Athletics @ Blue Jays

Who will WIN this matchup?

Oakland Athletics (14-13)

@ Toronto Blue Jays (11-14)

Starting Pitchers:

Fiers (OAK): 2-2; 8.28 ERA

Stroman (TOR) 1-3; 1.76 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Oakland Athletics: 5-5

Toronto Blue Jays: 6-4

Current odds:

Oakland Athletics: (+116)

Toronto Blue Jays: (-126)

• The Toronto Blue Jays will give fans a glimpse of the future when top prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. makes his major league debut on Friday. The Blue Jays, who host the Oakland Athletics in the opener of a three-game series, are hoping the slugger can add some punch to a lineup that was just shut out on two hits by the San Francisco Giants in a loss on Wednesday. Guerrero Jr., the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, missed most of spring training with an oblique strain and belted three homers in eight games with Triple-A Buffalo. “This is a big moment for the Toronto Blue Jays,” Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo told reporters of the 20-year-old Guerrero. “He’s the No. 1 prospect in baseball. It’s coming Friday. It’s a big moment for us. Hopefully, he becomes what everybody thinks he’s going to become. That’s going to be good for all of us. The city of Toronto, the Blue Jays, the organization.”

• The Athletics were swept by the Blue Jays in a three-game series at home last weekend but rebounded by sweeping three games from the Texas Rangers, capped by a 6-5 walk-off victory on Wednesday. Getting the first chance to pitch against Guerrero Jr. in the majors will be veteran Oakland right-hander Mike Fiers while the Blue Jays counter with righty Marcus Stroman.

• Fiers was ripped in each of his last three starts, including an outing against Toronto on Saturday in which he was lit up for six runs and nine hits – two homers – over 3 1/3 innings. The 33-year-old surrendered a total of 18 runs and 23 hits across 10 innings over his last three turns but didn’t end up in the loss column until Saturday. Fiers held the Blue Jays to a run until the fourth inning on Saturday, when he served up back-to-back home runs to Rowdy Tellez and Brandon Drury.

• Stroman allowed three or fewer runs in each of his first five outings but saved his best stuff for Oakland last Friday, when he breezed through eight innings while allowing one run and six hits to earn the win. The Duke product struck out six and induced a season-high 13 ground balls in the win. Stroman owns 29 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings and is looking for his first win at home after going 0-2 despite a 1.08 ERA in his first three chances.

• Athletics 3B Matt Chapman homered in the last two games and drove in a run in four straight.

• Blue Jays SS Freddy Galvis (hamstring) sat out Wednesday, ending a string of 349 consecutive games played.

• Oakland SS Marcus Semien totaled five RBIs in the last two games.