Norris, Orioles Look To Capitalize On Scuffling Blue Jays' Sluggers
(AP) -- Amid a disappointing homestand, the Toronto Blue Jays could use Jose Reyes back in the lineup - particularly with how he's pestered the Baltimore Orioles.
Toronto's last series win came against Baltimore behind the play of Reyes, who may return Tuesday night following his club's only day of rest through the first month of the season.
It seems like the Blue Jays (6-7) needed a break. They are 2-5 on a 10-game homestand, and both middle infielders are battling injuries.
Rookie second baseman Devon Travis left Sunday's 5-2 loss to Atlanta, and Reyes missed a third straight game due to a cracked rib. The injury may prevent the switch-hitting Reyes from batting left-handed for now, though Toronto hopes the extra day off has provided the shortstop enough recovery time to get back on the field.
"I think the plan is, Tuesday should be good to go," manager John Gibbons told MLB's official website. "He's feeling a little better. He's probably going to hit right-handed, see how that goes, maybe buy him some time that way."
Reyes is a career .354 hitter versus the Orioles and has hit safely in 10 straight against them while batting .436. He was 7 for 12 with two doubles, two runs and two RBIs when these teams met April 10-12 in Baltimore, with the Blue Jays winning two of three.
Travis had a three-run double in a 10-7 win in that series finale, part of a surprising start for the relatively unheralded 24-year-old who leads the team with a .356 average and 12 RBIs. Similar to Reyes, Travis hurt his rib when he was hit by a pitch Sunday, but the injury is only a bruise.
"There's no crack in his rib, which is a great thing," Gibbons said. "We'll see with a day off, he's a tough kid."
Gibbons' club played 12 straight days before resting Monday, and Toronto won't get another day off until May 7.
The Orioles (7-6) are in the middle of playing 13 consecutive days, though their most recent one ended fairly early Monday. They lost 7-1 at Boston in a rain-shortened, 6 1/2-inning game.
Still, Baltimore pitchers surrendered just five hits, and the only team to total more than eight against them is the Blue Jays, who did it twice. The first of those games was started by Bud Norris (0-1, 12.38 ERA), who seeks a much better performance in a rematch with Mark Buehrle (2-0, 3.75).
Norris was ripped for eight runs and seven hits in three-plus innings of that 12-5 defeat after previously being 4-0 with a 2.36 ERA against Toronto. Buehrle had been 1-5 with a 6.25 ERA against Baltimore since joining the Jays but allowed two runs in six innings.
The left-hander was given 11 runs of support that day and in a 12-7 win over Tampa Bay on Wednesday, when he gave up three runs in six innings.
Adam Jones homered, doubled and singled off Buehrle to increase his average against him to .412. The All-Star center fielder's 4-for-4 effort that day sparked a nine-game hitting streak during which he had five homers and 14 RBIs, but he went hitless Monday.
Toronto's top sluggers are scuffling. Edwin Encarnacion has gone 10 games without homering while batting .132. Jose Bautista has three hits in his last 27 at-bats, though they were all home runs.
Bautista doubled and singled off Norris earlier this month after previously being 1 for 13 against him.
Norris was better Wednesday in a 7-5 win over the New York Yankees, giving up three runs and five hits in five innings.
