Blue Jays announce massive lineup changes ahead of third Rays matchup

Today, the Toronto Blue Jays will be taking on the Tampa Bay Rays in the third game of their four-match series. After winning 8-2 in the Opening Day matchup, they lost 8-2 on Friday. As a result, they are now making some massive changes.

Heading into today's game against the Rays, the Blue Jays will have Yusei Kikuchi as their starting pitcher. This is his first start of the season, and you can be sure that fans are excited to watch him in action. In Game 1, Jose Berrios got the start and he was fantastic. In Game 2, Chirs Bassitt was the man on the mound, although a disappointing third inning ended up costing the team the game. Now, Kikuchi will be tasked with giving his team a winning record.

As for the batting order, there are three big changes coming to the lineup. Now, Daniel Vogelbach will be batting fourth in place of Justin Turner. Furthermore, Ernie Clement is sixth in the order as Alejandro Kirk comes out. Lastly, Brian Serven is the eighth batter, while Isiah Kiner-Falefa has been taken out. These are big moves, likely catapulted by the 8-2 loss on Friday.





At this stage of the season, it is hard to tell where the Blue Jays will fall in the AL East standings. They have a record of 1-1, with each of their first two games coming with some positives and negatives. Only after a few series will fans and analysts really be able to make a determination on this team's prospects.

If you are interested in watching this match, you will be able to do so as of 4:10 PM Eastern Standard Time. In Canada, the game will be broadcast over on Sportsnet. Additionally, you can stay tuned to Blue Jays Insider for all of the latest news and updates from around the baseball world.

Source: Our first Yusei Day of 2024