Game #154 - Toronto Blue Jays (76-78) @ Texas Rangers (77-77) - game recap

 

Myles Straw drove in the only Blue Jays run in a 7-1 loss to the Texas Rangers

After an off-day/travel day yesterday, the Blue Jays began the final road trip of the season in Arlington Texas agaiinst the Rangers, who swept the series in Toronto at the end of June, outscoring the Blue Jays 21-15. Michael Lorenzen was DFA's and righty Jose Rodriguez was selected to the MLB roster. Ace Dylan Cease got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. The rest of the lineup was the same as Wednesday's win over the Tigers. Could the Blue Jays make it 2 straight wins and start the final road trip of the regular season with a win? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Rangers opened the scoring in the bottom of the 2nd on a throwing error by Ernie Clement on a ball hit by Evan Carter that scored Jake Burger and Wyatt Langford
• A batter later, Nicky Lopez scored on a sac fly by Ezequiel Duran
• A batter after that, Corey Seager doubled scoring Carter
• Dylan Cease pitching line: 2.2IP 3H 4R (1 earned) 6BB 3K 74 pitches (36 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 5th as Myles Straw doubled scoring Josh Smith
• Kumar Rocker pitching line: 4.1IP 3H 1R (earned) 2BB 2K 76 pitches (48 for strikes)
• The Rangers added a run in the bottom half of the inning on a sac fly by Burger that scored Brandon Nimmo
• The Rangers added a run in the bottom of the 6th on a bases loaded walk to Langford that forced in Duran
• The Rangers added a run in the bottom of the 8th as Burger doubled scoring Langford
• Final score: Rangers 7 Blue Jays 1

My Take:

• Dylan Cease is quickly running out of gas. He was knocked around for 4 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits while walking 6 and striking out 3. Like the last game, Cease got super fortunate to escape the 1st inning unscathed when his 3rd pitch was accidentslly swung at by Ezequiel Duran for a pop out. He then got a double play ball to get out of the inning. Ten of the first twelve pitches he threw were balls - and not close either. Cease wasn't as fortunate in the 2nd inning, allowing 4 runs (only one earned thanks to a horrible throwing error by Ernie Clement; is anyone missing Bo Bichette?) on 2 hits, 2 walks, the throwing error and a sac fly. It took Cease 74 pitches to record 8 outs. If the Blue Jays are eliminated by his next start Wednesday in Baltimore, I would shut him down to start healing up his body. If they are still alive, push him back to Friday against Cincinnatti. It's no wonder that Cease is showing signs of fatigue, given he threw over 100 pitches in 16 of 29 starts this season. The clear overuse was necessitated by the Blue Jays basically having 3 starters that could reliably and consistently pitch deep in games due to injury and poor performance.
• The bullpen gave up a further 3 runs on 5 hits, while walking 4 and striking out 6 over the last 6.1 innings. The best relievers on the night were rookies Brendan Cellucci (he still hasn't allowed a base runner) and Jose Rodriguez, who retired 5 of the 6 batters he faced, including 2 strikeouts in his big league debut.
• Myles Straw was the best player offensively by far, 2 base hits and drove in the only run of the game on a sac fly. The Blue Jays need to keep the home run jacket hung up and get serious in the next 8 games, which they pretty much have to win out, if they want to sneak into the playoffs. 
• The Blue Jays were 1-1 on ABS challenges and Rangers catcher Elias Diaz successfully overturned both Rangers ABS challenges
• The Blue Jays were 1-6 with runners in scoring position
• In terms of the wild card race, the Blue Jays are 2 games back of the White Sox (lost today) and one game back of the Rangers, who are 1 game back of the White Sox for the 3rd WC spot (the Rangers and White Siox both hold the tiebreaker over the Blue Jays after securing season series wins). The Orioles (lost today) are 3 games back of the 3rd WC spot. The Blue Jays best hope might be the White Sox and Rangers securing division titles.
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to even the series and avoid their 24th series loss of the season. Jose Soriano starts against Rangers righty Cal Quantrill

Game #154 Toronto Blue Jays (76-77) @ Texas Rangers (76-77)

Game #153 - Detroit Tigers (72-80) @ Toronto Blue Jays (76-77) - game recap

After a blowout loss due to a brutal day for the exhausted bullpen and the offense not producing enough, the Blue Jays were looking to snap the 2 game skid, and avoid their 13th season series loss and being swept for the 4th time this season. Max Scherzer got the start with Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate.  Myles Straw was in lf, Ernie Clement was at SS and Josh Smith got the start at 2B.  Could the Blue Jays snap the 2 game skid, and avoid their 13th season series loss and being swept for the 4th time this season? Here is today's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

• The Tigers took the lead in the top of the 1st as Riley Greene singled scoring Colt Keith
• The Blue Jays tied it in the bottom of the 4th on a sac fly by Ernie Clement that scored Kazuma 
• Two batters later, Myles Straw singled scoring Josh Smith
• Keider Montero pitching line: 4IP 6H 2R (both earned) 2BB 4K 89 pitches (55 for strikes)
• The Blue jays added a run in the top of the 5th as George Springer singled scoring Brett Bateman
• Max Scherzer pitching line: 5IP 3H 1R (earned) 3BB 3K 73 pitches (44 for strikes)
• The Blue jays added a run in the bottom of the 6th on a throwing error by Tigers SS John Peck on a ball hit by Brandon Valenzuela that scored Clement
• Three batters later, Lukes singled home Valenzuela
• Louis Varland got the last 3 outs for his 34th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 5 Tigers 1

My Take:

• Max Scherzer battled through 5 innings, giving up a run on 3 hits while walking 3 and striking out 3. His main issue today was bearing down to get the last outs. In the 1st inning, he retired the first 2 batters of the game, then coding a run on 2 hits. The next inning, Scherzer walked a batter after recording the first two outs of the inning, but struck out John Peck to end the threat. Scherzer ended the day strong, retiring the last 4 batters he faced. At this point, should the Blue Jays squeak into the playoffs, Scherzer will almost certainly be in the playoffs by default of being able to throw 80-100 pitches. Things will get trickier should the Blue Jays advance to the divisional round, where you need 4 starters. 
• The bullpen threw 4 scoreless innings, giving up 4 hits, walking 1 and striking out 3. John Schneider has faced plenty of criticism over his bullpen use, but he went straight to closer Louis Varland the moment the first two hitters reached in the 9th inning. I think he knew how important it was to win today, especially after the Guardians took the series against the White Sox. Also, with the offense day tomorrow, Schneider likely wanted Varland to throw at some point in the series to keep him sharp. 
• The offense did a lot better capitalizing with runners in scoring position.  It was a team effort with everyone in the lineup except Vlad either scoring a run or driving in s run. Some nice hustle by Brandon Valenzuela forced a bad throw that led to one of the runs
• Brandon Valenzuela was 2-1 on ABS challenges and the Tigers were 1-1 on ABS challenges 
• The Blue Jays were 3-12 with runners in scoring position
• In terms of the wild card race, a significant shift occurred today with the Guardians beating the White Sox. With the win, the Guardians overtook the White Sox and lead them by a half game in the AL Central. The Blue Jays sit 1.5 games (really 2 games back since the white Sox hold the tiebreaker over the Blue Jays after winning the season series) of the Chisox for the 3rd WC spot. The Rangers (play later tonight vs. The Red Sox) are also 1.5 games back of the 3rd WC spot for the moment, but will end the night either a game back or 2 games back of the 3rd WC spot depending on if they win or lose. The Orioles (leading their game tonight) are 3 games back of the 3rd WC spot, but will be 2.5 games back if they hold on or 3.5 games back if they lose. The Rangers hold the tiebreaker over the Blue jays. Who gets the all important tiebreaker between the Orioles and Blue Jays will be determined when the two squads meet in Baltimore starting next Monday. The Blue Jays need just one more win to secure the season series win and tiebreaker.
• Up next, after an off-day/travel day tomorrow, the Blue Jays open the final road trip of the regular season in Arlington against the Rangers, who swept the Blue Jays in Toronto back at the end of June, outscoring the Blue Jays 21-15. Ace Dylan Cease will start Friday for the Blue Jays. The Rangers haven't set their rotation for the series yet. 

Game #153 Detroit Tigers (72-79) v. Toronto Blue Jays (75-77)

Game #152 - Detroit Tigers (72-79) @ Toronto Blue Jays (75-77) - game recap

Brendan Cellucci retired every batter he faced and struck out three of them in his big-league debut in a 10-1 loss to the Tigers

After a loss yesterday due to the bullpen blowing a lead, the Blue Jays were looking to even the series and avoid their 23rd series loss of the season. It was bullpen day with Brayden Fisher getting the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. The rest of the lineup was the same as yesterday's loss.  Could the Blue Jays even the series and avoid their 23rd series loss of the season?  Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• Brayden Fisher pitching line: 1.1IP 0H 0R 2BB 1K 25 pitches (14 for strikes)
• The Tigers opened the scoring in the top of the 4th as Max Clark doubled scoring Riley Greene
• A batter later, Spencer Torkelson smacked a 3-run blast to left-center; also scoring Clark and Eduardo Valencia
• The Tigers added a run in the top of the 5th as Greene singled scoring Kevin McGionigle
• Drew Anderson pitching line: 5IP 2H 0R 3BB 4K 88 pitches (58 for strikes)
• The Tigers added a run in the top of the 6th as John Peck singled scoring Torkelson. Peck was thrown out at 2nd base trying to stretch a single into a double
• The Tigers added a pair of runs in the top of the 8th on a throwing error by Alejandro Kirk that scored Valencia and Torkelson
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as Kirk singled scoring Brett Bateman
• The Tigers added a run in the top of the 9th as Hao-Yu Lee hammered a solo bomb to the second deck in left
• Three batters later, Clark singled scoring Ben Malgeri
• Final score: Tigers 10 Blue Jays 1

My Take:

• On yet another bullpen day, Brayden Fisher got the first 4 outs, but walked 2 batters and needed over 20 pitches to escape the 1st inning. With the bullpen already reeling from a heavy work load all season covering the three traditional starters, they hardly need more games where they are expected to cover all 27 outs. I still think, whenever baseball resumes after the expected lengthy lockout/strike, the Blue Jays need to keep an extra 2-3 pitchers stretched out in the bullpen and maybe skip a Dylan Cease start once in a while to keep those pitchers stretched out so you're not having 1-2 bullpen days in a five day period. This is just not sustainable. 
• The rest of the bullpen gave up 10 runs on 10 hits while walking 6 and striking out 7 over the last 7.2 innings. By far the best pitcher of the night was lefty Brendan Cellucci, in his big league debut, retired all 5 batters he faced,striking out 3 of them. Michael Lorenzen (DFA'd tomorrow?) took the loss
• Alejandro Kirk drove in the only Blue Jays run tonight. Once again, the Blue Jays squandered a bases loaaded opportunity in the 3rd inning (Kirk grounded out to end that rally). Davis Schneider should not have an automatic spot on the opening day lineup next season. Pitchers have figured him out and he has no answer.
• The Blue Jays were 2-1 on ABS challenges and the Tigers were successful on their only ABS  challenge
• The Blue Jays were 1-4 with runners in scoring position
• Today was Roberto Clemente day. He died in a plane crash attempting to deliver emergency aid to earth quake victims in Nicaragua.
• In termsa of the WC race, with the loss, The Blue Jays are now 2 games back of the Guardians for the 3rd WC spot. The Rangers (leading their game) are also 2 games back for the moment, but will overtake the Blue Jays and be 1.5 games back of the 3rd WC spot with a crucial series between the Blue Jays and Rangers in Arlington starting Friday. The Orioles (won today) are 3 games back of the 3rd WC spot. Finally the Tigers are 4.5 games back and pretty need to win out and get help from other teams to snag the 3rd WC spot.
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to snap the 2 game skid and avoid their 12th season series loss of the season and avoid being swept in a series for the 4th time this season. Max Scherzer starts against Tigers righty Keider Montero