MLB's best Brewers in Toronto for weekend series against Blue Jays
Photo credit: https://www.mlb.com/
The Toronto Blue Jays will close out August by welcoming the MLB-leading Milwaukee Brewers to town for a weekend set, starting Friday night when Toronto gets its first taste of Bieber fever.
Shane Bieber, who won the 2020 AL Cy Young award, will get his first home start for the Jays, as the team with the best record in the American League hosts the National League's top club before another likely sellout crowd.
The veteran right-hander makes his second start since recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The faithful at Rogers Centre get their first in-person look at the key trade-deadline acquisition who may boost Toronto's hopes for a deep postseason run.
Bieber was href='https://www.bluejayscentral.com/mlb-team/toronto-blue-jays/507-days-later-blue-jays-shane-bieber-pitches-a-9k-gem' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>superb in his first start as a Blue Jay last Friday in Miami, allowing one run on two hits and no walks with nine strikeouts over six innings.
«I've got Bieber fever, I'm a Belieber, oh man,» Jays manager John Schneider said to reporters after that win.
Now Bieber (1-0, 1.50 ERA) will get a chance to show if he can do it against the best team in baseball.
Bieber, Kevin Gausman (8-10, 3.87 ERA) and Max Scherzer (5-2, 3.82 ERA) are lined up to pitch against Milwaukee from Friday through Sunday.
The Jays have pushed the next start for José Berrios to Tuesday in Cincinnati against the Reds.
With 28 games remaining in what has the potential to be a special season for the Jays as they eye their first division title since 2015, this weekend should offer a great test.
The Brewers and Jays last played in June of 2024, a series Milwaukee won at home 2-1.
«We are pretty similar,» Toronto's manager told reporters on Wednesday. «They have big-game players but are doing it collectively, kind of like us.»
Ace Freddy Peralta is expected to take the mound for Milwaukee on Friday, owning a 15-5 record and a 2.68 ETA.
His last outing saw him allow one hit over six innings while the Brewers shut out the Chicago Cubs 7-0.
Milwaukee will send Quinn Priester (11-2, 3.44 ERA) to the hill on Saturday, and Brandon Woodruff on Sunday (5-1, 3.10 ERA).
The Brewers suffered a blow this week, as they put closer Trevor Megill on the injured list with a strain in his right arm.
Brice Turang and Andruw Monasterio have been big sluggers for the Brewers of late.
Milwaukee has scored the third-most runs in the MLB, behind the Dodgers and Yankees. Toronto is fifth in that category.
Both teams are keen to keep engines firing as they enter the last month of the regular season, each eager to lock down playoff positioning.
«Playing good teams is what you have to do,» said Schneider, «to get where you want to get.»
| POLL | ||
AOUT 28 | 159 ANSWERS MLB's best Brewers in Toronto for weekend series against Blue Jays Can the Blue Jays win this weekend's series against MLB's best Brewers? | ||
| Yes | 93 | 58.5 % |
| No | 53 | 33.3 % |
| Too early to tell | 13 | 8.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
