The Baltimore Orioles can take a series in Toronto for the second time this season Saturday afternoon if they can beat the Blue Jays for the second game in a row.
The Orioles took the opener of the three-game series that leads into the All-Star break, winning 4-1 Friday night. Baltimore won its second game in a row while handing Toronto a second straight loss.
Right-hander Andrew Cashner (8-3, 4.03 ERA) will start for the Orioles on Saturday against Blue Jays left-hander Clayton Richard (1-4, 6.51).
The Orioles won two out of three from the Blue Jays in Toronto from April 1-3. Toronto won two of three in Baltimore from June 11-13. The Blue Jays won the 2018 season series 14-5.
It was confirmed Friday that Toronto All-Star right-hander Marcus Stroman (left pectoral cramp) will not pitch in either of the final two games before the break. He missed his scheduled start Thursday and appears unlikely to pitch in the All-Star Game, although Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo held out hope that he could.
“That’s up to him,” Montoyo said before the game Friday. “If he feels better, I think it’s an honor that he made the club. If he feels right, that’s also good because it would work as a side and then he can pitch for us. But if he doesn’t feel right, I’m sure he’s not going to pitch in the game.”
When asked about the possibility of pitching Tuesday in Cleveland, Stroman said, “It wouldn’t be smart.”
Stroman also is a likely candidate to be traded in the season’s second half.
Montoyo, meanwhile, is optimistic Stroman will be ready to pitch soon.
“We feel good that he should be able to start coming out of the break,” Montoyo said.
The Blue Jays were without outfielders Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (jammed left wrist) and Randal Grichuk (sore back) on Frirday. Gurriel injured his wrist making a diving catch in left field on Thursday.
Toronto recalled outfielder Jonathan Davis from Triple-A Buffalo, but he did not play Friday. Left-hander Thomas Pannone was optioned to Buffalo.
The Orioles, who have won four of their past seven games, got a solo home run and a two-run single from Chris Davis on Friday. Davis has 40 career homers against Toronto, his most against any opponent. He has 20 homers at the Rogers Centre.
Baltimore had a different appearance Friday with Anthony Santander making a start in center field for the first time as a professional.
“We’re going to give him a look out there,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said before the game Friday. “I want to see his bat in the lineup, and he’s been working out in center field a little.”
Santander went 0-for-3 on Friday but executed a sacrifice bunt with the ninth, moving runners to second and third to set up the two-run single by Davis.
“He takes his defense seriously,” Hyde said. “He works hard every single day, before batting practice and during batting practice taking live balls off the bat. He’s getting better and better every day.”
Richard, making his ninth start this season, will be trying for his second win as a Blue Jay. He got the victory Monday against the Kansas City Royals, allowing three runs in six innings.
Richard has not faced the Orioles since 2010. He is 1-1 with a 5.93 ERA in three career games (two starts) against Baltimore.
Cashner pitched six scoreless innings in earning the win against Toronto on April 2. He is 2-2 with a 2.68 ERA in seven career starts vs. the Blue Jays.
