Toronto (18-18) at Texas (20-15)
When: Friday, May 13th 2016
Where: Globe Life Park, Arlington, TX
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: Sportsnet One, FSN Southwest
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The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Texas to take on a streaking Rangers team to open a three-game weekend set. Toronto is off to a good start on their six-game road trip winning two of three in San Francisco with solid pitching and timely hitting. The Jays outscored the Giants 7-1 in the first two games, but dropped the finale 5-4 in 13 innings. It was Toronto’s eighth one-run loss of the season to only three wins. Reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson is starting to get hot again and was 6-for-14 against the Giants, capped by a four-hit game in the series finale. The Rangers have won five of their last six games after dropping the final three of a four-game series last week in Toronto. Texas is coming off a series win against the White Sox despite being outscored 24-23 in the three games. After dropping the first two against Chicago, the Rangers came back in both of the last two contests to defeat the American League-leading White Sox. Outfielder Ian Desmond went 6-for-14 with a home run and six RBIs against the White Sox to run his hitting streak to seven games.
Pitchers: Blue Jays – R.A. Dickey (1-4, 5.18 ERA) | Rangers – Martin Perez (1-2, 3.51)
R.A. Dickey has been hit pretty hard this season and has not recorded a win in his last six starts. He was charged with four runs (two earned) on six hits over a season-high seven innings in a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last time out. The 41-year-old knuckleballer has pitched at least six innings in each of his last four starts, but is still searching for his second win. Dickey has held Elvis Andrus hitless in 12 at-bats while Adrian Beltre is only 3-for-16 against him.
Martin Perez takes his turn on the mound for the Rangers and he’s looking for his third-straight solid outing. He allowed two runs over six innings last time out at Detroit and tossing five scoreless innings of four-hit ball at Toronto in his previous turn, but failed to get any run support. The 25-year-old Venezuelan has surrendered three runs or fewer in six of his last seven starts and pitched at least six innings on five occasions. Perez has been a little wild this year issuing 23 walks over 41 innings.
The Blue Jays are still struggling to score like they did last season, but the Rangers are pounding the ball right now. Perez has pitched much better than Dickey and we’re getting basically even money at home. I’ll take it.
Pick: Rangers -105
