Chicago @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( Apr 13, 2010 ) Chi. White Sox 2, Toronto 4
It's no easy task to follow Ricky Romero's superb outing from Tuesday, but that's exactly what the Toronto Blue Jays are asking Brandon Morrow to do tonight. The 25-year-old right-hander will get the start a day after Romero took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and finished with 12 strikeouts.
Morrow is no stranger to playing second fiddle. He has never been looked at as the future ace of the staff and has been shuttled back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen throughout his career. For now, he's a full-time starter as the Blue Jays build their pitching staff for the future.
Morrow has a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings versus the White Sox, but he was roughed up by Baltimore his first time out this year to the tune of five earned runs in five innings.
Morrow could benefit against a White Sox lineup that is struggling at the plate. Not a single regular is hitting over .300. Paul Konerko has three home runs and seven RBIs but he's hitting just .222. Carlos Quentin checks in at just .259 with one home run. Alex Rios had Chicago’s only hit Tuesday, a two-run homer off Romero.
While Morrow shouldn't be scared of anyone he faces today, White Sox starter John Danks should be terrified when pitching to Vernon Wells.
Danks, a lefty, is another White Sox pitcher who, like Gavin Floyd, is looking to break through into the upper echelon of starting pitchers. Danks was 25-20 with an ERA in the mid-threes during the past two years. At age 25, he could be poised for a breakout season.
Danks pitched well against Minnesota's troublesome lineup on Friday, but he is 0-2 with a 7.11 ERA in three starts versus Toronto. He'll have to find a way to get out Wells if he is going to reverse that trend.
Wells, who seeming was done as a premier player, has been one of the best hitters in baseball in the early going. He is hitting .345 with an AL-best five home runs.
Wells has shouldered the weight of the offense without Aaron Hill, who is on the disabled list with a hamstring strain, and been the driving force behind the fast start that has the Blue Jays in first place in the AL East.