The Toronto Blue Jays will look to rebound after a disappointing home series against the Chicago White Sox, losing two of three to one of the worst teams in baseball. Sitting third in the AL East with a 41-36 record, the Jays will look to right the ship against the Cleveland Guardians this week for a three-game set. They enter with a 39-37 record.

The last time the two squads faced off early May, the Guardians took two of three games from the Jays via late comeback efforts during the Saturday and Sunday contests.

Getting the nod for Toronto is southpaw Eric Lauer, who occupies Bowden Francis’s spot in the rotation with right-hander Max Scherzer back in the fold.

Lauer has been the 2025 version of Ross Stripling for the Jays, starting games for the team while also working in relief since being called upon on April 30th. Through 10 outings (four starts), Lauer owns a 2.29 ERA and a 3.61 FIP through 35 1/3 innings. He’s held the free passes in check to a 2.8 BB/9 and has compiled an impressive 0.934 WHIP in the process.

In his last start, the Ohio product allowed just one walk, four hits, and one run through five innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks while punching out eight.

Opposite Lauer for the Guardians will be soft-tossing left-hander Logan Allen

Through 14 outings (13 starts), Allen has authored a 4.21 ERA and a 4.58 FIP through 66 1/3 innings. The southpaw has gone four or more innings in all but one of his starts this season, and he hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in each of his past two outings. Allen has gotten into some trouble with the hits, compiling a 1.477 WHIP and a 9.2 H/9 this season while struggling with his command throughout the year (4.1 BB/9).

Working with a five-pitch mix, the Guardians hurler uses his four-seamer and sweeper interchangeably at 28% and 27%, respectively. He also mixes in a changeup, sinker, and cutter. Tipping the velocity charts at a 90 MPH average with his fastball, Allen has excelled at holding hitters to soft contact, ranking in the 89th percentile with his 32.5% hard-hit rate.

Andres Gimenez and Myles Straw return to Cleveland for the first time since both players were acquired by the Jays this past winter (separate transactions).

Location: Progressive Field – Cleveland, Ohio

First Pitch: 6:40 PM EST

Watch/Listen: Sportsnet / Sportsnet 590 The Fan

Toronto Blue Jays – Eric Lauer: 3-1 record, 2.29 ERA, 35 1/3 IP, 36 SO, 11 BB

Cleveland Guardians – Logan Allen: 5-4 record, 4.21 ERA, 66 1/3 IP, 50 SO, 30 BB