This could be the last game of the Blue Jays’ season. If it is, they are once again going with a former 50-HR man in the leadoff spot. Bautista has done this before the playoffs to varying degrees of success. For now it’s all about shaking him out of a slump: he’s 1-for-17 with no extra-base hits since homering in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the AL Division Series.
Manager John Gibbons made one lineup change from yesterday: he has flip-flopped Ezequiel Carrera and Kevin Pillar in the seventh and eighth spots. Godspeed, Toronto:
1. Jose Bautista (R) RF
2. Josh Donaldson (R) 3B
3. Edwin Encarnacion (R) 1B
4. Troy Tulowitzki (R) SS
5. Russell Martin (R) C
6. Michael Saunders (L) DH
7. Ezequiel Carrera (L) LF
8. Kevin Pillar (R) CF
9. Ryan Goins (L) 2B
For his part, Terry Francona is repeating his Game 3 lineup, which was also his Game 1 lineup:
1. Carlos Santana (S) DH
2. Jason Kipnis (L) 2B
3. Francisco Lindor (S) SS
4. Mike Napoli (R) 1B
5. Jose Ramirez (S) 3B
6. Lonnie Chisenhall (L) RF
7. Coco Crisp (S) LF
8. Tyler Naquin (L) CF
9. Roberto Perez (R) C
The game gets going just after 4pm Eastern time.