Blue Jays vs Mets: Tonight's Starting Lineup - Game Preview
Photo credit: https://x.com/BlueJays
The Toronto Blue Jays take on the New York Mets in game two of a three game set. Chris Bassitt gets the start for the Blue Jays, while Griffin Canning gets the ball for the Mets at City Field in Flushing NY.
Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup
1. SS Bo Bichette
2. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
3. LF Anthony Santander
4. 2B Andrés Giménez
5. C Alejandro Kirk
6. DH George Springer
7. 3B Will Wagner
8. CF Myles Straw
9. RF Alan Roden
SP Chris Bassitt
2. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
3. LF Anthony Santander
4. 2B Andrés Giménez
5. C Alejandro Kirk
6. DH George Springer
7. 3B Will Wagner
8. CF Myles Straw
9. RF Alan Roden
SP Chris Bassitt
Bassitt (1-0) responded with a gritty 106-pitch performance in Toronto's 3-1 win over the Orioles in his last outing to split the season-opening four-game series on Sunday.
In total, Bassitt allowed one run on eight hits over six innings, walking two and striking out seven. Importantly, he kept the Orioles inside the park, as this was the first time in this four-game set that the club didn't hit a home run.
The 36-year old right-hander relied mostly on his sinker but worked in seven other pitches, generating a total of 12 whiffs.
"We've had this plan of (Scherzer) not him missing time, making sure that he gets off on the right foot," said Bassitt, knowing Scherzer began the year battling thumb inflammation.
But the ailment got the best of Scherzer. He left his Blue Jays debut after three innings on Saturday with a strained right lat that Scherzer said was a compensatory injury.
«Obviously, we knew Max's situation that he was going to be limited for at least the start of the year,» said Bassitt. «So, I had to be built up to 100 pitches, so to speak, in spring to take the workload off the bullpen."
Bassitt pointed out that he and his rotation mates Kevin Gausman and Jose Berrios have been in situations like this in the past where they've had to make up for the absence of another starter.
Notably, the group went to a four-man rotation for a period in 2023 when Alek Manoah was struggling.
«To us, it's not a big deal,» said Bassitt, adding that the team needs Scherzer at 100 per cent. «He doesn't need to be battling stuff. We know that. And we can make up for it. So, whenever he can come back and help us out, that's when we need him. But he doesn't need to be going out there just to go out there. He brings plenty to the team just by being in the dugout."
«We need Max to be Max,» he added. «I think (Gausman), Berrios, me and Bowden (Francis) have all done a really good job of getting ready for this. And now, it's just let's rock and roll.»
Griffin Canning will get the ball today versus Toronto. Canning (0-1) took a loss in his last outing versus the Astros, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four across 5.2 innings against Houston.
Canning went through the first four innings of Saturday's game unscathed but lost the shutout when he gave up a solo home run to Jeremy Pena in the fifth frame.
Canning was close to earning a quality start, but his last pitch thrown was smacked into deep center field by Yordan Alvarez for an RBI double that gave the Astros a one-run lead in the sixth inning.
The loss is disappointing, but it was a good start to Canning's Mets tenure, and it was promising to see his fastball top out at 96 mph after hovering around 93-to-94 mph in spring training.
He'll look to earn his first win in a Mets uniform tonight when faces a Blue Jays lineup looking to rebound from yesterdays loss.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 5 | 91 ANSWERS Blue Jays vs Mets: Tonight's Starting Lineup - Game Preview Who will win tonight's matchup between the Blue Jays and Mets? | ||
| Toronto Blue Jays | 49 | 53.8 % |
| New York Mets | 42 | 46.2 % |
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