The Toronto Blue Jays have a chance to exact some revenge on the visiting Kansas City Royals when the teams open a three-game series Monday night.
The Blue Jays won the opener of a four-game series at Kansas City last week before dropping the next three games.
It was the start of a five-game losing streak for the Blue Jays that ended Sunday afternoon when they salvaged the finale of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 3-1 home victory.
The Royals are coming off a 4-1 road loss to the Detroit Tigers in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday.
Toronto is scheduled to start right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (0-1, 3.86 ERA) on Monday. He will be making his fourth career major league start and his second against the Royals. Last Wednesday he allowed three runs, six hits and two walks with two strikeouts in four innings against the Royals.
He took his first career loss in the game.
The Royals are expected to start right-hander Jonathan Bowlan on Monday. It would be his first major league appearance of the season and the third of his career.
Bowlan, 27, is 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA over 21 innings for Triple-A Omaha.
“I’m just kind of attacking guys and trying to eat innings,” Bowlan said. “Do what I can to get them out as quick as I can. So, that’s kind of been my goal this year and that’s what I am going to continue to do. Kind of just go from there.”
Bowlan will take over the fifth starter spot in place of Alec Marsh (right elbow contusion) for at least one start.
Marsh was struck by a line drive against Toronto last Wednesday. The ball hit just below his elbow and there was some swelling near his forearm flexor.
Last season, Bowlan made his major league debut against the Tigers as an opener Sept. 27 before play was suspended by inclement weather. He allowed one run and struck out two over two innings in the 8-0 Royals loss. His next appearance was a one-inning relief stint against the New York Yankees two days later.
“He’s thrown the ball well, and he is somebody that we have built up as a starter for reasons like this,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “And, you know, hopefully this is a short-term thing, but you never know what happens here. We feel really good about him, that’s first and foremost, and he’s been off to a good start.”
In their win over the Dodgers, the Blue Jays got seven solid innings from Kevin Gausman, who allowed one run.
The Blue Jays still had trouble scoring, however. All their runs came in the second against opener Michael Grove. Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk was 3-for-3 with his first home run of the season, a solo shot.
Toronto also had superb catches by center fielder Daulton Varsho and right fielder George Springer.
“When Kev’s right, he’s as good as anybody,” Toronto manager John Schneider said of Gausman. “That’s a really, really tough lineup, and to hold them to one run was (impressive). … It is nice to have him on a day like today.”
He needed to be at his best as the Blue Jays continued to struggle offensively and did not provide much run support.
“You’ve got to keep just plugging along, really,” Schneider said. “It’s just kind of a matter of time until we start rolling offensively, I think.”
