This is not a marquee Friday night for either side. The Pirates are 26-24 and just snapped a four-game skid by taking the last two from the Cardinals. The Blue Jays are 23-27 but ride in feeling decent after splitting four with the Yankees in the Bronx, capped by a 2-0 win Thursday on a Spencer Miles bullpen game. Two teams looking up at the standings, both trying to make sure the past 5 days weren't a fluke.
The pitching gap on paper is the story. Kevin Gausman has been the one steady thing in Toronto's rotation — a 3.45 ERA, his 2,000th career strikeout already in the books from his May 11 start against Tampa, and now stepping in front of a lineup that's been without Ryan O'Hearn and Joey Bart. Bubba Chandler, meanwhile, has lost his last four decisions and walked 17 hitters across them, including a shutout loss to the Phillies on May 16 where he gave up 5 runs. A 5.14 ERA against a Blue Jays lineup that just figured out how to score again is not the spot you draw up.
Toronto closing as a -158 home favorite tracks with the pitching mismatch and roughly nothing else. The Jays are still a sub-.500 team that's been crushed by the IL — Berrios just had Tommy John, Scherzer is throwing 20-pitch bullpens, Shane Bieber is at best weeks away, and Alejandro Kirk still can't take full BP. The bullpen lost Tommy Nance and Joe Mantiply inside a week. So when Gausman exits, the math gets a lot messier for the home side.
- Day-To-DayAnthony Solometo SP — Solometo is sidelined at Double-A Altoona with recurring left shoulder discomfort, Jose Negron of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.
- Day-To-DayOddanier Mosqueda RP — Mosqueda will not throw for a couple weeks due to left forearm inflammation, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
- Day-To-DayMike Clevinger RP — Clevinger is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks after being diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his right knee, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DaySean Sullivan SP — Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Sullivan is battling right elbow soreness, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
- 10-Day-ILRyan O'Hearn RF — Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday that O'Hearn's right quadriceps strain is considered "moderate" and will likely keep him on the injured list for around four weeks, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILJoey Bart C — Manager Don Kelly said Bart, who is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rockies, is "banged up," Chris Halicke of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.
- 15-Day-ILChris Devenski RP — Devenski (illness) was cleared to resume all baseball activities last week and began throwing bullpen sessions May 13, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
- 60-Day-ILJared Jones SP — Jones (elbow) will head to Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday to make the fifth start of his rehab assignment, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
- Day-To-DayJesus Sanchez RF — Sanchez (chest) is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against the Yankees.
- Day-To-DayGeovanny Jesus Planchart C — no
- Day-To-DayChay Yeager RP — Yeager will undergo season-ending UCL surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- Day-To-DayCJ Stubbs C — The Blue Jays signed Stubbs to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training.
- Day-To-DayJaven Coleman P — no
- 10-Day-ILAlejandro Kirk C — Kirk has not been cleared to take full batting practice yet because he still feels a bit of soreness in his surgically repaired left thumb while hitting, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
- 10-Day-ILAddison Barger RF — Barger (elbow) was in Toronto for a follow-up exam Monday, seeking the green light to start hitting and throwing Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- 10-Day-ILNathan Lukes RF — Lukes (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Monday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Pittsburgh's medical chart isn't pretty either. O'Hearn is looking at roughly four weeks with a moderate quad strain, Bart is banged up behind the plate, and Mike Clevinger is staring at six weeks with an MCL sprain. Jared Jones is at least making his fifth rehab start in Indianapolis on Saturday, which is something, but it doesn't help tonight.
The total sits at 8 and that feels honest — Gausman keeps games quiet, Chandler keeps games short and walk-heavy, and the Pirates offense without O'Hearn isn't exactly the '27 Yankees. If you want to bet this thing, the Pirates +146 has the value on paper, but you're essentially betting that Chandler stops walking the ballpark for one night. Pick your poison.