Toronto @ Los Angeles preview
Angel Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 25, 2010 ) Toronto 3, LA Angels 8
Jose Bautista is well-traveled, to say the least. Playing for his fifth team in his seventh big-league season, Bautista is hoping he’s found a permanent home with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays certainly won’t be running him out of town any time soon given that he has suddenly morphed into one of baseball’s most productive hitters and one of its most unexpected surprises.
Bautista belted his major-league leading 15th homer as Toronto finished with three for the game in Tuesday’s 8-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
The two squads will take the field in the rubber match of the three-game series on Wednesday in Anaheim.
Bautista’s newly-discovered power is somewhat unexpected given that his previous career best in homers of 16 came back in 2006. But the 29-year-old third baseman will take it as it comes as he also driven in 39 runs, third best in the AL.
His outburst has been a large reason why Toronto leads the majors with 78 homers.
Angels catcher Mike Napoli is no stranger to the long ball, blasting his seventh of the season and fourth in his last five games during Tuesday’s win.
Joel Pineiro draws the start for Los Angeles in the finale as he looks for a rebound performance from his worst start of the season. The right-hander was tagged for nine runs on nine hits with three walks in a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
It was mystifying given that Pineiro had pitched a complete game four-hitter in the outing prior. For the season, he is 3-5 with a 5.00 ERA.
For his career, Pineiro is 2-4 with a 4.55 ERA in 15 appearances -- eight starts -- against the Blue Jays.
Right-hander Brandon Morrow draws the start for Toronto, aiming to get back on track after surrendering six runs in four innings of a loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Morrow, who is in his first season with the club, has enjoyed a roller coaster campaign to this point with a record of 3-4 and ERA of 6.80.
On the bright side, Morrow has seemed to solve some of his control problems. He issued just a pair of walks over his last 10 innings after allowing 10 over seven innings prior.
Outfielder Fred Lewis was scratched from the Blue Jays lineup on Tuesday because of a bunion on his left foot, a recurring injury that cost him time in 2008. Jeremy Reed got the start in his absence, batting leadoff and finished with a solo homer.