The Toronto Blue Jays are set to complete a four-game series sweep of the visiting Boston Red Sox on Thursday afternoon after securing victories in the first three matchups. Toronto has dominated this season’s encounters, winning nine out of 12 games against Boston, including all three in the current series.
In Wednesday’s game, Toronto scored five runs in the eighth inning to take a 6-4 lead. Although Boston responded with three runs in the ninth, it was insufficient to avoid another defeat. The Red Sox, who were once the hottest team in baseball, have now dropped five consecutive games for the first time since late March to early April.
Meanwhile, Toronto has won 10 of its last 14 games overall but remains four games below a .500 winning percentage. Blue Jays manager John Schneider highlighted the energy brought by younger players and those eager to prove themselves, noting the positive impact on the team’s morale.
For Thursday’s game, Toronto will start right-hander Max Scherzer, who holds a 1-4 record with a 7.25 ERA this season. Scherzer has a 5-7 record and a 5.77 ERA in 14 career starts against Boston. The Red Sox will counter with left-hander Payton Tolle, who is 7-6 with a 3.20 ERA this season but has struggled against Toronto, posting an 0-2 record and a 5.91 ERA in three appearances.
Notably, 23-year-old Tolle grew up admiring Scherzer, describing him as a competitive “bulldog” and a role model for pitchers. Tolle expressed excitement about facing Scherzer and recalled meeting him earlier this year.
Boston hopes Tolle can help reverse their recent slump, which has been compounded by errors and missed opportunities. On Wednesday, with two runners on base in the eighth inning, first baseman Willson Contreras dropped a foul ball, extending the at-bat for Kazuma Okamoto, who then delivered a go-ahead single. Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy acknowledged the mistake as an unfortunate but natural occurrence.
Schneider humorously suggested that the “baseball gods” might be shifting their favor toward Toronto, appreciating the team’s current fortune.
Boston’s offensive struggles were further highlighted when Ceddanne Rafaela was thrown out trying to advance from first to third on a wild pitch. Despite these setbacks, right fielder Wilyer Abreu provided excellent defense, making a sliding catch and throwing out a runner to complete a double play in the fifth inning.
The Red Sox bullpen saw Tyron Guerrero give up five runs (four earned) in the eighth, while Alec Gamboa, recently promoted from Triple-A Worcester, also pitched. Garrett Whitlock did not appear due to mild elbow inflammation, as noted by Tracy.
On the Toronto side, the Blue Jays claimed reliever Paul Sewald off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. Schneider described Sewald as a veteran pitcher with a history of strong performances, hoping he will bring stability to the bullpen despite a challenging season so far.
