The New York Yankees welcome the division-leading Toronto Blue Jays to the Bronx on Tuesday for the start of a pivotal three-game set.
The Blue Jays have stumbled as of late, yet still hold a 4.5 game lead over both the Yankees and Baltimore Orioles for the AL East lead.
New York lost the last two games of their weekend series at AL-leading Oakland by a combined score of 15-6, dropping their record in June to just 6-8.
Snapshot:
Home: New York Yankees (35-33, 13-16 home)
Away: Toronto Blue Jays (41-30, 21-13 away)
Key Stat:
The Blue Jays are third in the Majors at 4.7 runs scored per game. However, during their recent 3-6 stretch, the Jays have scored just 20 runs - coming in an alarming 2.2 runs per game average.
Blue Jays Notes:
After exiting in the seventh inning of the Jays' 3-2 loss on Saturday with groin tightness, R.A. Dickey expressed optimism that the injury wouldn't throw a wrench into plans for his next scheduled start.
"It was a real mild tightness," Dickey stated on Saturday, via David Wilson of MLB.com. "Gives me some optimism."
The next day, Dickey stated that he felt okay, yet still "a little sore" - happy that his next start will come after an extra day of rest with Toronto having an off day on Monday.
The knuckleballer's next appearance is slated for Friday against the Reds.
Yankees Notes:
The A's gave Derek Jeter a farewell befitting of the qualities most associated with the Yankees captain by his peers - understated, relaxed, and full of class.
Along with a $10,002 donation to Jeter's Turn 2 Foundation, the A's gave the 20-year veteran a bottle of fine wine, a free stay at a Napa Valley resort, and a private tour with the winemaker who runs the Abreu Vineyard.
"He's just handled himself so professionally. It's amazing," A's manager Bob Melvin said, via Tracy Ringolsby of the Yankees' official website.
"As much as anything it's a statement of his parents and the value system they instilled in him as a kid. He has never lost touch with that."
What to Watch For:
In a classic battle of youth versus experience on Wednesday night, New York's Chase Whitley (2-0, 2.41) takes on rejuvenated Toronto ace Mark Buehrle (10-3, 2.28).
The veteran Buehrle is currently riding a 13-year streak of 200 innings pitched or more - and is on pace to reach that plateau for a 14th straight year in 2014.
While Buehrle currently has 443 Major League starts to his name, 25-year-old Chase Whitley has just six.
But, if his first half-dozen quality outings are any indication, there may be hundreds more coming for the Alabama native.
What They're Saying About the Blue Jays:
Status of Blue Jays' Lind in limbo (Toronto Sun)
Dickey expected to make next start (Official Site of the Blue Jays)
What They're Saying About the Yankees:
Another Bay Area beatdown has the Yankees reeling (New York Post)
Athletics recognize Jeter as cut above the rest (Official Site of the Yankees)
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