After sweeping the Seattle Mariners over the weekend, the Blue Jays enter Tuesday at just 1.5 games back of Cleveland in the wild card race.
After sweeping the Seattle Mariners over the weekend, the Toronto Blue Jays enter a crucial three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night at just 1.5 games back of Cleveland in the battle for the third and final American League wild card spot.
The Jays are 68-70, creeping back to .500 after a mostly disappointing season that saw them sell off players like Kevin Gausman, Jeff Hoffman and Daulton Varsho at the trade deadline.
And while we know that ace pitchers Dylan Cease and Jose Soriano will pitch on Wednesday and Thursday, we now know the plan for Tuesday's series opener.
As noted by Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, Spencer Miles will serve as the opener while Spencer Arrighetti will throw the bulk of the innings in relief.
Miles, 26, has been a revelation for the Blue Jays since being selected in this past year's Rule-5 Draft. A former fourth round pick of the San Francisco Giants, he's stayed on the roster all season for Toronto, becoming an integral part of the team's pitching plan. He's made 42 appearances, pitching to a 2.92 ERA. He's 5-2, while also making five starts as an opener.
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Spencer Miles (62) pitches to the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Rogers Centre. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn ImagesHe's struck out 77 batters in 83.1 innings.
Arrighetti, acquired from the Houston Astros in the trade for Varsho, is also 26 years old. He is a former sixth-round pick of the Astros who has gone 7-7 with a 4.81 ERA in 19 appearances (18 starts) this season. He's struck out 95 batters in 95.1 innings. He's under team control through 2029 and could earn a spot in the rotation next season alongside Trey Yesavage, Cease, and Soriano.
Gavin Williams will be on the mound for Cleveland. An excellent strikeout pitcher, he's gone 12-7 with a 3.98 ERA. He has 204 strikeouts in 156 innings.
Also in the news for the Blue Jays
--Speaking of the Mariners, we opined that current M's All-Star Randy Arozarena could be a fit for the Blue Jays in the offseason. The 31-year-old is set to be one of the best free agents in a thin free agent class. He's gone 20/20 in six consecutive seasons and would be a nice fit for the Jays as a right-handed hitting outfielder, which is something they desperately need this offseason.
He's projected to get more than $100 million this offseason, but teams might be more hesitant to spend that given the upcoming labor issues.
What do you think of the possible idea? Let us know in the comments.
