TLDR: Toronto's one win away from a clean sweep in Philadelphia, and Jesús Luzardo is the last man standing between the Blue Jays and a very good weekend.
+43-22 under interim manager Don Mattingly since late April
+Luzardo's dealing — 8 shutout innings last time out
+Added Luis Arráez and bullpen help at the deadline
−Dropped the first 2 games of this series
−Nola exited Saturday with a knee contusion
−Opened the second half in a 3-10 skid
Jesús Luzardo (10-5, 3.36 ERA) takes the ball for Philadelphia at 1:35 PM ET trying to keep Toronto from finishing off the sweep, while Shane Bieber goes for the Blue Jays looking to cap a surprisingly strong weekend in Philly. Bieber's been through a lot to get here — Toronto acquired him from Cleveland at last year's deadline while he was rehabbing Tommy John surgery, then he opted into a $16 million option rather than test free agency, and he's only recently worked his way back into the rotation.
Shane Bieber
(5-2)·4.53 ERA
Aug 3 @ Astros
W
5.2IP
1ER
6K
2BB
87P
08/09 Lineup
Jesús Luzardo
(11-5)·3.35 ERA
Aug 4 vs Nationals
W
8.0IP
0ER
7K
2BB
98P
08/09 Lineup
The Phillies could use their ace to bail them out. Aaron Nola exited Saturday's loss with a right knee contusion after getting hit by a 104.8-mph comebacker — X-rays came back negative, but it's one more name on an injury list that already includes Andrew Painter and center fielder Derek Hill. Toronto's dealing with its own attrition: George Springer is out Sunday with shoulder tightness, and the Blue Jays are already down five starting pitchers to injury, which is a big part of why the market's leaning so hard toward Philadelphia here.
Still, whatever health notes are in play, Toronto's the team that's actually won the last two games. The Phillies have plenty working in their favor beyond Sunday's box score, starting with what's happened in the dugout since April.
Philadelphia fired Rob Thomson in late April and handed the job to bench coach Don Mattingly — whose son Preston happens to be the Phillies' GM, and who spent the previous three seasons as Toronto's own bench coach. Since taking over, Mattingly's group has gone 43-22, one of the better stretches in baseball, and the front office backed him up at the deadline by adding Luis Arráez to the lineup. That said, the second half hasn't been kind — Philly opened it 3-10 and now finds itself chasing a wild-card spot rather than the NL East.
Luzardo's last time out was about as good as it gets — 8 shutout innings against Washington on just 98 pitches — and if he brings anything close to that Sunday, this series ends with the Phillies at least salvaging one. If not, Toronto walks out of Citizens Bank Park having taken 3 of 4 from a team that entered the weekend six games better in the standings.
Blue Jays 6, Phillies 7: Final Score & Odds Recap — Jays Chase A Sweep, Luzardo Stands In Their Way
