A.J. Burnett, RHP (2-1, 4.18 ) vs C.C. Sabathia, LHP (3-0, 3.18 )
Scouting Report:
Blue Jays: Burnett allowed 11 earned runs in 14 innings in his first three starts of the season. Since then, the right-hander has yielded just two runs in his past 14 innings -- good enough for a 1.29 ERA over two starts. In Burnett's outing on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium, he spun seven shutout innings for the win. He struck out five, walked four and gave up just four hits in the performance, which was easily his best of the season. Burnett is 1-2 with a 7.27 ERA in three career games against the Indians and 0-2 with an 11.12 ERA at Jacobs Field.
Indians: Sabathia pitched brilliantly through five scoreless innings on Wednesday, facing just one hitter over the minimum. But the bottom entirely fell out in the sixth when the strapping lefty gave up five runs on six straight hits. The Tribe still prevailed, but Sabathia lost out on becoming the club's first pitcher since 2004 to start a season 4-0. Sabathia is 5-3 with a 3.62 ERA in eight career starts against the Jays.
Wednesday, May 2
Victor Zambrano, RHP (0-1, 5.06) vs Jake Westbrook, RHP (1-2, 7.96)
Scouting Report:
Blue Jays: Zambrano is set to make his first start of the season. He is replacing No. 5 starter Josh Towers (1-3, 4.70), who was pulled from the rotation after a rough start to the season. Zambrano, who is coming off of Tommy John surgery, has only pitched 5 1/3 innings out of the bullpen so far this year and is expected to be on a low pitch count while the Jays work on stretching out his arm. In two career starts versus the Indians, Zambrano is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA.
Indians: The Indians will take advantage of Monday's off-day by reorganizing their rotation. Jake Westbrook will move back to the No. 2 spot of the rotation, behind C.C. Sabathia, where he sat before the slew of snow postponements earlier this month. After a rough start to the season, Westbrook has looked much better lately. On Friday, he held the Orioles to three runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out five. Two of the runs credited to Westbrook were given up by the bullpen.
Thursday, May 3
Dustin McGowan, RHP (0-0, -.--) vs Cliff Lee, LHP (0-0, -.--)
Scouting Report:
Blue Jays: On Monday, Toronto placed left-hander Gustavo Chacin on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left shoulder. McGowan, who last started on Saturday for Triple-A Syracuse, will take Chacin's spot in the Blue Jays rotation. In five starts this year with the Chiefs, McGowan was 0-2 with a 1.64 ERA, 29 strikeouts and nine walks over 22 innings. McGowan is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in his career against the Indians, but he has never pitched at Jacobs Field.
Indians: Left-hander Cliff Lee made his fourth and final rehab start Friday at Double-A Akron, holding Reading to two hits with a walk and seven strikeouts over five scoreless innings. His return to the rotation after suffering a strained right abdominal muscle in Spring Training is imminent, and the Indians might call upon him to start this game. Otherwise, they might opt to have Jeremy Sowers close out the homestand.