GDB -11.0: Heart of the order stays the same as Toronto Blue Jays take on Pittsburgh Pirates in Spring Training

Photo credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
By Zach Laing
Mar 5, 2024, 12:00 ESTUpdated: Mar 5, 2024, 16:41 EST
The two-three-four spots in the Toronto Blue Jays lineup will stay the same as they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday afternoon.
Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Justin Turner will man those three spots, just as they did Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies. A few pieces have changed around them, as Daulton Varsho takes the leadoff spot from George Springer, and Alejandro Kirk, Davis Schneider, Santiago Espinal, Eduardo Escobar and Nathan Lukes fill the five through nine spots.
The heart-of-the-order trio showed well again Monday. Bichette went 1-for-3 at the plate with two RBI’s, Guerrero Jr. hit his first home run of the year smoking a low fastball 438 ft. over the center field wall in a 2-for-3 day with two RBI’s, as Turner went 1-for-2 with a walk.
José Berrios will take the mound for his second start of Spring Training. In his first start, he allowed two hits off eight batters faced, striking out one.
First pitch: 1:07 p.m. EST — Radio: MLB.tv.
Moneyline: TOR -128; PIT +105.
Spread: TOR -1.5 +125; PIT +1.5 -154.
Over/Under: o9.5 +100; u9.5 -122.
Spread: TOR -1.5 +125; PIT +1.5 -154.
Over/Under: o9.5 +100; u9.5 -122.
*Odds available at the time of writing. Odds subject to change.
Starting pitchers (2023 statistics):
TORONTO — RHP José Berrios
PITTSBURGH – RHP Jared Jones
| Name | Team | GS | W | L | IP | ERA | xERA | ERA- | FIP | WHIP | K/9 | BB/9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
José Berríos | TOR | 32 | 11 | 12 | 189.2 | 3.65 | 4.55 | 87 | 3.99 | 1.19 | 8.73 | 2.47 |
Jared Jones | PIT – AAA | 15 | 4 | 5 | 82.0 | 4.72 | 3.98 | 1.32 | 10.87 | 3.73 |
Lineups:
TORONTO:
- D Varsho (L) CF
- B Bichette (R) SS
- V Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
- J Turner (R) DH
- A Kirk (R) C
- D Schneider (R) LF
- S Espinal (R) 3B
- E Escobar (S) 2B
- N Lukes (L) RF
PIRATES:
- O Cruz (L) SS
- B Reynolds (S) LF
- A McCutchen (R) DH
- K Hayes (R) 3B
- R Tellez (L) 1B
- C Joe (R) RF
- E Olivares (R) CF
- J Bae (L) 2B
- J Delay (R) C
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Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
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