Phillies vs Blue Jays: Starting Lineup - Game Preview

Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Eric Lauer will take the bump today in Grapefruit League action versus Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Bryse Wilson. First Pitch 1:07 PM ET on Sportsnet.

The 30-year-old southpaw will open the club’s grapefruit league schedule, as he continues his spring training starter’s build-up.

It hasn’t been announced which pitchers will follow him out of the bullpen, but he’s expected to throw multiple innings in the opener, also featuring third baseman Kazuma Okamoto’s spring debut.

This will be Lauer’s first chance to showcase himself to Toronto’s staff after impressing across multiple roles last season, posting a 3.18 ERA and 3.85 FIP with a career-high 17.8 per cent strikeout-minus-walk rate (K-BB%) in 28 games (15 starts).

The Phillies counter with veteran right-hander Bryse Wilson.

Wilson, 28 in December, has worked both as a starter and a reliever in his career. He has appeared in 163 games over the past eight big league seasons, 57 of those being starts, having suited up for Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and the White Sox. He has logged 461 innings over those eight seasons, allowing 4.82 earned runs per nine.

Last spring, the Blue Jays finished exhibition play atop the Grapefruit League standings at 18-10, unofficially winning the Golden Grapefruit.

The Blue Jays open their regular season on Mar. 26 at Rogers Centre against the visiting Athletics.

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