Containing Bautista will be the biggest key for the Yankees this series. He went deep twice in the first game last series, and has added three more to his major-league leading total (43) over his last seven games.
And let’s not forget about Vernon Wells either.
Head to Head:
The Blue Jays lead the season series 7-5, but the Yankees still have six chances to make up the deficit, starting today.
Pitching Matchups:
| Date: | Blue Jays starters | Yankees starters |
| Fri., 1:05 p.m. | Brandon Morrow (10-6, 4.27) | Ivan Nova (1-0, 1.93) |
| Sat., 1:05 p.m. | M. Rzepczynski (1-3, 6.03) | J. Vazquez (10-9, 4.86) |
| Sun., 1:05 p.m. | Brett Cecil (11-7, 3.74) | Phil Hughes (16-6, 4.10) |
Lineup Notes: Nick Swisher is out of the lineup today after leaving yesterday with stiffness in his left knee. Unexpectedly, Derek Jeter is getting a “routine” off-day.
Prediction:
The Blue Jays have played the Yankees tough this year, and they’ll be a much tougher task than the Athletics were. At least the Yankees are familiar with the pitchers they’ll face, a factor that usually bodes well for them. I’ll bet the Yankees take the first two of the series, but not the last.
