1.288 | 70.7 | 42 | 39 | 62 | 10 | 29 | 73 | 3-7 | 3 | 5 | 37.5% |
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| All Games | 29-19 | +15.9 | 24-21 | 4.6 | 0.257 | 0.307 | 0.389 | 0.696 | 4.1 | 0.272 | 0.318 | 0.420 | 0.738 | | Home Games | 18-7 | +13.1 | 13-10 | 5.3 | 0.288 | 0.333 | 0.438 | 0.771 | 3.9 | 0.268 | 0.309 | 0.398 | 0.708 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 14-13 | +3.4 | 10-15 | 3.4 | 0.242 | 0.291 | 0.356 | 0.647 | 4.4 | 0.279 | 0.324 | 0.436 | 0.759 | | Past 7 Games | 6-1 | +6.2 | 3-3 | 4.9 | 0.272 | 0.309 | 0.446 | 0.756 | 2.7 | 0.228 | 0.260 | 0.353 | 0.614 | | Grass Games | 29-19 | +15.9 | 24-21 | 4.6 | 0.257 | 0.307 | 0.389 | 0.696 | 4.1 | 0.272 | 0.318 | 0.420 | 0.738 | | Day Games | 14-11 | +4.6 | 15-8 | 4.6 | 0.264 | 0.317 | 0.402 | 0.720 | 5.2 | 0.292 | 0.337 | 0.466 | 0.803 |
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| All Games | 4.6 | 0.257 | 0.307 | 48 | 1623 | 417 | 81 | 10 | 38 | 0.389 | 206 | 117 | 368 | 18 | 288 | 47 | 27 | 46 | 28 | | Home Games | 5.3 | 0.288 | 0.333 | 25 | 826 | 238 | 44 | 4 | 24 | 0.438 | 128 | 55 | 169 | 9 | 145 | 28 | 14 | 28 | 10 | | Righty Starters | 3.4 | 0.242 | 0.291 | 27 | 876 | 212 | 41 | 4 | 17 | 0.356 | 87 | 60 | 224 | 14 | 158 | 26 | 12 | 24 | 14 |
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| All Games | 3.87 | 1.289 | 146.6 | 67 | 63 | 148 | 16 | 41 | 97 | 7-6 | 20 | 3 | 87% | | Home Games | 3.39 | 1.155 | 79.7 | 33 | 30 | 74 | 9 | 18 | 58 | 4-2 | 12 | 1 | 92.3% |
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| 5/17/2015 | BUEHRLE(L) | @ HOUSTON | MCHUGH(R) | 2-4 | L | 130 | 8.5 un | U | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | | 5/18/2015 | REDMOND(R) | LA ANGELS | WILSON(L) | 10-6 | W | -110 | 9.5 ev | O | 17 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 0 | | 5/19/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | LA ANGELS | SANTIAGO(L) | 2-3 | L | -120 | 9.5 ov | U | 4 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | | 5/20/2015 | HUTCHISON(R) | LA ANGELS | WEAVER(R) | 3-4 | L | -125 | 9 un | U | 5 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 | | 5/21/2015 | DICKEY(R) | LA ANGELS | SHOEMAKER(R) | 8-4 | W | +100 | 8.5 ov | O | 10 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | | 5/22/2015 | ESTRADA(R) | SEATTLE | HERNANDEZ(R) | 3-4 | L | +140 | 8 ev | U | 7 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | | 5/23/2015 | BUEHRLE(L) | SEATTLE | PAXTON(L) | 2-3 | L | -140 | 8.5 un | U | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | | 5/24/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | SEATTLE | WALKER(R) | 8-2 | W | -105 | 9 ov | O | 10 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 0 | | 5/25/2015 | HUTCHISON(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | NOESI(R) | 6-0 | W | -155 | 8.5 ev | U | 7 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | | 5/26/2015 | DICKEY(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | DANKS(L) | 10-9 | W | -155 | 9 ov | O | 13 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 1 | | 5/27/2015 | ESTRADA(R) | CHI WHITE SOX | SAMARDZIJA(R) | 3-5 | L | -125 | 9 un | U | 13 | 12 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 0 | | 5/29/2015 | BUEHRLE(L) | @ MINNESOTA | MAY(R) | 6-4 | W | 105 | 8.5 ev | O | 11 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | | 5/30/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | @ MINNESOTA | GIBSON(R) | 2-3 | L | -110 | 8.5 un | U | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 2 | | 5/31/2015 | HUTCHISON(R) | @ MINNESOTA | NOLASCO(R) | | | 6/1/2015 | DICKEY(R) | @ WASHINGTON | ZIMMERMANN(R) | | | 6/2/2015 | ESTRADA(R) | @ WASHINGTON | SCHERZER(R) | | | 6/3/2015 | BUEHRLE(L) | @ WASHINGTON | STRASBURG(R) | | | 6/5/2015 | | HOUSTON | | | | 6/6/2015 | | HOUSTON | | | | 6/7/2015 | | HOUSTON | | |
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| 5/17/2015 | GIBSON(R) | TAMPA BAY | ARCHER(R) | 3-11 | L | +115 | 8 ev | O | 6 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 12 | 0 | | 5/19/2015 | NOLASCO(R) | @ PITTSBURGH | LIRIANO(L) | 8-5 | W | 150 | 7.5 un | O | 8 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 0 | | 5/20/2015 | PELFREY(R) | @ PITTSBURGH | LOCKE(L) | 4-3 | W | 130 | 7.5 ev | U | 10 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 0 | | 5/22/2015 | HUGHES(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SAMARDZIJA(R) | 2-3 | L | 120 | 7.5 ov | U | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 0 | | 5/23/2015 | MAY(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SALE(L) | 4-3 | W | 155 | 7.5 un | U | 6 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 1 | | 5/24/2015 | GIBSON(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | QUINTANA(L) | 8-1 | W | 130 | 8 ev | O | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | | 5/25/2015 | NOLASCO(R) | BOSTON | KELLY(R) | 7-2 | W | +105 | 9 un | P | 16 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 0 | | 5/26/2015 | PELFREY(R) | BOSTON | BUCHHOLZ(R) | 2-1 | W | +130 | 8.5 ev | U | 7 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 1 | | 5/27/2015 | HUGHES(R) | BOSTON | PORCELLO(R) | 6-4 | W | +110 | 9 un | O | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | | 5/29/2015 | MAY(R) | TORONTO | BUEHRLE(L) | 4-6 | L | -115 | 8.5 ev | O | 6 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 1 | | 5/30/2015 | GIBSON(R) | TORONTO | SANCHEZ(R) | 3-2 | W | +100 | 8.5 un | U | 9 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 | | 5/31/2015 | NOLASCO(R) | TORONTO | HUTCHISON(R) | | | 6/1/2015 | PELFREY(R) | @ BOSTON | BUCHHOLZ(R) | | | 6/2/2015 | HUGHES(R) | @ BOSTON | PORCELLO(R) | | | 6/3/2015 | MAY(R) | @ BOSTON | WRIGHT(R) | | | 6/4/2015 | GIBSON(R) | @ BOSTON | MILEY(L) | | | 6/5/2015 | | MILWAUKEE | | | | 6/6/2015 | | MILWAUKEE | | | | 6/7/2015 | | MILWAUKEE | | |
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| |  | TORONTO: TORONTO (AP) - The upcoming season for the Toronto Blue Jays seems destined to be defined by the one young pitcher who'll miss it and the two even younger guys who'll try to replace him.
Toronto's plans for ending baseball's longest active playoff drought took a serious hit when Marcus Stroman suffered a season-ending knee injury in spring training.
The second-year right-hander tore a ligament when his knee buckled as he backed off a bunt during a pregame fielding drill. He's out for the year after undergoing surgery.
''It's tough,'' Stroman said. ''I just feel like I let my team down. I've worked harder than I ever had this offseason.''
The injury changed Toronto's thinking about 22-year-old right-hander Aaron Sanchez, who might have been closing games rather than starting them if Stroman was still healthy, and 21-year-old lefty Daniel Norris, the van-dwelling surfer dude.
The two pitchers now look likely to get their shot in Toronto's rotation, slotting in behind 200-inning workhorses R.A Dickey and Mark Buehrle, and 24-year-old right-hander Drew Hutchison.
How successful they are could well determine what happens to the Blue Jays, out of the postseason since winning their second straight World Series in 1993 and the only team that hasn't reached the playoffs this century.
''We may have to rely on a young guy who may not be proven,'' manager John Gibbons said. ''Stro was a baby, too, but a special guy.''
Sanchez has already shown signs that he could also be special. He excelled out of the bullpen in 24 games last season, posting three saves and a 1.09 ERA in 33 innings, striking out 27 while walking nine and holding opponents to a .128 average.
With the increased demands of a starting role lying ahead, the hard-throwing Sanchez has spent this spring refining his slider.
''With the way he throws, it could turn into a big strikeout pitch for him,'' Gibbons said.
The Blue Jays are also high on Norris, currently better known for spending his winters searching for prime surfing spots while living out of a 1978 Volkswagen camper van nicknamed ''Shaggy.''
''He's a different bird,'' Gibbons said. ''Anytime you live in a van, I wouldn't say that's normal.''
Norris had an abnormal 2014 season, rising from Class A to the majors after going 12-2 with a 2.53 ERA at three minor league stops. He underwent elbow surgery last October to remove bone spurs, and expects to be better this year than the pitcher who made five appearances for the Blue Jays in September.
''He's a student of the game,'' Gibbons said. ''He's a very smart kid and he's grounded. He's got the most important thing: He's got a great arm.''
After Jose Reyes and the Blue Jays went 83-79, here's what else to watch as they try to move up:
MIGHTY MIGUEL: Sanchez and Norris aren't the only impressive young arms expected to break camp with the Blue Jays. Right-hander Miguel Castro, 20, didn't allow a run in his first five spring appearances, striking out eight and walking none while allowing three hits over nine innings. A hard thrower who stands an imposing 6-foot-5, Castro has put himself in position to jump from Class A, where he went 8-3 with a 2.68 ERA last season, all the way to the majors. ''He looks like a seasoned vet out there, under control, very relaxed,'' Gibbons said.
NEW GUYS, NEW FOCUS: Toronto strengthened its lineup over the winter by signing free agent catcher Russell Martin to a five-year, $82 million contract and acquiring All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson from Oakland. Slugger Jose Bautista has praised the newcomers for making a difference in the clubhouse with their winning pedigree and intense focus. ''We need something along those lines here every now and then,'' Bautista said. ''It's good to have guys to whom winning matters.''
BLOCKING THE PLATE: Adding Martin gave the Blue Jays a logjam at catcher, where incumbent Dioner Navarro is signed through 2015 and Josh Thole is Dickey's knuckleball specialist. Martin has worked hard this spring to prove he can handle Dickey's floater, which could mean Thole is ticketed for Triple-A. Or, Toronto may yet trade the switch-hitting Navarro to open room at DH for Edwin Encarnacion, who has been slowed this spring by a balky back and may not be able to handle regular duty at first base. | | MINNESOTA: MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Paul Molitor was hired as Minnesota's new manager, bringing Hall of Fame membership and renowned intelligence and intuition to a team seeking a fresh start.
The Twins brought back one of their most popular players ever, Torii Hunter, to help solidify an unsettled outfield, mentor a fledgling team and hit a few home runs. They have collected plenty of promising young hitters, either slated for the opening day lineup or waiting in the minor league wings.
None of that will matter much if the starting pitching continues to wobble the way it has the last four seasons.
Phil Hughes had by most measures a career year, his first away from the New York Yankees, but his ability to match that is low on the list of 2015 goals. Ricky Nolasco needs to rebound from a terrible first season with the Twins. Ervin Santana must show he's worth that $55 million, four-year contract. Kyle Gibson has to reduce the times (five of 31 starts in 2014) he goes three innings or less and gives up six runs or more. The fifth spot winner, Trevor May, Tommy Milone or Mike Pelfrey, needs to keep it.
''We'd put up a couple good starts and somebody would get hurt or we'd take a step backward,'' said Hughes, whose 2014 season has been one of the few true success stories of the rotation since it unraveled in 2011. ''Every good team I've been on, it seems like the rotation gets on a roll.''
New pitching coach Neil Allen will have more impact on the staff than Molitor, but after 13 years under manager Ron Gardenhire the clubhouse has been naturally buzzing with excitement about the new boss.
''He's one of the smartest baseball people I've ever been around,'' first baseman Joe Mauer said.
As for Hunter? His presence was desired for more energy and stronger camaraderie.
''If there's no tension between players and you're comfortable with everyone, you're going to play better,'' closer Glen Perkins said. ''So that's chemistry, I guess. I think we've held it together as much as we can, as much as we've struggled.''
Here are some key angles to know about the Twins in 2015:
MAUER IMPROVEMENT
Mauer, soon to turn 32, will make $23 million each of the next four years. Injuries have limited him to an average of 116 games from 2011-14. His batting average hit a career-low .277 last season, and he had a career-most 96 strikeouts despite time lost to an oblique muscle injury.
The Twins haven't lost faith in their franchise player, the homegrown guy who was the first overall draft pick in 2001. Playing for Molitor, whom he grew up admiring as an alumnus of the same St. Paul high school, ought to help.
''He's healthy. I think he's anxious to prove that last year was just an aberration,'' general manager Terry Ryan said.
LINEUP FLEXIBILITY
Molitor has been touting his options at the top and in the middle of the order, with a team that quietly scored the third-most runs in the majors after the All-Star break last year and added an accomplished hitter in Hunter.
One decision is whether to bat Mauer third, where he was most of his career until Gardenhire began to bat him second often over the last two seasons.
With Hunter, Kennys Vargas, Trevor Plouffe and Oswaldo Arcia, Molitor has power to play with in the heart of the order. The downsides are Arcia's inconsistency, leadoff man Danny Santana being the only player with a 2014 average above .290 and an unsettled situation in center field.
''It's a small sample, our track record from last year, but it's something you can use as a foundation to see potentially how your offense can work. We're going to have depth, I think, all the way down to the bottom,'' Molitor said.
BULLPEN SHUFFLE
The Twins could return as few as three relievers to their roles from last season: Perkins, Casey Fien and Brian Duensing. Blaine Boyer and Tim Stauffer, from San Diego, were signed. At least one of the losers in the fifth starter competition was headed for the seven-man bullpen. Rule 5 draft pick J.R. Graham, who must be returned to Atlanta if he's not on the 25-man roster, has been pushing for a spot, too.
Reliever use will be one area in which Molitor's strategy could differ from that of Gardenhire.
''I want to get them out of a one-inning mentality. Not that they all have it, or don't want to pitch more. But we've talked a lot about some of those guys, trying to get two innings out of them here, if we can,'' Molitor said. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (TORONTO-MINNESOTA) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Blue Jays-Twins Preview* =========================
Toronto (23-27) at Minnesota (28-19), 2:10 p.m. EDT
Drew Hutchison owns the majors' best run-support average for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Minnesota Twins starter Ricky Nolasco doesn't own that distinction only because he hasn't pitched enough innings to qualify for it.
These right-handed starters have combined for nine wins even though each has a 5.12 ERA as they match up Sunday at Target Field.
Hutchison (4-1, 5.12 ERA) owns a run-support average of 9.00, though he didn't need that much help Monday as he threw 96 pitches in a four-hitter for his second career shutout in a 6-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
"I got a lot of early swing ground balls and got double plays," he said. "That was the key to getting deep in the game and keeping the pitch count down."
Nolasco (5-1, 5.12) actually has a 9.09 run-support average, but a stint on the disabled list that kept him out most of April is why he has not pitched enough to qualify. He has posted a 3.77 ERA in winning all five starts since returning.
The injury problems resulted in a difficult start in which he was booed for not being able to get through the sixth inning. Nolasco finally cleared that hurdle Monday by giving up two runs in 7 2-3 innings in a 7-2 home win over Boston.
"The last couple starts I was frustrated not being able to finish that sixth inning," Nolasco said. "So I thought it was good to go deep in the game."
While no Twins hitter has more than three at-bats against Hutchison, Nolasco has more experience against the Blue Jays (23-28) with a 4.15 ERA and no decisions in three starts. Jose Reyes is a .346 hitter in 52 at-bats versus Nolasco, Edwin Encarnacion is 5 for 14 and Jose Bautista is 1 for 8.
One hitter Nolasco hasn't faced is Josh Donaldson, who had a single in three at-bats in Saturday's 3-2 loss for Toronto. That ended the longest home run streak of Donaldson's career at four - the longest by a Blue Jays hitter since Bautista's five-game streak Aug. 26-31.
Donaldson had five homers and 10 RBIs during his four-game run. He is batting .408 during a 19-game hitting streak against the Twins.
Minnesota (29-19) evened this three-game set as Brian Dozier tripled in the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning.
The Blue Jays, who ended a five-game road slide with Friday's 6-4 victory, went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position one day later and hit into double plays in the first three innings.
Encarnacion was the first Toronto hitter to do so and was 0 for 3. The slugger has just a single over his last 19 at-bats.
Former Twins outfielder Chris Colabello is batting .385 during a 10-game hitting streak for Toronto.
Torii Hunter, who has a team-high 30 RBIs, is expected back in the Twins lineup after a scheduled day off Saturday. Hunter, who will match Justin Morneau for eighth place on Minnesota's all-time list with his 1,278th game, is batting .323 during an eight-game hitting streak.
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| | Last Updated: 5/9/2024 9:22:43 AM EST. |
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