Yankees, optimistic about offensive progress, head dwelling to face Jays

As Aaron Judge makes incremental progress in his recovery from a fractured right rib, the New York Yankees are on one of their best stretches since losing their captain over two months ago.

The Yankees are riding a four-game winning streak as they return home Friday night for the opener of a three-game series against the surging Toronto Blue Jays.

There is still no timetable for Judge to return, but the three-time MVP started hitting off a tee on Thursday and seems likely to increase his batting progression during New York’s 10-game homestand.

The Yankees, who are 36-32 since Judge last played on May 31, completed a three-game sweep of the host Baltimore Orioles with a 6-1 win on Thursday.

New York is on its fourth four-game winning streak without Judge and is attempting to win five straight for the first time since May 24-29. While the Yankees are batting .202 over the past six games, they are coming off consecutive games with double-digit hits.

“I do feel like we’ve been better for the last week or 10 days, even on some of the days where we haven’t had results,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I feel like some individuals are in a little bit of a better place. As a team, we’re in a little better place offensively, but we got to keep getting better. There’s more in there for all of us, and we got to keep getting it out.”

New York rookie Spencer Jones homered on Thursday in his second career three-hit game. He is 9-for-30 (.300) over the past eight games. Luis Garcia Jr. also went deep and collected three hits in the finale at Baltimore, his first three-hit game since being acquired from the Washington Nationals on Aug. 2.

Toronto split a four-game series in New York from May 18-21 and has split the 10 meetings with the Yankees this year. After winning two of three close games against the Yankees last weekend in Toronto, the Blue Jays scored 21 runs while taking two of three at Tampa Bay to open this week.

After hitting three homers in a 5-1 win on Thursday, the Blue Jays are 14-7 in their past 21 games. Toronto totaled 38 hits in the three games against the Rays.

Blue Jays rookie Kazuma Okamoto has homered in two of the past three games and has a six-game hitting streak. Alejandro Kirk is batting .405 (15-for-37) during a nine-game hitting streak and is 8-for-16 in five games against the Yankees this season.

“I think we’re coming in the ballpark confident every day, and it feels like it’s showing up more as late,” Toronto right-hander Shane Bieber said.

The Blue Jays will be without Vladimir Guerrero Jr., though, as he is expected to return from the concussion list on Saturday. He hit an RBI double and drew two walks in his first rehab game for Class-A Dunedin on Thursday.

Toronto shortstop Andres Gimenez may also be out after tweaking his right hamstring on Thursday. He won’t need an MRI, according to manager John Schneider, so the injury isn’t believed to be serious.

Cam Schlittler (10-6, 2.19 ERA), who is winless with a 2.90 ERA in his past four starts, will start the series opener for New York. Schlittler allowed just one run in each of his past two starts.

The right-hander is 0-2 with a 3.60 ERA in five regular-season starts against the Blue Jays. Schlittler held Toronto to four hits over 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision on Saturday.

The Blue Jays are expected to use a bullpen game on Friday before Dylan Cease and Jose Soriano start the following two contests. One of the pitchers who might appear in the Friday game is Spencer Arrighetti, who has not pitched for Toronto since being acquired from the Houston Astros in exchange for Daulton Varsho at the trade deadline.

Arrighetti has been on the injured list due to a nerve issue in his right foot.

–Field Level Media