San Francisco Giants vs Toronto Blue Jays Picks and Predictions July 9th 2024

Blake Snell Set to Begin Latest Comeback When Giants Face Jays

Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell is trying to squeeze a two-start week into the six remaining days before the All-Star break.

Snell’s Upcoming Starts

Blake Snell’s first outing will come on Tuesday night when the San Francisco Giants host the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-game series. Both teams are currently under .500, but each is hoping to build some momentum before the in-season vacation next week.

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Recent Performance of the Giants

The Giants faced a tough schedule but still came out on top in three out of their last four series. In their recent homestand, they won three out of four games against the Chicago Cubs and two out of three against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Giants triumphed in two of three games against the Atlanta Braves at the beginning of their just finished six-game road journey.

San Francisco defeated the Cleveland Guardians 4-2 on Friday but was defeated by the same team 5-4 on both Saturday and Sunday to conclude the trip. Giants manager Bob Melvin remarked on the team’s showing, stating,

“I thought we performed admirably. We participate in all games. However, (we) would have preferred to perform better despite having a .500 trip. Even with their recent enhancements, the Giants are still below .500 by three games with a record of 44-47.

Snell’s Return and Previous Outings

The improved play of the Giants can be traced to the better health of their starting staff. Kyle Harrison returned from an ankle injury to start on Saturday in Cleveland, and now Snell is set to reappear after missing the past five weeks due to a strained left groin. Snell’s comeback start will be his third of the year, with his first two outings not going well.

Due to his delayed signing with the Giants in spring training, Snell made his season debut late and gave up three runs in three innings, leading to an 8-1 defeat at home to the Washington Nationals on April 8. Following his placement on the 15-day injured list on April 24 due to a strained left adductor, he was out for four weeks. He made his comeback on May 22, allowing four runs in 3 1/3 innings during a 9-5 victory over Pittsburgh Pirates. Snell was not a determining factor in the outcome of that game.

Once more, he was in good health for only three games before getting a groin injury, which has kept him out of the game since June 3. Even with these obstacles, Snell has a solid track record facing the Blue Jays, holding a 4-4 record and a 2.74 ERA in 14 career starts against them while playing for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Toronto Blue Jays and Key Players

The Blue Jays competed in two 5-4 games during the weekend, emerging victorious in both at Seattle and securing a 2-1 series win to start a nine-game Western road trip. Leo Jimenez, a 23-year-old top prospect, was recently promoted in Toronto. Jimenez has demonstrated potential by recording two hits, drawing a walk, and getting hit by a pitch in his first six major league plate appearances.

He was an on-base machine in the minor leagues, said Isiah Kiner-Falefa, whose sprained left knee opened the door for the promotion. Hopefully, he can get off to a fast start and get some results, and from those results, build that confidence and start a great career from there.

Matchup and Pitching Preview

The Blue Jays have selected Yusei Kikuchi (4-8, 4.12 ERA), a left-handed pitcher, to begin the series. Kikuchi has only played against San Francisco once, resulting in a no-decision despite allowing three runs and six hits in six innings on April 2, 2021. He managed to record 10 strikeouts during that game, demonstrating his ability to influence the outcome.

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This upcoming series is crucial for both teams as they look to boost their rankings and gain momentum going into the All-Star break. For Snell, this is another opportunity to demonstrate his strength and skill as an elite pitcher. It’s a chance for the Giants and Blue Jays to make big progress before the mid-season break.