5 reasons the Toronto Blue Jays can complete their comeback

2 of 5

Oct 15, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Josh Tomlin (43) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning of game two of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /

4. The starting pitching matchups will favor the Jays

Excluding a potential Game 7 start by Corey Kluber, the Blue Jays will have the advantage on the mound for the rest of the series. Rookie Ryan Merritt will start Game 5, and the left-hander may struggle to hold down the Toronto offense.

Merritt is a strike-throwing machine, but he does not have a consistent out pitch. He relies on an 87-mph four-seam fastball that does not generate a significant number of ground balls. Of course, stranger things have happened in October than a soft-tossing rookie with underwhelming stuff turning in the performance of his life in a playoff clincher. Against Merritt, the Jays should be stepping into the box ready to swing.

The Blue Jays will answer in Game 5 with Marco Estrada, who is not a flamethrower by any stretch of the imagination. While Estrada does not have a dominant fastball, he does have arguably the league’s best changeup and a track record of pitching well in the postseason.

If the series gets to Game 6, J.A. Happ or Marcus Stroman will get the ball for the Jays, likely opposed by Josh Tomlin. Tomlin’s soft curveballs kept the Blue Jays off balance in Game 2, but given a second chance against him, look for the Toronto offense to figure him out.

Games 6 and 7 line up favorably for the Blue Jays, with both Cleveland pitchers seemingly feeding into the fastball-hitting abilities of the Blue Jays. From there, Game 7 is a tossup.

Home/MLB Postseason