Toronto Blue Jays to visit the Detroit Tigers
Toronto Blue Jays (37-62, fourth in the AL East) vs. Detroit Tigers (29-64, fifth in the AL Central)
Detroit; Saturday, 6 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Blue Jays: Trent Thornton (3-7, 5.25 ERA) Tigers: Daniel Norris (2-8, 5.14 ERA)
LINE: Blue Jays favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 10 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: Detroit and Toronto will meet at Comerica Park on Saturday.
The Tigers are 12-33 on their home turf. Detroit has hit 84 home runs this season, the lowest total in the American League. JaCoby Jones leads the team with nine, averaging one every 25.2 at-bats.
The Blue Jays have gone 19-32 away from home. The Toronto offense has compiled a .234 batting average as a team this season, last in the American League. Eric Sogard leads the team with a average of .304. The Blue Jays won the last meeting 12-1. Marcus Stroman secured his sixth victory and Teoscar Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs for Toronto. Jordan Zimmermann registered his seventh loss for Detroit.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Castellanos leads the Tigers with 44 extra base hits and is batting .279. Jeimer Candelario is 9-for-34 with two doubles, three home runs and nine RBIs over the last 10 games for Detroit.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. leads the Blue Jays with 17 home runs and is batting .290. Sogard is 12-for-36 with four doubles, a home run and four RBIs over the last 10 games for Toronto.
LAST 10 GAMES: Tigers: 1-9, .251 batting average, 7.93 ERA, outscored by 38 runs
Blue Jays: 4-6, .235 batting average, 4.24 ERA, outscored opponents by two runs
Tigers Injuries: Tyson Ross: 60-day IL (nerve), Matt Moore: 60-day IL (knee), Michael Fulmer: 60-day IL (elbow), Josh Harrison: 60-day IL (hamstring), Grayson Greiner: 10-day IL (back).
Blue Jays Injuries: Ryan Tepera: 60-day IL (elbow), Matt Shoemaker: 60-day IL (knee), Clayton Richard: 10-day IL (lat), Elvis Luciano: 60-day IL (elbow), Clay Buchholz: 60-day IL (shoulder), Ryan Borucki: 60-day IL (elbow), Dalton Pompey: 60-day IL (concussion), Devon Travis: 60-day IL (knee).
