Game #26 - Cleveland Guardians (15-13) @ Toronto Blue Jays (11-15) - game recap

 

Kevin Gausman threw 6.2 strong innings in a 5-3 win over the Guardians

After a loss yesterday due to a horrible start from Max Scherzer, the Blue Jays were looking to snap the 2-game skid, even the series and avoid their 6th series loss of the season. Nathan Lukes was placed on the 10-day IL with a hamstring strain.Yoendrick Pinago was selected to the MLB roster. Yimi Garcia was transferred to the 60-day IL. Ace Kevin Gausman got the start with Tyler Heineman behind the plate. Davis Schneider was in LF and Myles Straw was in RF.  Eloy Jimenez served as DH. Could the Blue Jays snap the 2-game skid, even the series and avoid their 6th series loss of the season? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Guardians opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd on a ground out hit by Brayan Rocchio that scored Juan Brito
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom of the 4th as Kazuma Okamoto anihiliated a solo bomb to straightaway center
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the 6th as Daulton Varsho singled scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• Two batters later, Andres Gimenez doubled scoring Okamoto and Varsho
• Joey Cantillo pitching line: 5IP 6H 3R (all earned) 1BB 4K 89 pitches (60 for strikes)
• The Gaurdians got one back in the top of the 7th as David Fry whacked a solo blast to left and into the Blue Jays bullpen
• Kevin Gausman pitching line: 6.2IP 6H 2R (both earned) 0BB 3K 91 pitches (63 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom half of the inning on a bases loaded walk to Okamoto that forced in Myles Straw
• The Guardians got one back in the top of the 9th as Kyle Manzardo doubled scoring Rhys Hoskins
• Louis Varland got the last 3 outs for his 2nd save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 5 Guardians 3

My Take:

• Kevin Gausman fired 6.2 strong innings giving up a pair of runs on 6 hits while walking none and striking out 3. Gausman gave the Blue Jays some much needed length, pitching into the 7th, after a couple of short outings that taxed the bullpen. He maybe didn't have his best stuff working since he wasn't racking up the strikeouts like he usually does, but inducing contact might have given him a few extra batters on the day. Gausman should be in the conversation for Cy Young at the end of the season.
• Jeff Hoffman must have been sitting in that bullpen thinking that the closer job isn't so easy. Louis Varland barely got the save, getting fortunate just one run scored on the double hit by Kyle Manzardo. He then won an 8-pitch battle against Bo Naylor and then finished Brayan Rocchio with a booming 98MPH fastball. To me, the best pitcher in the bullpen, and that is Tyler Rogers, should be the closer. He has such command  of his pitches and induces soft contact time and time again. Mason Fluharty, Varland, Hoffman and Brayden Fisher are your setup guys, order determined by the situation.
• The offense rallied in the 6th for 3 runs, including a 2-run double for the 2nd straight day by Andres Gimenez. Kazuma Okamoto is starting to look very comfortable at the plate and he scored twice, including absolutely crushing a home run to the moon!
• Every Blue Jays starter except Eloy Jimenez reached base at least once and all but Jimenez and Davis Schneider had a hit
• The Guardians were 2-1 on ABS challenges and the Blue Jays were 2-2.
• The Blue Jays were 3-14 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 2 games and notch their 3rd series win of the season. Patrick Corbin starts against Guardians righty Slade Cecconi

Game #26 - Cleveland Guardians (15-12) v. Toronto Blue Jays (10-15)

 

Game #25 - Cleveland Guardians (15-12) @ Toronto Blue Jays (10-15) - game recap

 

Andres Gimenez hit a 2-run double in a losing effort as the Guardians held on to defeat the Blue Jays 8-6

After an off-day/travel day yesterday, the Blue Jays opened a week long home stand as they welcomed the Clevelsnd Guardians to town. The Blue Jays and Guardians split the season series last year with the Blue Jays outscoring the Guardians 32-24. Max Scherzer got the start with Tyler Heineman behind the plate. Vlad was back in the field after serving as DH Wednesday (Lenyn Sosa served as DH tonight). Jesus Sanchez was in LF and Nathan Lukes was in RF. Could the Blue Jays start the weekend and homestand with a win? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Guardians opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Daniel Schneeman led off the game with a solo jack to right and into the Guardians bullpen
• Four batters later, George Valera doubled scoring Jose Ramirez and Rhys Hoskins
• A batter later, Angel Martinex whacked a 2-run blast to right-center; also scoring Valera
• Nathan Lukes left the game in the bottom half of the inning with an injured hamstring
• Two batters later, Davis Schneider scored on a ground out hit by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• A batter later, Jesus Sanchez hammered a solo bomb to dead center
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as Kazuma Okamoto drilled a solo bomb to straightaway center
• The Guardians added a pair of runs in the top of the 3rd as Martinez smacked a 2-run blast to right-center; also scoring Hoskins
• Max Scherzer pitching line: 2.1IP 6H 7R (all earned) 3BB 0K 82 pitches (51 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 5th as Ernie Clement doubled scoring Schneider
• The Guardians added a run in the top of the 6th on a fielder's choice hit by Chase DeLauter
• The Blue Jays got a pair back in the bottom half of the inning as Andres Gimenez doubled scoring Lenyn Sosa and Okamoto\
• Gavin Williams pitching line: 6IP 7H 6R (all earned) 2BB 4K 96 pitches (63 for strikes)\
• Cade Smith pitched a scoreless 9th for his 6th save of the season
• Final score: Guardians 8 Blue Jays 6

My Take:

• Neither starting pitcher was exactly stellar tonight. Scherzer may be nearing the end of his time and potentially career with Trey Yesavage and Jose Berrios both nearing a return from the IL. Scherzer was lit up for 7 runs on 6 hits while walking 3 and striking out none over 2.1 innings. Clearly he didn't have it tonight. Was his forearm barking at him, was it lack of command or simply a day where he didn't have his best stuff going for him. With Yesavage very close to returning, one of Scherzer or Lauer will come out of the rotation. One or both could be put on the IL since both have been playing through things. One or both could be DFA'd with both pitchers out of options. It will be interesting to see if Lauer or Scherzer are yanked from the rotation first.
• The bullplen gave up a run on 4 hits while walking one and striking out 8 over the last 6.2 innings.This might have been a good situation for Jeff Hoffman, who is being removed from the closer's role for now, to pitch in given the game was pretty out of reach, though the Blue Jays did chip away at the deficit and had a chance to tie in the 9th but came up short. Mason Fluharty and Tommy Nance both retired every batter they faced and combined for 5 strikesouts over 2 innings
• The offense is slowly showing signs of the oomph it showed in 2025 when they were never really out of games. Davis Schneider (2 runs scored), Andres Gimenez (2-run double), Kazuma Okamoto (2 runs scored, including a solo HR) and Jesus Sanchez did the damage today.
• The Blue Jays were 1-7 with runners in scoring position
• The Blue Jays were 4-5 in ABS challenges, Davis Schneider and Tyler Heineman had both their challenges successfully overturned with Schneider overturnin 2 strike calls into balls and Heineman overturning 2 ball calls into strikes for his pitchers. Guardians catcher Bo Naylor was unsuccessful in his lone ABS challenge with the ball call being confirmed
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to snap the 2-game skid, even the series and avoid their 7th series loss of the season. Ace Kevin Gausman starts against Gaurdians lefty Joey Cantillo
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Game #25 - Cleveland Guardians (14-12) v. Toronto Blue Jays (10-14)

 

Game #24 - Toronto Blue Jays (10-14) @ LA Angels (12-14) - game recap

 

Nathan Lukes drove in a run and scored a run in a 7-3 loss to the Angels

After hanging on by the skin of their teeth for a dicey 9th inning save by Louis Varland, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 4 games and complete their 2nd series sweep of the season. Eric Lauer got the start with Tyler Heineman behind the plate. Vlad got the half day off as DH with Lenyn Sosa at 1B. Nathan Lukes was in LF and Jesus Sanchez was in RF. Andres Gimenez was at SS and Ernie Clement was at 2B. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 4 games and complete their second sweep of the season? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Angels opened the scoring in the bottom of the 3rd on a sac fly by Jo Adell that scored Jordan O'Hoppe
• The Angels added a run in the bottom of the 4th as Nolan Schaunel whacked a solo blast to right-center
• The Angels added a run in the bottom of the 5th as Mike Trout belted a solo jack to left and into the Angels bullpen
• Jose Soriano pitching line: 5IP 7H 0R 0BB 4K 84 pitches (57 for strikes)
• Eric Lauer pitching line: 5IP 7H 3R (all earned) 2BB 3K 79 pitches (51 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 7th on a ground out hit by Tyler Heineman that scored Kazuma Okamoto
• A batter later, Nathan Lukes doubled scoring Andres Gimenez
• A batter after that, Ernie Clement singled home Lukes
• The Angels tied it up in the bottom half of the inning as Schaunel doubled scoring Trout, Adell and Yoan Moncada
• A batter later, Vaughn Grissom singled home Schaunel
• Final score:Angels 7 Blue Jays 3

My Take:

• Eric Lauer battled through 5 innings, giving up 3 runs on 7 hits while walking 2 and striking out 3. Lauer got what he desired with being used as a traditonal starter after he complained about being used as a bulk pitcher last game. To be fair to Lauer, there is definitely a different routine for a starting pitcher, who generally takes longer to warm up, and a reliever, who can enter a game at the start of an inning or in the middle of an inning with the team in a jam. Dennis Eckersley is a rare pitcher who was excellent as a starter and a reliever. Lauer was clearly battling through something as evidenced by a noticeable drop in velocity and the very visible tape on his neck. At this point, Lauer may be heading for the IL once Trey Yesavage returns if he is still ailing.
• After the offense got Lauer off the hook in the top half of the inning, Tommy Nance and Brayden Fisher imploded for 4 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks in the bottom half of the inning. On a day where the bullpen was thin with several relievers down or not likely to be able to go longer than an inning, the lower leverahe relievers got the task of keeping the score close. None of the relievers retired every batter faced.
• Don't look now, but Nathan Lukes, who has gotten plenty of criticism for a poor start to the season, is red hot with hits in five of the last 6 games, including 2 more today. Vlad, who will play his 1000th career game Friday, saw his 12 game hit streak come to an end with an 0-4 effort today.
• Every Blue Jays starter had at least one hit
• The Angels were 2-1 on ABS challenges with catcher Logan O'Hoppe had 2 balls overturned to strikes and Nolan Schaunel was incorrect in his ABS challenge with a strike confirmed. The Blue Jays were 1-2 in ABS challenges with catcher Tyler Heineman going 1-1 and Andres Gimenez being incorrect in his challenge.
• The Blue Jays were 2-7 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays return home for a week-long homestand starting with the Cleveland Guardians. Max Scherzer starts against Guardians righty Gavin Williams