MLB on Sling: Jays vs. Sox in Big Papi's Final Regular Season Game; Sunday's Action on FOX Sports Regional Networks
Toronto Blue Jays (Sanchez 14-2, 3.06) vs. Boston Red Sox (Price 17-9, 4.04) *3pm ET on TBS
Are you really gonna tell your grandchildren that instead of watching David Ortiz’s final regular season game, you decided to mow the lawn? During his 14 seasons with the Red Sox, Ortiz has loomed large over the baseball landscape, helping turn the team’s ancient rivalry with the Yankees on its head, leading the team to its first championship in 86 years, and then another and then another, along the way earning a reputation as the greatest clutch hitter of his generation. Yes, he tested positive for PEDs in 2003, yes, he could be temperamental, some going as far as to dismiss him as jerk, but the dude could rake. Ortiz goes into 2016’s final regular season game leading the AL in doubles (48), slugging percentage (.625) and OPS (1.027) – not bad for a 40-year-old. Whatever happens in the playoffs, where few have performed better than Ortiz, five years from now, his legacy will spark a heated Hall of Fame arguments, weighing 540+ home runs, 1700+ RBI, a .931 OPS and (at least) 3 World Series titles against steroids and anti-DH bias. Don’t miss the show.
The Blue Jays come into this game tied with the Orioles for the two Wild Card spots at 88-73, with the Tigers a game and a half back, while the Mariners were eliminated Saturday night. The scenario for the Jays is pretty simple: win and they’re in. If they lose, and the Tigers beat the Braves (in a great pitching matchup featuring Justin Verlander vs. Julio Teheran) Toronto would need to wait for the Tigers make up their game against the Indians that was rained out last week – if Detroit were to win that game, they’d then be tied with the Jays for a Wild Card spot. And that could be a three-way tie if Baltimore were to lose today. Stay tuned.
The downside to needing a W today is that the Jays have to send Aaron Sanchez to the mound, rather than save him for the Wild Card game. Sanchez is at the end of a breakout year in which he leads the AL in winning percentage (.875) and home runs per 9 (0.7), and he made his first All Star Game. He has struggled against Boston, however, with a 5.19 ERA over 17 ⅓, with 15 Ks and 10 walks.
The Sox are eager to see which David Price shows up, the one who recently went 8-0 with a 2.86 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 63 innings, or the guy who on Tuesday gave up 6 runs on 12 hits, including 3 homers, in 6 ⅓. If Price pitches like a man worth $200 million, the Red Sox have to be considered favorites to go to the World Series, if he pitches like he did the other day, well, best of luck boys!
Watch the Toronto Blue Jays vs. the Boston Red Sox at 3pm Saturday on TBS by subscribing to Sling Orange or Sling Blue
Here’s all of Sunday’s action on FOX Sports Regional Networks:
Houston Astros (Rodgers 0-0, 19.29) at Los Angeles Angels (Chacin 5-8, 5.06)
3:05pm ET on FOX Sports West
Baltimore Orioles (Gausman 8-12, 3.66) at New York Yankees (Cessa 4-3, 4.18)
3pm ET on YES
Miami Marlins (Koehler 9-13, 4.15) at Washington Nationals (Scherzer 19-7, 2.82)
3:05pm ET on FOX Sports Florida
Tampa Bay Rays (Whitley 0-0, 1.74) at Texas Rangers (Perez 10-11, 4.37)
3:05pm ET on FOX Sports Southwest & Fox Sports Sun
Chicago Cubs (Hendricks 16-8, 1.99) at Cincinnati Reds (Stephenson 2-3, 6.27)
3:10pm ET
on FOX Sports Cincinnati
Detroit Tigers (Verlander 16-8, 3.10) at Atlanta Braves (Teheran 6-10, 3.33)
3:10pm ET on FOX Sports Detroit & FOX Sports South
Milwaukee Brewers (Cravy 0-1, 2.39) at Colorado Rockies (Marquez 1-1, 6.14)
3:10pm ET on FOX Sports Wisconsin
Minnesota Twins (Berrios 2-7, 8.61) at Chicago White Sox (Sale 17-9, 3.21)
3:10pm ET on FOX Sports North
San Diego Padres (Clemens 4-5, 4.27) at Arizona Diamondbacks (Koch 1-1, 2.25)
3:10pm ET on FOX Sports Arizona & FOX Sports San Diego
Cleveland Indians (Tomlin 12-9, 4.48) at Kansas City Royals (Kennedy 11-10, 3.69)
3:15pm ET on FOX Sports Kansas City & SportsTime Ohio
Pittsburgh Pirates (Vogelsong 3-7, 5.00) at St. Louis Cardinals (Wainwright 13-9, 4.67)
3:15pm ET on FOX Sports Midwest
Watch regional action on FOX Sports Regional Networks by subscribing to Sling Blue
(All stats courtesy Baseball Reference and ESPN)