Arizona’s Zac Gallen is one of the favorites in the National League Cy Young Award race, while Toronto’s Kevin Gausman is one of the top contenders for the American League honor.
The two All-Star right-handers were scheduled to square off Saturday when the Diamondbacks face the host Blue Jays in the middle contest of a three-game set. Toronto won the opener 7-2 on Friday.
Unfortunately the Blue Jays scratched Gausman hours before the game due to discomfort in his left side. An MRI showed no major concerns and he is considered day-to-day. Right-hander Chris Bassitt (8-5, 4.19 ERA) gets the start instead.
Gallen (11-3, 3.04 ERA) is tied for the major league lead in victories after placing fifth in last season’s NL Cy Young balloting. The Arizona ace started Tuesday’s All-Star Game for the NL and pitched a scoreless inning.
The Diamondbacks could use one of Gallen’s top-notch efforts on Saturday. They have lost six of their past eight games.
In nine of his 19 starts, Gallen has allowed no more than one run while pitching at least six innings. He beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in his final start before the All-Star break, giving up one run and four hits over seven innings on July 7.
Gallen, 27, also has fanned 11 or more batters four times. He has struck out 125 in 118 1/3 innings.
Gallen has never faced the Blue Jays. He has given up homers to Brandon Belt (3-for-20) and George Springer (1-for-6) when those players were with other teams.
However, Gallen has struggled on the road with a 2-3 mark and 5.08 ERA in nine starts. At home, he is 9-0 with a 1.48 ERA in 10 outings.
Toronto has won six of its past seven games.
Bassitt has not suffered a loss since June 13. The Blue Jays have won his past three starts, thanks in part to his 21 strikeouts and just four walks across 16 innings.
Bassitt is 3-0 with a 3.09 ERA in four career starts against the Diamondbacks.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 14th homer of the season — in his first at-bat since winning the Home Run Derby — and Matt Chapman had three hits as Toronto totaled 16 overall.
“I was looking for a good pitch to hit,” Guerrero said through an interpreter of his 426-foot blast off Ryne Nelson. “He left it right in the middle, and I put good contact on it.”
The Blue Jays pushed across five runs and sent 10 hitters to the plate in the seventh inning to snap a 2-2 tie.
Toronto closer Jordan Romano (lower back tightness) wasn’t needed on Friday but is expected to be available on Saturday if the club is in a save situation.
Arizona All-Star outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. received a long ovation when he came up to bat for the first time on Friday. Gurriel, who has 15 homers, twice hit 20 or more for the Blue Jays from 2018-22 before being traded along with catcher Gabriel Moreno to the Diamondbacks for outfielder Daulton Varsho in December.
“It’s part of the game,” Gurriel said through an interpreter. “Trades are there. You just have to understand it and move on.”
Moreno homered for Arizona in the opener.
–Field Level Media
