Toronto Blue Jays

Struggling Blue Jays, Orioles try again on Saturday (Jul 21, 2018)

Published Jul. 21, 2018 12:46 a.m. ET

TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles showed why they are the worst teams in the American League East on Friday night.

They will have a chance to show it again Saturday afternoon at the Rogers Centre in the second game of a three-game series.

The Orioles will start right-hander Alex Cobb (2-12, 6.41 ERA) against Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman (2-7, 5.86) on Saturday after Toronto took the series opener 8-7 in 10 innings on Friday. It was the first game after the All-Star break for both teams.

The game Friday was one that neither team showed much inclination to win. The Blue Jays (44-52) could not hold a 7-2 lead and the Orioles (28-70) were able to tie the game at 7 with a three-run ninth against Tyler Clippard.

"We clawed our way back in there but couldn't get over the hump," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.

The Blue Jays won on Aledmys Diaz's RBI single in the bottom of the 10 and are 7-1 against the Orioles this season.

Cobb is 0-3 with a 5.00 ERA in his past three starts.

He has faced Toronto once this season, allowing 11 hits and nine runs in 3 2/3 innings in a 13-3 loss on June 10 at the Rogers Centre. Cobb is 3-4 with a 4.59 ERA in nine career starts against the Blue Jays.

Stroman is 2-2 with a 4.18 ERA in his past four starts. This will be his first outing against the Orioles this season. He is 3-4 with a 3.83 ERA in 10 career games (nine starts) against Baltimore.

As the Blue Jays set up their rotation after the All-Star break, it appears that left-hander Jaime Garcia will be moved to the bullpen.

"We'll probably look at him as a specialist coming in against some lefties," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "Maybe try that. He may have to come in and eat some innings up too. I can't say any definite role, but we'd like to look at some things, too."

With Toronto infielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. still on the seven-day concussion disabled list after being injured last Saturday, infielder Richard Urena was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Friday.

The Orioles, meanwhile, played their first game after shortstop Manny Machado had been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.

Baltimore selected the contract of infielder-outfielder Renato Nunez from Triple-A Norfolk to take Machado's spot on the 25-man roster. He started at third base Friday and was 1-for-4 with Tim Beckham going to shortstop.

"I think you'll like the way the ball comes off his bat," Showalter said. "He's really worked hard defensively, too, made some strides there. I know Tim's excited about getting back to shortstop."

Before Friday, Nunez, 24, had played in 30 big-league games, going 11-for-66 with a slash line of .167/.222/.278.

That was not the only change. The Orioles on Friday designated right-hander Chris Tillman, once a mainstay of the rotation, for assignment. He was 1-5 with a 10.46 ERA in seven major-league starts this season before going on the disabled list with a lower back strain.

"Chris did a great job for us over the years," Orioles executive vice-president Dan Duquette said. "He was the ace of the staff for our last playoff team and was the starter in the wild-card game (in 2016). He pitched in some big games for us over the years. But it's time for us to move on and give an opportunity to some of our younger pitchers as we attempt to reach our next competitive window."