April 8, 2022 - Game 1
Television and Radio Listings for Tonight's Game
Rangers TV: Bally Sports Southwest
Rangers Radio: 105.3 The Fan (English); KFLC 1270 (Spanish)
Blue Jays TV: Sportsnet
Blue Jays Radio: SN590
*Note this game is expected to begin at 6:39 pm CT due to Opening Day Ceremonies
Overview
Well, my fine folks, here we are, Opening Day 2022. Honestly, I never thought this moment would come if you asked me thirty days ago. Nevertheless, the Rangers and Blue Jays will be the last teams to start their season, with both teams electing to have their off-day on Thursday and Toronto playing a night game. It's a homecoming for Marcus Semien, who had his best season in the Major Leagues last year with the Blue Jays. "I'm really happy to be back, and it's a great place to play baseball," Semien said Thursday. The Blue Jays played the last few months in Toronto before the Jays' season ended abruptly without a playoff appearance.
Meantime for the Rangers, it's their first visit to Toronto since August 2019. Remember, Texas played the Blue Jays in their second home, Buffalo. "I spent a lot of time in this city," Chris Woodward told me Wednesday. "I know the city well; it's changed a lot since I really been here. It's different because we haven't been here since 2019. But, it still looks the same; it's a little colder than Arizona, which it feels good." Woodward played his first seven MLB seasons in Toronto and was a 54th round draft pick by the Blue Jays in 1994.
Pregame Notables
The last time these two teams met was August 14, 2019. Kolby Allard and Willie Calhoun are the only two that appeared in that game and are on the current 28 man roster (Jose Leclerc is on the 60-day IL currently and pitched in that game). Brett Martin was on the roster but didn't pitch. August 14, 2019, was Allard's second start as a Texas Ranger after the 2019 trade with Atlanta. The Blue Jays have five players that were on that box score in 2019 that are on the current roster now (Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Teoscar Hernández, and Danny Jansen).
Jon Gray becomes the first pitcher that Rangers' manager Chris Woodward named as his opening day starter which the starter had a previous Opening Day start. In 2019 it was Mike Minor. In 2020 it was Lance Lynn, and last year the starter was Kyle Gibson. None of those three pitchers had an opening day start before, in their careers. 2022 becomes Gray's third Opening Day start. His previous two were with the Colorado Rockies.
Since 2015, the Rangers pitching staff allowed an average of 10.5 runs/game on odd-numbered years during Opening Day. In even-numbered years, the team allowed an average of 2 runs/game. We're in an even year that bodes well for Jon Gray and the bullpen.
The Rangers have not won an Opening Day on the road at night since 2003 against the Anaheim Angels. Their last night game on Opening Day on the road was April 6, 2015. Texas was one-hit by Oakland and lost 8-0.
Chris Woodward joins Tim Johnson ('98 with TOR), Buck Martinez (twice, '01 and '02 with TOR), and Kevin Cash ('16 with TB) as the only former Blue Jays players to manage either for or against the Jays on Opening Day.
Jon Gray lasted four innings in each of his two previous Opening Day starts. He allowed five runs in 2017 at the Brewers and three runs in 2018 at the Diamondbacks. The Rockies came back and won the 2017 games against the Brewers, with now current Ranger, Greg Holland, earning the save.
Texas will face José Berríos, who the Blue Jays acquired at the trade deadline last year. Today will be Berríos' seventh start in his career against the Rangers. In the previous six starts, he's 2-1 with a 5.29 ERA. His 11.7 strikeouts/nine innings is the highest against any American League team.
It'll be the first time former Twins, now Rangers, catcher Mitch Garver will face José Berríos. Garver caught 265.2 of Berríos' innings (most among any catcher).
The vaccination requirement in Canada did not effect the Rangers. The current 28-man roster is 100% vaccinated.
Lineups
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