Friday MLB preview: Yankees at Blue Jays, Diamondbacks at Dodgers

MLB free play: Under six runs first five innings (-105)

It’s difficult to tell how wild things might get late at Rogers Centre on Friday night, but the starting pitchers should keep a lid on these offenses through at least the first five innings.

Yankees starter J.A. Happ (9-6, 5.24 ERA) has been more effective on the road than at home this year, with a 4.62 ERA. Opponents are batting .238 against Happ when he is a visitor, compared to .306 in the Bronx. He has faced his former team twice this season and surrendered just three earned runs in 12 1/3 innings (.191 batting average against). Happ has yet to face Toronto’s hot-hitting rookie infielder Bo Bichette (1.254 OPS in his first 44 at-bats), but he is perfect against third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in five prior encounters.

Blue Jays starter Sean Reid-Foley (1-2, 2.49 ERA) can be difficult for lineups to figure out at first, as he’s yielded a .204 opponent batting average the first time around the batting order in his brief major league career.

Arizona Diamondbacks (58-57) at Los Angeles Dodgers (77-40), 10:10 p.m. ET

MLB free play: Dodgers runline

Walker Buehler (10-2, 3.22 ERA) should turn in another fine start Friday night to lead the Dodgers to a home victory against Robbie Ray (10-7, 4.03 ERA) and the Diamondbacks.

Buehler is 5-0 with a 2.54 ERA and .197 opponent batting average in 10 starts at home this season. He has surrendered just four walks at Dodger Stadium this year, which has led to an incredible 21.5 strikeout/walk ratio and 0.787 WHIP. Buehler has turned in two straight quality starts against Arizona.

Ray has been susceptible to the home run of late, with 18 allowed in his last 12 starts after he yielded just five through his first 12 outings of 2019. L.A.’s offense is tied with Houston for third in home runs this year at 192.

A late-inning bullpen battle is almost certain to go the Dodgers’ way. Their relief corps is seventh in ERA over the last two weeks (3.40) while the Diamondbacks’ is 27th (5.79).