Yankees hope for more offensive fireworks vs. Blue Jays

Despite getting off to a strong start, the New York Yankees did not see Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton dominate in the same game until Saturday.

After a big game from their powerful trio, the Yankees attempt to stay productive at the plate Sunday afternoon when they host the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Yankees are off to a 7-2 start after evening the series with a 9-8 win. Soto, Judge and Stanton combined to go 7-for-10 with five RBIs and four walks as the Yankees improved to 4-0 in one-run games.

Soto entered Saturday with one hit in his previous 16 at-bats following his 9-for-17 showing in last weekend's four-game sweep at Houston. He had a pair of RBI singles to go along with two walks on Saturday. Soto has reached base safely in seven of his first nine games as a Yankee, and his first big performance at home occurred after he was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Friday's 3-0 loss.

Judge walked twice and hit a two-run homer after Soto's first walk. Stanton also went deep and collected three hits after getting off to a 3-for-24 start.

"He looked great," Judge said of Stanton. "It's still pretty early. Everyone's still getting rolling but to see him go out there and put three hits out there and put an exclamation point in the first inning with another homer, that was big time for us."

The Blue Jays collected a season-high 12 hits Saturday to end a week in which they were no-hit on Monday and held to one hit on Wednesday.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went deep and pointed to the crowd after he rounded the bases for his 13th career homer at Yankee Stadium. Overall, eight players drove in a run as Springer, Bo Bichette and Ernie Clement collected two hits apiece for the Blue Jays, whose offense is hitting .198 so far.

"I love the way they battled back," Toronto manager John Schneider said. "They were in every single at-bat and made it really interesting. Get their closer up when you're probably not expecting to."

Toronto is 8-4 in its past 12 trips to New York and will attempt to produce offense against New York's Luis Gil (0-0, 1.93 ERA), who makes his ninth career start and second since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022.

Gil made his first start since May 12, 2022, on Monday during New York's 5-2 win at Arizona and allowed one hit and one run in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out six in an 84-pitch outing and five of those strikeouts were via his four-seam fastball, which opposing hitters were 0-for-8 against.

Gil's only previous start against the Blue Jays occurred Sept. 8, 2021 in New York when he allowed three runs on one hit while walking seven in 3 1/3 innings of a no-decision.

Bowden Francis (0-1, 11.81 ERA) will make his second career start and first career appearance against the Yankees.

After making one relief appearance in 2022 and 20 last season when he had a 1.73 ERA, Francis won the fifth starter job by pitching well in spring training but was shelled for seven runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings while throwing 79 pitches and allowing homers to Kyle Tucker, Yainer Diaz and Jeremy Pena in Monday's 10-0 loss at Houston.

--Field Level Media