<p>Monday&#8217;s game could&#8217;ve gone significantly better.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The Toronto Blue Jays&#8217; best chance to score a run came in the top of the second. George Springer hit a lead-off single, stole second and third with no outs. Andrés Giménez and Alejandro Kirk struck out, followed by an Ernie Clement flyout.</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>That was one of just three baserunners the Jays had all game. Springer walked in the top of the fourth, Giménez lined out. Bo Bichette had the Jays&#8217; other hit, hitting a single in the top of the sixth, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. promptly grounded into a double play.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s quite clear that the Jays have a power outage. Their 12 home runs collectively is the second-fewest in the league, only one ahead of the Kansas City Royals (who have a .210 batting average as a team). Toronto has had a good start to their season, all things considered, but for a team that added some much-needed pop in the bat of Anthony Santander, it hasn&#8217;t panned out for them so far this season.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, they face a pitcher with a 6.48 ERA through 16 and two-thirds innings. However, the last time the pitcher, Ronel Blanco, faced the Jays in Houston, he threw a no-hitter. When the two teams matched up in Toronto in early July, they were able to score two runs off him.</p>
<p>The Jays&#8217; batting order is a bit different today, as Anthony Santander gets his first off-day of the season. Instead, Giménez will hit third, with Springer batting fourth. After that, Kirk bats fifth, Alan Roden bats sixth, Will Wagner bats seventh, Ernie Clement bats eighth, and Nathan Lukes bats ninth. As per usual, Bichette and Guerrero Jr. bat first and second, respectively.</p>
<p>Of all qualified pitchers, Chris Bassitt&#8217;s 0.77 ERA is the second-lowest in the league, while his 1.02 FIP is the lowest. Through his four starts, Bassitt has a 33.3 K%, which would easily surpass his career-best strikeout rate.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s set up Tuesday&#8217;s game, as the Jays look to avoid their second consecutive series loss.</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>Location: Houston</strong></p>
<p><strong>First Pitch: 8:10 PM ET</strong></p>
<p><strong>Watch/Listen: Sportsnet 1, SN590</strong></p>
<h2>Starting Pitchers</h2>
<p><strong>Toronto Blue Jays &#8211; </strong><strong>Chris Bassitt: </strong>2-0 record, 0.77 ERA, 23.1 IP, 31 SO, 5 BB</p>
<p><strong>Houston Astros</strong> <strong>&#8211; Ronel Blanco:</strong> 1-2 record, 6.48 ERA, 16.2 IP, 17 SO, 10 BB</p>
<h2>Lineups:</h2>
<p><strong>Blue Jays:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Bo Bichette &#8211; SS</li>
<li>Vladimir Guerrero Jr. &#8211; DH</li>
<li>Andrés Giménez &#8211; 2B</li>
<li>George Springer &#8211; RF</li>
<li>Alejandro Kirk &#8211; C</li>
<li>Alan Roden &#8211; LF</li>
<li>Will Wagner &#8211; 1B</li>
<li>Ernie Clement &#8211; 3B</li>
<li>Nathan Lukes &#8211; CF</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Astros:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Jose Altuve &#8211; LF</li>
<li>Yordan Álvarez &#8211; DH</li>
<li>Isaac Paredes &#8211; 3B</li>
<li>Jeremy Peña &#8211; SS</li>
<li>Christian Walker &#8211; 1B</li>
<li>Brendan Rodgers &#8211; 2B</li>
<li>Yainer Díaz &#8211; C</li>
<li>Jake Meyers &#8211; CF</li>
<li>Cam Smith &#8211; RF</li>
</ol>
<hr />
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Monday's game could've gone significantly better.



The Toronto Blue Jays' best chance to score a run came in the top of the second. George Springer hit a lead-off single, stole second and third with no outs. Andrés Giménez and Alejandro Kirk struck out, followed by an Ernie Clement flyout.
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&nbsp;

That was one of just three baserunners the Jays had all game. Springer walked in the top of the fourth, Giménez lined out. Bo Bichette had the Jays' other hit, hitting a single in the top of the sixth, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. promptly grounded into a double play.

It's quite clear that the Jays have a power outage. Their 12 home runs collectively is the second-fewest in the league, only one ahead of the Kansas City Royals (who have a .210 batting average as a team). Toronto has had a good start to their season, all things considered, but for a team that added some much-needed pop in the bat of Anthony Santander, it hasn't panned out for them so far this season.

On Tuesday, they face a pitcher with a 6.48 ERA through 16 and two-thirds innings. However, the last time the pitcher, Ronel Blanco, faced the Jays in Houston, he threw a no-hitter. When the two teams matched up in Toronto in early July, they were able to score two runs off him.

The Jays' batting order is a bit different today, as Anthony Santander gets his first off-day of the season. Instead, Giménez will hit third, with Springer batting fourth. After that, Kirk bats fifth, Alan Roden bats sixth, Will Wagner bats seventh, Ernie Clement bats eighth, and Nathan Lukes bats ninth. As per usual, Bichette and Guerrero Jr. bat first and second, respectively.

Of all qualified pitchers, Chris Bassitt's 0.77 ERA is the second-lowest in the league, while his 1.02 FIP is the lowest. Through his four starts, Bassitt has a 33.3 K%, which would easily surpass his career-best strikeout rate.

Let's set up Tuesday's game, as the Jays look to avoid their second consecutive series loss.

<hr />

<strong>Location: Houston</strong>

<strong>First Pitch: 8:10 PM ET</strong>

<strong>Watch/Listen: Sportsnet 1, SN590</strong>
<h2>Starting Pitchers</h2>
<strong>Toronto Blue Jays - </strong><strong>Chris Bassitt: </strong>2-0 record, 0.77 ERA, 23.1 IP, 31 SO, 5 BB

<strong>Houston Astros</strong> <strong>- Ronel Blanco:</strong> 1-2 record, 6.48 ERA, 16.2 IP, 17 SO, 10 BB
<h2>Lineups:</h2>
<strong>Blue Jays:</strong>
<ol>
 	<li>Bo Bichette - SS</li>
 	<li>Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - DH</li>
 	<li>Andrés Giménez - 2B</li>
 	<li>George Springer - RF</li>
 	<li>Alejandro Kirk - C</li>
 	<li>Alan Roden - LF</li>
 	<li>Will Wagner - 1B</li>
 	<li>Ernie Clement - 3B</li>
 	<li>Nathan Lukes - CF</li>
</ol>
<strong>Astros:</strong>
<ol>
 	<li>Jose Altuve - LF</li>
 	<li>Yordan Álvarez - DH</li>
 	<li>Isaac Paredes - 3B</li>
 	<li>Jeremy Peña - SS</li>
 	<li>Christian Walker - 1B</li>
 	<li>Brendan Rodgers - 2B</li>
 	<li>Yainer Díaz - C</li>
 	<li>Jake Meyers - CF</li>
 	<li>Cam Smith - RF</li>
</ol>

<hr />

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Blue Jays GDB – 24.0: Houston, the Jays have a power problem

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