MLB Game Preview - Boston at Toronto
Tue Jul 2, 2019 7:07 PM EDT

CHC
1
PIT
5
F
MIA
2
WSH
3
F
BOS
10
TOR
6
F
NYY
2
NYM
4
F
MIL
4
CIN
5
F(11)
BAL
3
TB
6
F
PHI
2
ATL
0
F
LAA
9
TEX
4
F
HOU
9
COL
8
F
CLE
9
KC
5
F
MIN
6
OAK
8
F
SF
10
SD
4
F
STL
4
SEA
5
F
ARI
4
LAD
5
F
DET
CHW
PPD
Red Sox hope Price can get them on track in Toronto
Tue Jul 2, 2019 1:14 AM

The Boston Red Sox hope they will be making their own Brexit from a London fog when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays for the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday night.

The Red Sox were trounced in two games -- 17-13 and 12-8 -- in London last weekend against the New York Yankees, a series that left their bullpen shell-shocked and in disarray.

The trip to England was preceded by an 8-7 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

The Red Sox will start left-hander David Price (5-2, 3.36 ERA) on Tuesday against Blue Jays right-hander Trent Thornton (2-5, 4.60).

The Red Sox, World Series champions in 2018, have fallen 11 games behind the first-place Yankees in the American League East. Both teams had Monday off.

The Blue Jays, meanwhile, defeated the visiting Kansas City Royals 11-4 Monday afternoon and took the four-game series 3-1.

Toronto, which produced a season-best 18 hits Monday, has won four of its past five home games, improving its home record to 16-26. The Blue Jays are 6-5 in their past 11 games overall.

Freddy Galvis had two home runs Monday for the Blue Jays, who seemingly are overcoming some offensive struggles.

"I think that's part of the season, we're going to have some good months, a week or whatever, and then we're going to have a really bad week, that's how baseball goes," Galvis said. "The good thing, all the young guys, they stay positive. They try to practice every single day. They're watching video, they're doing everything they can do, so when the good moments come, they're ready for it."

Offense has not been a problem for the Red Sox lately, yet they are reeling.

"It was eye-opening the last two days," Boston manager Alex Cora said after the losses to the Yankees. "There was stuff the game will dictate and that will scream at people and it was right there. Throughout the evening (Sunday), I was looking, and right now (the Yankees) are a lot better than us. We need to get better. ...

"We have the talent to win the World Series, but we have to play better. It better happen sooner rather than later. They have a huge lead, and there are other teams around us that are playing good baseball."

What better time to try to right things than with Price on the mound against the Blue Jays. Price, who helped the Blue Jays reach the 2015 American League Championship Series after he was acquired in an in-season trade, usually pitches well against Toronto.

Price is 22-3 with a 2.37 in 31 career games (30 starts) against the Blue Jays. He held the Blue Jays to two runs (none earned) on three hits over five innings in a 12-2 victory against them on May 20 at Toronto. Boston won three of four in that series.

It was his first start after coming off the injured list, the beginning of a 4-0 run with a 2.97 ERA in eight starts.

The Red Sox come to Toronto having lost three in a row and five of seven. They have allowed 37 runs on 44 hits over the past three games with 24 of those runs coming against the bullpen.

The Red Sox will be facing Thornton, a rookie trying to win two consecutive decisions for the first time in his career. In his only outing against the Red Sox, he allowed two runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out seven in 6 1/3 innings during a no-decision on June 21.

--Field Level Media

Team Record Comparison

Team Standings GB W-L Aw/Hm Stk L10
Boston            
Toronto            

Scheduled Starting Pitchers

David Price - (N/A)
Matchup
Season
vs. Opp Has not pitched vs. Toronto
Trent Thornton - SEA
Matchup
Season
vs. Opp Has not pitched vs. Boston

Hot Batters (Last 10 team games)

Injury Report

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