The Toronto Blue Jays go to the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday afternoon for an Opening Day matchup between playoff contenders.
The Cardinals, who went 93-69 and received the National League Central final season, hope to make their first deep postseason run since they reached the 2019 National League Championship Series.
The Blue Jays, who have been second within the American League East final season with a 92-70 report, haven’t received a postseason sport since reaching the 2016 American League Championship Series for the second consecutive season.
Both groups have been swept 2-0 at residence of their wild-card collection final 12 months.
The Blue Jays have notably dangerous emotions about their embarrassing exit in Game 2 in opposition to the Seattle Mariners. They led 8-1 after 5 innings. Seattle tied it with 4 runs within the eighth and received it within the ninth to finish the largest highway comeback win in playoff historical past and the most important comeback victory to clinch a postseason collection.
The Cardinals misplaced to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Right-hander Alek Manoah (16-7, 2.24 ERA) will begin for Toronto on Thursday.
“You can expect him to be up to the task,” Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider stated.
“Alek has shown he loves big games. A lot went into it. We have a lot of really good pitchers. He separated himself a little bit last year and even into this year after a huge workload.”
Manoah, who has by no means confronted the Cardinals, leads a rotation that features Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi.
The Cardinals will begin right-hander Miles Mikolas (12-13, 3.29). He is 0-0 with a 4.05 ERA in a single profession begin in opposition to Toronto.
Jack Flaherty, Jordan Montgomery, Jake Woodford and Steven Matz make up the remainder of the Cardinals rotation.
The Cardinals had deliberate to start out Adam Wainwright, 41, on Opening Day, however he suffered a strained groin throughout a pregame warmup earlier than Team USA’s loss to Japan within the World Baseball Classic.
“I think everybody knows what Jack Flaherty is capable of, and everyone knows what Miles Mikolas is capable of, but I don’t think they know quite how great Miles is yet,” Wainwright stated. “I don’t think people know about our two big lefties (Matz and Montgomery) and how good those guys could be.”
The Blue Jays tried to enhance their pitching and protection within the offseason and likewise give attention to the group’s consideration to element and professionalism.
Former main league supervisor and New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly was added as bench coach.
Outfielders Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. are gone, with outfielders Kevin Kiermaier and Daulton Varsho changing them that ought to enhance the protection. First baseman/DH Brandon Belt, Bassitt and reliever Erik Swanson additionally have been added.
The Cardinals didn’t make many adjustments, feeling the expertise is there to contend.
National League MVP Award winner Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado will probably be joined within the lineup by new catcher Willson Contreras and 20-year-old slugger Jordan Walker. They really feel they’ve depth within the rotation and the bullpen.
“We’re betting big on our guys,” Cardinals supervisor Oliver Marmol stated. “We think we have enough talent in the (clubhouse) to win, and we’re about to find out.”
Tyler O’Neill, a Gold Glove winner twice in left discipline, and Lars Nootbaar will proceed to compete for the job in heart discipline. “I think (O’Neill in center) would be our best-case scenario of how it would work out,” Marmol stated.
–Field Level Media