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Detroit Tigers
Toronto Blue Jays

Lineups

Toronto Blue Jays

#PlayerPos
1Brett BatemanCF
2George SpringerDH
3Vladimir Guerrero Jr.1B
4Alejandro KirkC
5Nathan LukesRF
6Kazuma Okamoto3B
7Andrés GiménezSS
8Josh SmithLF
9Ernie Clement2B

Preview

The Toronto Blue Jays return to Rogers Centre on Tuesday, September 15 to host the Detroit Tigers in a regular season matchup with a 7:07 PM ET first pitch. Braydon Fisher gets the ball for Toronto, squaring off against Detroit's Drew Anderson in what shapes up as a back-of-the-rotation battle that could swing on which young arm holds it together longer. With September in full swing, every game carries weight in the standings. Catch the action on Sportsnet and SN590 The Fan.

Starting Pitchers: Braydon Fisher vs. Drew Anderson

Fisher gets the nod for the Jays in what is a notable opportunity for the young right-hander. Pitching at Rogers Centre with a full lineup behind him, Fisher will need to work efficiently and keep the Tigers off the bases early. Anderson comes in as Detroit's counter, a journeyman arm capable of keeping hitters off balance when his command is sharp.

Neither starter has verifiable ERA or win-loss data available heading into this one, so the onus is on both clubs to get quality at-bats and let the game reveal itself. That makes the bullpens a storyline worth watching closely, especially deep into a September schedule.

Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup

  • 1. Brett Bateman — CF
  • 2. George Springer — DH
  • 3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — 1B
  • 4. Alejandro Kirk — C
  • 5. Nathan Lukes — RF
  • 6. Kazuma Okamoto — 3B
  • 7. Andrés Giménez — SS
  • 8. Josh Smith — LF
  • 9. Ernie Clement — 2B

Keys to Watch Against Detroit

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the Middle of the Order

Vlad Jr. hitting third is exactly where Toronto needs its most dangerous bat. Anderson will have to be careful working the zone against Guerrero, and any mistake left over the plate could be punished in a hurry. How Detroit's battery approaches the middle of this lineup — Vlad into Kirk — will go a long way toward deciding the outcome.

George Springer Setting the Table

Springer sliding into the two-hole as the DH gives the Jays an experienced presence right behind leadoff man Brett Bateman. If Bateman gets on base with any regularity, Springer's ability to work counts and drive runners in becomes a legitimate weapon early in games.

Andrés Giménez and the Bottom of the Order

The bottom third of this lineup — Giménez, Smith, and Clement — is not dead weight. Giménez has defensive value at short and can create problems on the bases. If the bottom of the order can string together anything against Anderson, it takes pressure off the middle of the lineup to do all the heavy lifting.

Fisher's Ability to Pitch Deep

The longer Fisher can go, the better positioned Toronto is to manage its bullpen in a September stretch. If he's forced out early, the game lands in the hands of the relief corps. That's not inherently a problem, but it becomes a variable the Jays would rather not deal with in a meaningful regular season game.

Prediction

This one figures to be a tighter, lower-scoring game given the pitching matchup. Toronto has the lineup edge on paper, and the home crowd at Rogers Centre should provide some energy on a Tuesday night. Advantage Jays, with Fisher delivering a serviceable start and the middle of the order doing enough damage against Anderson to take this one. Blue Jays 4, Tigers 2.