Blue Jays offense seeks to improve against Twins with Berrios facing former team

The Toronto Blue Jays will look to get more production from its offence as Jose Berrios gets another start against his former team.

Watch live on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ starting with the first pitch scheduled for 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT.

This will be the sixth start for Berrios against the Minnesota Twins since being traded to Toronto in 2022. In his five outings against his former team, Berrios is 3-1 with a 4.03 ERA.

This season, the 30-year-old is 13-9, with a 3.72 ERA and 129 strikeouts.

Even if Berrios is able to limit the Twins offence, the Blue Jays bats still need to do their part. Unfortunately, Friday’s series opener saw another game where Toronto was blanked on the scoreboard.

The Blue Jays recorded six hits (although no extra-base hits) off Pablo Lopez but could not generate any runs off the Twins starter and Minnesota’s bullpen took care of the rest.

“You don’t get many shots against him,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said about Lopez. “He’s been pretty good against us, it feels like for a while. But yeah, any time you get a couple guys on you’ve got to cash one in there.”

Toronto will be looking for a better result against Zebby Matthews, who is making his fourth start since being promoted from triple-A. Matthews had a no-decision in his last outing against the St. Louis Cardinals, where he allowed one run on four hits through five innings.

Toronto has not had an easy time against Minnesota this season as the Twins are 3-1 in the season series.

Over the Blue Jays’ last 10 games, the team is 7-3, registering a .230 batting average, 2.38 ERA, outscored opponents by 12 runs.

The Toronto Blue Jays are gearing up to face off against the Minnesota Twins, with their offense looking to improve upon recent performances. One key factor in this matchup is the return of former Blue Jays pitcher Jose Berrios, who will be facing his former team for the first time since being traded to the Twins.

Berrios, who was a two-time All-Star with the Blue Jays, will be looking to make a statement against his former team and show them what they are missing. The right-hander has had a solid season so far with the Twins, posting a 3.52 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 24 starts.

The Blue Jays offense, on the other hand, has been struggling as of late. They have scored just 11 runs in their last five games and have been shut out twice in that span. With key players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette not performing up to their usual standards, the team will need to step up their game if they want to come out on top against the Twins.

One player to watch in this matchup is George Springer, who has been heating up at the plate recently. The outfielder has hit four home runs in his last seven games and is looking to continue his hot streak against Berrios and the Twins.

Overall, this game promises to be an exciting matchup between two talented teams. The Blue Jays offense will need to bring their A-game if they want to come out on top against Berrios and the Twins. Fans can expect a competitive and high-scoring game as both teams look to secure a crucial win in the playoff race.