The New York Yankees will look to bounce back from a humbling loss in their season opener when they take on the Toronto Blue Jays anew on Wednesday at the Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees took a 6-1 loss in their MLB Opening Day matchup on Monday as Japanese ace pitcher Masahiro Tanaka struggled to maintain his composure after the Blue Jays figured his pitches out in the third inning of the match.
In their second game of the season, the Yankees will lean on Michael Pineda, who is also looking to regain his peak form after being slowed down by injuries last season.
Pineda, who was limited to 13 starts last season mainly because of a shoulder injury, went 2-0 in 19 innings during their spring campaign, allowing just one walk and tallying a 1.42 ERA in five starts. The 26-year-old went 5-5 last season with a 1.89 ERA in 13 starts last season.
Based on how the Dominican Republic native performed during their spring campaign, Yankees catcher Brian McCann is confident that Pineda will continue to play well this season.
"I think he's going to have a big year," McCann said via New York Daily News. "His stuff speaks for itself and when he's on the mound, he's as good as anybody in the league. He creates tough angles. You don't see too many people get the movement he gets on his fastball, and then he comes at you with that slider and he's got a really good changeup."
Yankees veteran Alex Rodriguez is also expected to have a share of the spotlight on Wednesday. The 39-year-old was greeted by a loud cheer and some boos during on Monday, which was his first game since serving a one-year ban last season.
"It means the world to me," Rodriguez said of the way he was welcomed by fans during his season debut. "I don't think I ever took it for granted, but I can guarantee you I won't take this year for granted."
Rodriguez went 1-for-2 against the Blue Jays on Monday. He will be going up against a familiar face in Blue Jays starting pitcher R.A. Dickey, who is 3-0 with a 1.04 ERA in his last four games against the Yankees. Rodriguez is 8-for-22 against Dickey, including one home run and two doubles.
The Yankees-Blue Jays match is scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. ET and will be shown live on YES. Fans can also catch the action through online live stream via MLB TV.
