Game: San Diego Padres @ Toronto Blue Jays
Time: 7:07 p.m.
Odds: Padres +108, Blue Jays -118
Total: 9
For the San Diego Padres to reenter the National League playoff race, Juan Soto’s bat will need to get hot. Last night, Soto showed signs of putting his July slump behind him. Soto had a two-run home run and an RBI double to help San Diego defeat the Blue Jays 9-1 on Tuesday. He also scored three times and had three RBIs. The visiting San Diego Padres will try to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays for the second consecutive night.
Soto, who batted .171 (6-for-35) through his first 10 games of the month, recorded his second two-hit outing in as many games. The three-time All-Star outfielder believes he has rediscovered his stroke. His home run off Alek Manoah yesterday serves as a shining example. The left-handed Soto finished off a nine-pitch struggle by launching the ball over the left-center field fence. Soto’s bomb was his third of the month and 17th of the year.
Trent Grisham, Gary Sanchez, and Manny Machado all hit home runs for the Padres last night. In its previous 16 road games, San Diego had only won four times. Machado’s gaining steam. In July, he has nine home runs and 19 RBIs.
Toronto’s four-game winning streak came to an end last night as the team suffered just its second loss in ten games. Manoah, who placed third in the voting for the American League Cy Young Award last season, only lasted three innings last night, surrendering four earned runs in the process. Manoah dropped to 2-8 on the season with a 6.18 ERA.
The disappointing performance comes as the Blue Jays get ready for Hyun-Jin Ryu, a left-hander who underwent Tommy John surgery 13 months ago and is scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Buffalo on Friday. It might be Ryu’s last rehabilitation start.
Tonight, Toronto will start Jose Berrios (8-6, 3.41 ERA). Over his last two starts, the right-hander has given up just one run and eight hits in 12.1 innings. Berrios was not involved in either decision. On July 6, Berrios’ final start before the All-Star break, he faced the Chicago White Sox and went seven innings without allowing a run. In 5.1 innings on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, he allowed one run on seven hits. The 29-year-old Berrios lost his only start of his career against the Padres after allowing one run and two hits over seven innings. He was pitching for the Minnesota Twins at the time back in 2017.
While Xander Bogaerts (4-for-23) and Sanchez (1-for-9, one home run) have struggled against the veteran, Machado is 5-for-12 with a home run off Berrios.
Yu Darvish, a right-hander for the Padres (6-6, 4.65 ERA), will try to win his second straight game. Darvish defeated the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday by striking out nine batters in six innings while giving up one run on five hits. Despite amassing a 4-3 record, Darvish has a hefty 5.52 ERA in eight road starts this year. The Japanese pitcher, 36, has made eight career starts against Toronto and is 3-3 with a 2.68 ERA. Toronto’s George Springer is 6-for-18 with two homers against Darvish.
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