The Toronto Blue Jays (2-4) will try to shake off a slow start to a season in which there are high expectations against the Detroit Tigers (3-3) in a matinee Tuesday afternoon affair. The game will be broadcast on FOX Detroit at 1:05 p.m., and can be live streamed for free here or for a fee with crisper picture here.
The Blue Jays, who are the favorites in the American League East after making a slew of expensive acquisitions in the offseason, have stumbled out of the gate in 2013, and there are some glaring culprits.
Last year's National League Cy Young winner, R.A. Dickey, is 0-2 in his first two starts of the season, posting a ghastly 8.44 ERA and an equally deplorable WHIP of 1.969. Rotation-mate and 2012 Miami Marlin Mark Buehrle, who came to Toronto with Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and Emilio Bonifacio, was even worse in his lone start. Buehrle is sporting a 10.13 ERA in 2013 and served up seven runs, including two home runs in his first game.
At the plate, Reyes is scorching with a .435 batting average, but last season's breakout star, Edwin Encarnacion, is struggling badly to duplicate his 2012 success. Right now Encarnacion is hitting a lowly .087 in 27 plate appearances, with one home run, three RBI, and eight strikeouts.
The Tigers started a bit slow themselves, but rebounded by taking two out of three against the New York Yankees. Prince Fielder got hot against the Bronx Bombers, and will enter today's game against Toronto with a .261 average, two homers and a team-leading eight RBI.
Despite the slow start, and facing Anibal Sanchez today (0.00 ERA), Jose Reyes isn't bothered by the slow start. "We have a lot of confidence in this ballclub, and like I said, we're going to be fine. So there's nothing to worry about."
Sanchez will be opposed by Brandon Morrow, who has a 1.50 ERA in one start this season. Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista, who has missed the last three games with a sore ankle, could be re-inserted into the lineup as a designated hitter.
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