Game Threat: Blue Jays (18-17) @ Giants (17-18)

7 years ago

Photo Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Marcus Stroman is 25 years old, and his opponent today, Madison Bumgarner — Bumgarner, who has thrown five straight 200 inning seasons, has made three straight All-Star teams, and was the MVP of both the NLCS and World Series in 2014 — is just 26.

That’s absolutely crazy to me. Even if, to be precise, the difference between their ages is actually one year 274 days.

And sure, I get why. Bumgarner was a high school pick in 2007 who blasted his way into a big league cameo at the end of 2009, and Stroman went the college route and wasn’t even drafted until 2012. But still!

However which way we ended up with this matchup, these are two starting pitchers who are awfully good — especially Stroman, who has been exquisite over his last two starts (thanks to his revisiting of the concept of actually sometimes trying to strike guys out), but especially Bumgarner, who over the past two seasons (159 PA), has hit .252/.280/.469 (numbers that, sadly, would be an improvement on some of the Jays’ key hitters so far this season). Thankfully the Jays have already won this series in San Francisco, or they’d be hard pressed to do so here in this sweet mid-week afternoon tilt. Let’s break out the brooms anyway, though, eh? Bumgarner is a lefty, after all…

Scuttlebutt

Shi Davidi tweets that John Gibbons says Roberto Osuna is unavailable today for the Jays, after having pitched three straight days. Everyone else is good to go (save Brett Cecil, of couse, who is on the paternity list), and most seem to believe that any save opportunity that arises will likely go to Gavin Floyd. What a world!

Would have mentioned this yesterday, except I didn’t: Jays minor leaguer, and 2013 second-round pick (47th overall), Clinton Hollon, has been suspended 50 games for a drug of abuse. Because he’s a minor leaguer, that could be something as uncontroversial as smoking grass (as my mom still calls it) — big leaguers don’t get tested for that, for example. Hollon’s suspension begins on the day after completing a 50 game suspension for an amphetamine, which he was given last August. No, Diamond Jim, there is not a culture of drugs rampant within the Jays’ ranks. Relax.

“ZiPS projects Michael Saunders to have a higher wOBA than Jason Heyward for the rest of the season,” tweets @BVHJays. Seriously, what a world!

Barry Davis tweets clips of Roberto Osuna’s younger brothers throwing in the bullpen at AT&T Park. There’s the right-handed Pedro, and the left-handed Alex. For his part, Tony LaCava is impressed.

TV: Sportsnet

Next Game(s): Friday, @ Rangers, 8:05 PM ET

And now, the lineups…