The Toronto Blue Jays are looking to improve their standing in the chase for the best record in the American League as they head to Pittsburgh on Monday night to face Pirates ace right-hander Paul Skenes.
Veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman (8-9, 3.79 ERA) will oppose Skenes (7-9, 2.13) as the second-year pitcher vies to solidify his case for his first Cy Young Award and perhaps break the Pirates out of their recent woes. Pittsburgh enters the game having lost seven of its past eight.
While Skenes remains the frontrunner to take home his first Cy Young this season, his month of August hasn’t been very Cy Young-worthy overall.
Skenes, who will face Toronto for the first time in his career, threw 93 pitches and lasted only four innings — matching a season low — in his most recent outing Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers. He allowed four runs on six hits and two walks and struck out four in what would finish as a lopsided 14-0 loss for Pittsburgh.
Skenes also allowed four runs in five innings in his first start this month against Colorado. Those starts bookended an eight-strikeout effort at home against the Cincinnati Reds during which Skenes tossed six shutout innings. But even in that start, Skenes allowed a career-high seven hits.
Skenes has also allowed three home runs combined in his past three starts after allowing only two over his previous 15 starts.
Skenes entered August with a 1.83 ERA and allowed only two runs in five starts in July.
“There’s a silver lining in that games like this are inevitable,” Skenes said after his most recent start. “We got it out of the way. On to the next one.”
The Blue Jays had a three-game winning streak snapped on Sunday after a 10-4 loss at home to the Texas Rangers. But Toronto has played generally well of late, winning eight of its past 12 games.
Gausman’s experience makes him a lock to be in Toronto’s rotation come playoff time.
But the Blue Jays are looking to shape their rotation for the stretch run with the imminent team debut of right-hander Shane Bieber, who is nearing a return following Tommy John surgery.
A two-time All-Star and the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner while with Cleveland, Bieber made his final planned rehab start on Saturday and Toronto could have him in its rotation later this week, providing a major boost over the final month and a half of the regular season.
“You’re talking about a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, a guy who’s been in big moments, done well and really understands how to pitch. It’s exhilarating,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said of Bieber, who was acquired from the Guardians at the trade deadline in July.
Gausman took a loss in his most recent outing on Wednesday against the visiting Chicago Cubs, but he pitched well. Gausman allowed only two runs on three hits and walked one over seven innings. But two of those hits were solo home runs to Michael Busch and Matt Shaw, which contributed to a 4-1 Cubs’ victory.
Gausman has pitched at least six innings in each of his past five starts and allowed two runs or fewer in four of those outings. He is 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA in 47 innings over 10 career appearances (eight starts) against the Pirates.