The Toronto Blue Jays are getting the brooms ready. After a come-from-behind victory on Friday and the absolute 14-2 dismantling that took place yesterday afternoon, the Blue Jays are looking to extend their lead in the AL East by adding another sweep to their collection. They currently hold a five-game lead over the Boston Red Sox and sit 6.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees.
Today should be a pitching duel of sorts, with the Blue Jays sending right-hander Jose Berrios to the mound while Texas is countering with one of their top arms in Nathan Eovaldi.
Berrios struggled in July, posting a 5.83 ERA and a 5.53 FIP through six outings, but has rebounded well in August through two starts. allowing just three earned runs through 10 2/3 innings. All three runs came in his outing against the Colorado Rockies on August 5th, and Berrios recently twirled 5 1/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs, holding opposing bats to just two hits in the scoreless outing. The Puerto Rican product battled in the outing, allowing four walks through the start, which saw his pitch count rise quickly and ended his evening early.
Entering the game with a 3.74 ERA, Berrios has been floating around this mark since June, finding some consistnecy on the mound with a few outlier starts on his record. With each bad outing, he has counteracted with a quality start, such as his June 21st outing against the Chicago White Sox, where he went 7 2/3 innings with just two hits and zero earned runs in the eventual win. Overall, the veteran hurler has amassed a 3.1 BB/9 and a 7.5 K/9 this season and owns a 1.261 WHIP on the year.
The Jays have won 17 of Berrios’s 25 starts this season and will look to make that 18 today.
The brooms are out! #lightsupletsgo pic.twitter.com/en6cf8qK1B
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 17, 2025
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That task will be tough against Nathan Eovaldi, who is finding his stride with the Rangers despite missing some time with elbow inflammation for most of June.
Eovaldi enters today’s contest with a stellar 1.71 ERA and a 2.77 FIP through 116 innings, accumulating an 8.8 K/9 and a minuscule 1.6 BB/9, walking just 21 batters this year. The Texas product has been a groundball machine this season, producing a 50% groundball rate while keeping the ball in the yard, delivering a 0.6 HR/9 and allowing just eight homers this season, second-lowest amongst pitchers who have 110 innings.
The right-hander has produced a 29+ pitching run value this season (99th percentile) and uses a five-pitch mix to get the job done. He works predominantly with his split-finger (30.9%) and works in his four-seamer, curveball, cutter, and sinker to get hitters out. Each pitch except for his fastball sits above the zero mark in pitching run value, with his split-finger (+11) and cutter (10) leading the charge. Eovaldi attacks hitters and nibbles at the zone with his command, which is one of the reasons he owns a .241 wOBA and a .232 xBA on the year.
Lineup-wise, George Springer returns to the leadoff spot and will be the DH. Addison Barger returns to the lineup with a right-hander on the mound, and he slots in behind Springer while suiting up in right field. Nathan Lukes and Daulton Varsho complete the outfield, playing left and centre field, respectively. Alejandro Kirk will be behind the plate.
Following last night’s game, the Rangers have placed right-hander Jon Gray and utility player Sam Haggerty on the IL. Cody Freeman and right-hander Caleb Boushley will join the team for the final contest.
Location: Rogers Centre – Toronto, Canada
First Pitch: 1:37 PM EST
Watch/Listen: Sportsnet / Sportsnet 590 The Fan
Starting Pitchers
Toronto Blue Jays – Jose Berrios: 9-4 record, 3.74 ERA, 142 IP, 119 SO, 49 BB
Texas Rangers – Nathan Eovaldi: 10-3 record, 1.71 ERA, 116 IP, 114 SO, 21 BB
Lineups:
Blue Jays:
- George Springer – DH
- Addison Barger – RF
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – 1B
- Bo Bichette – SS
- Daulton Varsho – CF
- Alejandro Kirk – C
- Nathan Lukes – LF
- Ernie Clement – 3B
- Andres Gimenez – 2B
Rangers:
- Josh Smith – RF
- Wyatt Langford – LF
- Corey Seager – SS
- Joc Pederson – DH
- Evan Carter – CF
- Marcus Semien – 2B
- Jake Burger – 1B
- Cody Freeman – 3B
- Jonah Heim – C