Kikuchi and Blue Jays Look to Prevent Sweep by Guardians

Left-handed pitcher Yusei Kikuchi heads to the hill Sunday afternoon as the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Cleveland Guardians looking to snap a five-game losing streak and avoid a second straight sweep.

Kikuchi’s previous outing against the Boston Red Sox last Monday kickstarted the skid. Although Kikuchi (4-6, 3.65 ERA) had zero walks and seven strikeouts, that was offset with five runs, all earned, on seven hits over four innings as Toronto fell 7-3.

The Blue Jays have been outscored 31-13 during their losing streak and have scored no more than three runs in any game.

Toronto lost 6-3 Saturday with infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa hitting two solo home runs and outfielder Davis Schneider added another.

Schneider is batting 7-for-34 with a double, three home runs and five RBIs over his past 10 games.

Right-handed pitcher Jose Berrios took the loss after giving up five runs, all earned, on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts over five innings.

The Blue Jays also lost outfielder Daulton Varsho, who is considered day-to-day with lower back tightness. Varsho hit a grounder during his last at-bat in the ninth inning but never left the batter’s box area as he dropped to the field. Manager John Schneider came out to assist Varsho back to the dugout.

After coming close to levelling their record to .500, the Blue Jays are now 35-41 and sit last in the American League East. The Guardians top the AL Central with a 48-26 record.

Cleveland will counter with right-hander Triston McKenzie on the mound. McKenzie (3-4, 4.48) will look to rebound from his shortest start of the season after pitching just 2.1 innings, giving up four runs on three hits and four walks, during an 8-5 loss to the Seattle Mariners last Tuesday.

First baseman Josh Naylor, from Mississauga, Ont., is hitting 13-for-38 with three homers and 10 RBIs over his past 10 games.

Watch the Blue Jays take on the Guardians live on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ with first pitch scheduled for 1:40 p.m. ET / 10:40 p.m. PT.

The Toronto Blue Jays are facing a tough challenge as they look to avoid being swept by the Cleveland Guardians in their upcoming series. The Blue Jays, led by manager Charlie Montoyo, have had a solid start to the season but have hit a rough patch recently, losing their last two games to the Guardians.

One of the key players to watch in this series is Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah. The rookie has been impressive so far this season, posting a 2.90 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched. Manoah will need to bring his A-game against a tough Guardians lineup that includes sluggers like Jose Ramirez and Franmil Reyes.

On the offensive side, the Blue Jays will be looking to their young stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette to step up and produce runs. Guerrero Jr. has been on fire this season, leading the team with a .337 batting average and 17 home runs. Bichette has also been a key contributor, hitting .284 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs.

The Guardians, on the other hand, have been playing well recently and will be looking to continue their winning streak against the Blue Jays. Pitcher Aaron Civale has been a standout performer for the Guardians, posting a 3.48 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 62 innings pitched. Offensively, Ramirez has been leading the way with a .265 batting average, 15 home runs, and 38 RBIs.

Overall, this series between the Blue Jays and Guardians promises to be an exciting one, with both teams looking to come out on top. The Blue Jays will need to tighten up their pitching and get their offense going if they want to avoid being swept by the Guardians. On the other hand, the Guardians will be looking to capitalize on their recent success and continue their winning ways. It will be interesting to see how this series unfolds and which team comes out on top in the end.