Yankees - Blue Jays Series Preview

Yankees - Blue Jays

Yankee Stadium
(3 games)

The Yankees travel to Toronto to take on the Jays in a three game series at The Rogers Centre. These are the final three games before the All-Star break, and it's very important the Yanks head into the break on a high note.

The Yankees remain in 3rd place in the AL East with a 49-43 record, 6.5 games behind the Rays, and in the AL East, and 5 games behind the Red Sox in the Wild Card race.

Toronto has faded a bit since the last time these two teams met, but they have won three in a row. They're 45-47 and 10.5 games behind the Rays.

So far this season the Yankees are 4-2 against the Jays.

MATCHUPS

Game 1 - Today @ 7:07 p.m.
TV: MY9; Radio: WCBS 880
Joba Chamberlain RHP (2-2, 2.45) vs. Roy Halladay RHP (10-6, 2.88)

Game 2 - Tomorrow @ 1:07 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Darrell Rasner RHP (4-7, 4.94) vs. Jesse Litsch RHP (8-5, 4.01)

Game 3 - Sunday @ 1:07 p.m.
TV: YES; Radio: WCBS 880
Andy Pettitte LHP (10-6, 3.93) vs. Brian Tallet LHP (0-1, 3.06) A.J. Burnett RHP (9-8 5.23)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Yankees - Alex Rodriguez: Usually my players to watch are players I believe will play well in the upcoming series, but this time it's a little different. The reason I selected A-Rod for this series is because I think this is an important series for him. He's 1 for his last 13, and maybe this whole Madonna/divorce/Boston strippers thing is beginning to get to him. It is very important for him to turn that around and head into the break on a hot streak.

Fortunately for A-Rod he hits very well against the Jays and in Toronto. In his career against the Jays he's hitting .321 with 30 HR, 78 RBI, and an OPS of 1.120. In Toronto he's a .317 hitter with 46 HR, 137 RBI, and an OPS of 1.030.

A-Rod vs. Halladay: .294 (15-for-51), 5 2B, 10 RBI, .738 OPS
A-Rod vs. Litsch: .375 (3-for-8), RBI, 1.000 OPS
A-Rod vs. Burnett: .353 (6-for-17), 3 HR, 8 RBI, 1.294 OPS

Jays - Alex Rios: Rios has not had a great season so far (.285, 4 HR, 39 RBI), but he always plays well against the Yanks. This season against the Yankees he's hitting .381 (8-for-21) with 4 RBI and an OPS of .948. In his career he's a .304 hitter, with 4 HR, 25 RBI, and an OPS of .795.

Rios vs. Joba: .200 (1-for-5), RBI
Rios vs. Rasner: NR
Rios vs. Pettitte: .308 (4-for-13), .692 OPS

INJURY REPORT

Yankees:
- Chien-Ming Wang is out till at least September with a mid-foot tearing of the Lisfranc ligament and a partial tear of the peroneal longus tendon.
- Phil Hughes is out till at least August, most likely September, with a stress fracture of the rib.
- Brian Bruney is out with an injured foot, but could return after the All Star break. He's begun rehabbing in the minors, and has made several appearances.
- Jonathan Albaladejo is out for the year with a stress fracture in his right elbow.
- Hideki Matsui is on the 15-day DL with an inflamed left knee. He has hit off a tee, and the Yankees hope he can return by the end of the month.
- Johnny Damon is on the 15-day DL with a shoulder injury. He is headed to Tampa for rehab.

Jays:
- Dustin McGowan is on the 15-day DL with a tear in his rotator cuff, but will not need surgery.
- Vernon Wells is out four-to-six weeks with a grade 2 strain of his left hamstring.
- Shawn Marcum is on the 15-day DL with an elbow injury. He will make a start in the minors on 7/16.
- Aaron Hill is on the 15-day DL as he recovers from a concussion.