Game No. 88 Preview: Houston Astros vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Houston Astros (59-28) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (40-46), July 8, 2017, 6:07 p.m. CT

TV: ROOT SPORTS Southwest
Radio: KBME 790 AM, La Nueva 94.1 FM
Online: MLB.TV
Blue Jays SBNation Blog: Bluebird Banter

Pitching Matchup

RHP Mike Fiers (5-3, 3.80 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, .269 BABIP, 4.37 xFIP) vs. RHP Marcus Stroman (8-5, 3.42 ERA, 1.26 WHIP .313 BABIP, 3.52 xFIP)

Preview

Mike Fiers starts on Saturday, he is 4-0 in eight starts away from Minute Maid Park this season. Fiers has gone 4-1 with a 2.20 ERA in his last seven starts.

Fiers was worked hard by the New York Yankees in his last start. He threw 105 pitches over four scoreless innings, striking out seven and walking four.

Fiers is 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA in four career games (three starts) against the Blue Jays. Russell Martin has 10 career at-bats against Fiers, he 3-for-10 with a home run and three strikeouts. Kendrys Morales is 4-for-9 and Justin Smoak is 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.

The Toronto Blue Jays Marcus Stroman has picked up the loss in three of his last four starts, after going almost two months without one before that.

Stroman is dealing with a blister on his on his throwing hand. He exited his most recent outing with the blister after allowing two runs on five hits over five innings in New York.

Jose Altuve is 2-for-8 with two strikeouts against Stroman. Carlos Beltran is 2-for-11 with two strikeouts about the Duke product.