The Indians, still holding a six-game lead over the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central, are in Canada for the next three days to take on the Toronto Blue Jays, who are themselves moving up in the East. The Blue Jays are 27-26 and in fourth place, but are only three games from the top of their division.
Cleveland will send Fausto Carmona to the mound on Monday at 7:07 against Toronto's Jo-Jo Reyes. Reyes (0-4, 4.70 ERA) comes in with a career record of only 5-19, but has shown himself capable of a good performance as a starter, as evidenced by the seven scoreless innings he pitched against the Houston Astros on May 20 in a game in which he received no decision.
Reyes will be making his first career appearance against Cleveland.
For the Indians, Carmona (3-5, 4.73 ERA) has lost his last two starts, and has not won since May 3. In his last appearance Carmona was defeated by the Boston Red Sox. In that 4-2 loss last Tuesday, Carmona went eight innings and allowed four runs on only five hits, with a walk and seven K''s.
Carmona is undefeated in his career against Toronto. In five starts vs. the Blue Jays Fausto is 3-0 with a 3.21 ERA in 33.2 innings.
Toronto comes in batting .262 as a team, good for fourth in the Majors. The Blue Jays are led in all major offensive categories by Jose Bautista. Bautista is hitting .350 with 20 homers already, and 36 RBI.
The Tribe has slipped into a tie for sixth in hitting with a .259 average. Of players available for this series, Asdrubal Cabrera leads in major categories with a .302 batting average, 10 homers and 35 RBI.
The series will continue with games both Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:07 before the Indians come home on Thursday to begin a series with the defending American League champion Texas Rangers.