Eovaldi (7-7, 4.24 ERA) gets the ball for Game 2 of this four-game set opposite Patrick Corbin (2-3, 4.73 ERA), a matchup where the mound edge tilts hard toward the visitors. Eovaldi was sharp in his last outing — 6 innings, 3 earned runs, 9 strikeouts against San Diego — while Corbin burned through 101 pitches to record just 11 outs against the Cubs on June 20. The underlying numbers aren't kind to Corbin either: opponents were hitting .290 against him with a strikeout rate barely above 15% as of mid-June.
Both clubs sit at 39-42, which is about as underwhelming as it sounds, but the momentum arrows are pointed in completely opposite directions. The Blue Jays just dropped 2 of 3 to Houston at home, then gave up the series opener Thursday when Joc Pederson's leadoff homer, Wyatt Langford's 3-run blast, and Jake Burger's 2-run shot put Texas up 6-0 through 3 innings — all 3 off Kevin Gausman. Toronto's rotation is in rough shape beyond tonight: Jose Berrios is done for the year after Tommy John surgery, Bowden Francis is on the 60-day IL with an elbow issue, and Max Scherzer flew to Dallas on Friday to get a cortisone shot in his back rather than line up for a rotation slot.
Kazuma Okamoto's 18th homer — a 2-run shot off Jacob Latz in the ninth — made it a 1-run game Thursday night and he has been the 1 legitimately dangerous bat in this Toronto lineup all month. The Blue Jays' season is starting to look like a recurring pattern: 1 hot hitter carrying the load while a depleted rotation cycles through arms that can't stay in games. Corbin, at 36 years old, is averaging under 5 innings per start recently. That puts real pressure on a bullpen that's already been overworked in a season full of rotation injuries.
- Day-To-DaySebastian Walcott SS — Walcott (elbow) will begin to ramp up his activity soon and is still on track for a late-July or early-August return to a minor-league affiliate, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILEvan Carter CF — Carter (oblique) will begin a rehab assignment Friday, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.
- 10-Day-ILCody Freeman 3B — The Rangers placed Freeman on the 10-day injured list Thursday due to a herniated disc.
- 10-Day-ILDanny Jansen C — Jansen (forearm) was able to throw out to 60 feet Saturday, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.
- 15-Day-ILJack Leiter SP — Leiter underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body from his right ankle region Tuesday and should be considered out indefinitely, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILJalen Beeks RP — Beeks (2-1) earned the win in relief Saturday against the Cubs after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings. He struck out one with no hits or walks allowed.
- 15-Day-ILChris Martin RP — The Rangers placed Martin on the 15-day injured list Monday with a right shoulder impingement.
- 60-Day-ILJordan Montgomery SP — Montgomery (elbow) allowed one hit and struck out a batter over a scoreless inning in a rehab start for Double-A Frisco on Sunday.
- 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.
- 10-Day-ILAddison Barger RF — Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Wednesday that Barger (elbow) will fly back to Toronto soon to be examined by the medical staff before potentially beginning a rehab assignment, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILLenyn Sosa 2B — Sosa (wrist) will begin a rehab assignment Monday with the Blue Jays' Arizona Complex League affiliate, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
- 15-Day-ILMax Scherzer SP — Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Thursday that Scherzer (back) will travel to Dallas on Friday to get a cortisone shot to "help alleviate some left side stuff," Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- developmental listFernando Perez P
- 60-Day-ILYimi Garcia RP — Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Thursday that Garcia (elbow) remains in a holding pattern due to neck and biceps nerve symptoms, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- 60-Day-ILAnthony Santander RF — Santander (shoulder) could resume hitting within the next week, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Texas has its own walking-wounded situation — Jack Leiter is out indefinitely after ankle surgery, Evan Carter just started an oblique rehab assignment, and the rotation depth behind Eovaldi is thin — but none of that affects tonight. Eovaldi is a veteran arm that gives this Rangers club a genuine chance to take the first 2 in a series they clearly need. The lineup just showed it can blow a game open against quality pitching in the early innings. If Corbin gives up a crooked number early here, this one could be mostly decided before Toronto's bullpen even gets warm.