'I'll take us over anybody': Blue Jays set for pivotal 3-game battle vs. Yankees
Field Level Media | Posted: September 28, 2021 6:43 PM | Last Updated: September 28, 2021
Pitcher Ryu to return for Tuesday opener vs. AL wild card leaders before big crowd
After sweeping the Boston Red Sox in three games, the New York Yankees on Tuesday at 7:07 p.m. ET will visit the Toronto Blue Jays, who swept them in four games the last time they met.
The Yankees will have more than revenge in mind because the three-game series will have a big impact in the American League wild card race.
The Yankees (89-67) occupy the first wild-card spot, two games ahead of the Blue Jays (87-69). The Red Sox are in the second wild-card spot, one game ahead of Toronto.
The Blue Jays used a four-game sweep at Yankee Stadium over Sept. 6-9 to help move into post-season contention.
The Yankees, who survived an ugly game Sunday at Fenway Park with a 6-3 victory, will be facing a Blue Jays team brimming with confidence, even though they needed to defeat the host Minnesota Twins last Saturday and Sunday to escape with a split of the four-game series.
"I'll take us over anyone," said second baseman Marcus Semien on Saturday after hitting his 43rd home run of the season to match Davey Johnson's major league record for the position set in 1973.
"We believe in each other," said right-hander Alek Manoah, the winning pitcher on Sunday. "We think we're the best team in baseball."
The Blue Jays will be bolstered by an increase in capped attendance to 30,000 from 15,000 this week at the Rogers Centre as COVID-19 restrictions are eased. The fans must be fully vaccinated.
"We're going to play the big dogs, and we're going to play them at home in front of 30,000 fans," catcher Danny Jansen said. "I think that's a big thing -- a huge thing -- having those fans in the home crowd and being in Toronto. It's going to be everything for us."
The Yankees overcame mistakes, like dropping two popups during the same at-bat, to win Sunday.
Canada's Taillon on mound for Yanks
"We aren't afraid to make it interesting, that's for sure," said Giancarlo Stanton, who hit a home run Sunday and has homered in four of his past five games.
"The story of our season is getting punched in the face and coming back," said DJ LeMahieu, who dropped one of the popups. "We're used to it at this point."
Aaron Judge dislocated his left pinky sliding on his eighth-inning double Sunday but indicated that he thought he would be ready to play Tuesday.
The Yankees will start right-hander Jameson Taillon (8-6, 4.41 earned-run average) on Tuesday. He has been on the injured list since Sept. 7 (right ankle tendon). Born in Winter Haven, Fla., to Canadian parents and raised in Texas, Taillon holds dual citizenship.
He took the loss Sept. 6 against Toronto after allowing three runs and four hits in seven innings. It was his second straight loss after going undefeated in a career-high 15 straight starts from June 5-Aug. 26. He is 1-2, 5.40 ERA, in three career starts against Toronto.
The Blue Jays are expected to start left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu (13-9, 4.34), who has been on the IL since Sept. 18 (tight neck). He is 2-0, 1.88, in four starts this season against the Yankees and is 3-2, 3.88, in eight career starts with them. Ryu is 3-4, 7.21 ERA in his past nine starts.
Blue Jays left-fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has missed three games and is listed as day-to-day after taking two stitches on his right middle finger.
Toronto will close out the campaign with a weekend set against the last-place Baltimore Orioles.
The best-of-five AL Division Series will begin Oct. 7. The playoffs will continue through to the World Series beginning Oct. 26.