Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Game #134 - Washington Nationals (62-72) @ Toronto Blue Jays (73-61) - game recap

 

Chris Bassitt threw 8 shutout innings in a 7-0 shutout win over the Nationals

After a heartbreaking loss when a 9th inning rally fell short, the Blue Jays were looking to end the homestand on a winning note and notch their 24th series win and 14th season series win of the season.  Chris Bassitt got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. George Springer got the half day off with Cavan Biggio in RF. Daulton Varsho was in CF and Whit Merrifield was in LF. Could the Blue Jays end the homestand with a win and notch their 24th series wina nd 14th season series win of the season? Here is today's game recap. 

Game #134 Washington Nationals (62-71) @ Toronto Blue Jays (72-61)

 

Monday, August 28, 2023

Game #132 - Washington Nationals (61-71) @ Toronto Blue Jays (72-60) - game recap

 

Danny Jansen scored 3 times, including a solo HR in a 6-3 win over the Nationals

After a disappointing extra innings loss yesterday, the Blue Jays were looking to start a crucial series against bottom feeders, the Washington Nationals, who took 3-4 from the Blue Jays and outscored the Blue Jays 33-22. Matt Chapman was placed on the 10-day IL with a middle finger sprain. Ernie Clement was recalled from AAA-ball and got the start at SS with Bo Bichette being given the compete day off to rest his sore quad. Ace Kevin Gausman got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Davis Schneider was at the hot corner and Whit Merrifield got the start at 2B. Kevin Kiermaier was in CF and Daulton Varsho was in LF. Vlad was back in the field after DH'ing yesterday (Brandon Belt served as DH. Could the Blue Jays start the week with a win? Here is tonight's game recap. 

Game #132 Washington Nationals (61-70) @ Toronto Blue Jays (71-60)

 

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Game #131 - Cleveland Guardians (62-69) @ Toronto Blue Jays (71-60) - game recap

 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. became the first Blue Jay to reach 20 HR this season in a losing effort as the Guardians came from behind to defeat the Blue Jays 10-7 in 11 innings

After a solid win yesterday thanks to rookie phenom Davis Schneider leading the charge offensively and a solid start from Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Blue Jays were going for their 2nd straight win, 24th series win and 14th season series win of the season. Erik Swanson was placed on the 15-day IL with thoracic spine inflammation and Jay Jackson was recalled from AAA- ball.  Yusei Kikuchi got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Bo Bichette was back in the field after DH'ing yesterday. Vlad got the half day off as DH with Brandon Belt at 1B. Davis Schneider was in LF and Cavan Biggio got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays make it two straight wins and botch their 24th series win and 14th season series win of the season? Here is today's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

  • The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Vladimir Guerrero Jr hammered a 2-run bomb to the second deck in left; also scoring Brandon Belt. Guerrero Jr is the first Blue Jay to crack the 20HR plateau this season. 
  • The Guardians tied the game in the top of the 3rd as Jose Ramirez bashed a 2-run run blast to left; also scoring Steven Kwan
  • The Guardians retook the lead in the top of the 4th as Tyler Freeman singled scoring Kole Calhoun 
  • Two batters later, Myles Straw singled home Ramon Laureano
  • The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as George Springer whacked a solo blast to left-center
  • Bo Bichette was removed from the game after the 6th inning with right quad tightness. You can bet the team will be very cautious with him and put him on the IL if necessary
  • The Blue jays retook the lead in the bottom of the 6th as Davis Schneider whacked a 2-run jack to left; also scoring Springer
  • May Chapman left the game in the bottom of the 6th with right middle finger inflammation
  • Yusei Kikuchi pitching line: 6IP 6H 4R (all earned) 2BB 8K 95 pitches (61 for strikes)
  • The Guardians took retook the lead in the top of the 8th as Andre Gimenez double scoring Calhoun and Laureano
  • The Blue Jays tied it up in the bottom half of the inning as Daulton Varsho singled scoring Kevin Kiermaier
  • The Guardians took the lead in the top of the 11th as Calhoun doubled scoring Straw and Ramirez 
  • A batter later, Laureano drilled a 2-run jack to left-center and into the Blue Jays bullpen; also scoring Calhoun
  • The Blue jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning on a sac fly by Whit Merrifield that scored Kiermaier 
  • Final score: Guardians 10 Blue Jays 7

My Take:

  • Yusei Kikuchi battled through 6 innings, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits while walking 2 and striking out 8. He got through the 1st inning efficiently,  but after that his command went on him and the Guardians starting hitting the cover off the ball. It was one of those games every pitcher encounters where Kikuchi did not have his best stuff and as a result he gave up 4 runs. At least his next opponent on passport should be easier in the mile high city next weekend. 
  • The bullpen had a rough day, allowing 6 runs on 6 hits while walking 4 and striking out 6. Two normally reliable relievers,  Tim Mayza and Jay Jackson had bad days.  Mayza did not record an out and gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk. Jay Jackson, after an intentional walk and wild pitch, gave up two run double and then made a bad pitch that went into the Blue Jays bullpen. Jordan Romano and Yimi Garcia were both excellent. Romano threw 1.2 innings, got out of the mess created by Mayza striking out two batters.  He nearly made it through the 9th inning too, but ran out of gas. Yimi Garcia retired every batter he faced and struck out three.  The Blue jays could make a move for a fresh arm tomorrow. 
  • Oh boy,  the Blue Jays lost two key players to injury with Bichette leaving with right quad soreness and Matt Chapman leaving with a recurrence of the inflammation to his right middle finger. It's possible one or both players could wind up on the IL.  Bichette is too important a player for the Blue Jays to take any chances of him playing hurt. With Chapman, the Blue Jays may want to just nip this finger injury in the bud. It's unfortunate that they let Paul DeJong go when Bichette returns from his knee injury.  The team could use his veteran presence. Expect Santiago Espinal to play shortstop and Cavan Biggio to get reps and hot corner. Whit Merrifield and Davis Schneider will likely platoon at 2B. Here's hoping neither Bichette nor Chapman are out too long. 
  • Offensively,  I liked how the Blue Jays bats responded today. Vlad finally cracked the elusive 20 hr plateau, becoming the first Blue Jay to reach the milestone this season.  George Springer and Davis Schneider also both went yard. Schneider was the catalyst to the game tying run with a clutch double. Daulton Varsho would later bring pinch runner Kevin Kiermaier home with a single
  • This game was really lost, once again, on the chronic inability to drive in runners in scoring position. In the 9th inning, Cavan Biggio made a bad bunt and baserunner Danny Jansen was thrown out at 3rd base. Santiago Espinal then grounded into an inning ending double play. In the 10th inning,  Brandon Belt struck out swinging,  Vlad popped out and after Springer was intentionally walked Kiermaier grounded out to end the threat. While the Blue Jays were able to get one run off Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase in the 11th inning, he was able to dig deep and get two huge strikeouts to finally mercifully end the game
  • In terms of the wild card race,  the Blue Jays lost a game to the Astros, who won big, (they are now 2.5 games back of the last WC spot) and the Mariners, who held off a late rally by the Royals and are now in full possession of 1st in the AL west. Meanwhile, the Rangers lost a marathon 13 inning game to the Twins after reliever Jonathan Hernandez issued the straight walks with 2 outs.  The Blue jays face them September 11-14 at the rivers center in what is shaking up to be a massive series. The Dodgers did the Blue Jays a favor by defeating the Red Sox to keep the Red Sox two games back of the Blue Jays. The Red Sox come to Toronto to wrap up the season series September 15-17.
  • Up next, the Blue Jays welcome the Washington Nationals to Toronto for the time since 2021, when the Nationals took three of four in the season series, outscoring the Blue Jays 33-22. While Washington is one of the weaker teams in the MLB, they will no doubt relish playing the role of spoiler, so the Blue Jays better not take them lightly. Kevin Gausman starts against Nationals righty Josiah Gray.

Game #131 Cleveland Guardians (61-69) @ Toronto Blue Jays (71-59)

 

Saturday, August 26, 2023

Game #130 - Cleveland Guardians (61-69) @ Toronto Blue Jays (71-59) - game recap

 

Davis Schneider scored three times and drove in three runs in an 8-3 win over the Guardians

After another untimely loss, the Blue Jays were looking to snap the 3 game skid and avoid their 17th series loss of the season. Hyun-Jin Ryu got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Bo Bichette got the half day off as DH with Santiago Espinal at SS. Davis Schneidergot the start at 2B.  Daulton Varsho was in CF and Whit Merrifield was in LF. Could the Blue Jays snap the 3-game skid and avoid their 17th series loss of the season? Here is today's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

  • The Guardians took the lead in the top of the 1st as Jose Ramirez drilled a solo bomb of the basing of the second deck in left
  • The Blue a Jays tied the game in the bottom half of the inning as Bo Bichette singled scoring Whit Merrifield
  • Three batters later, Davis Schneider hammered a 2-2-run jack to left-center; also scoring George Springer
  • The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 4th as Matt Chapman singled scoring Schneider
  • A batter later,  Danny Jansen scored on a sac fly by Santiago Espinal
  • Logan Allen pitching line: 4IP 6H 5R (all earned) 1BB 2K 62 pitches (40 for strikes)
  • The Guardians got one back in the top of the 5th as Tyler Freeman smacked a solo blast to left and into the Blue Jays bullpen
  • The Guardians got one back in the top of the 6th as Ramon Laureano was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded forcing in Kole Calhoun
  • Hyun-Jin Ryu pitching line: 5IP 4H 3R (2 earned) 0BB 5K 70 pitches (49 for strikes)
  • The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 7th as Schneider singled home Vladimir Guerrero Jr
  • Four batters later, Daulton Varsho singled scoring Springer and Schneider
  • Final score: Blue Jays 8 Guardians 3

My Take:

  • Hyun-Jin Ryu battled through 5 innings,  giving up 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 his while walking none and striking out 5. Ryu was taken deep twice today,  but continues to show great command, which is usual the last thing to come back after Tommy John surgery. No doubt he will get interest from teams in free agency this winter. Should the Blue Jays squeak into the playoffs, Ryu has a strong chance of a likely bullpen role. He could even get a start in the divisional round of the playoffs should the Blue Jays make it that far. 
  • The bullpen gave up just one hit while striking out 5 in the final 4 innings. Unfortunately the team lost set up man Erik Swanson, who injured his midback throwing a pitch. Tim Mayza did a great job getting a double play to escape the inning. Yimi Garcia also did an excellent job, striking out the side when he inherited a bases loaded jam. Trevor Richards pitched the last two innings. Could the Swanson injury lead to the debut to Chad Green? 
  • Davis Schneider was the hero today,  scoring three times and driving in three runs
  • Every Blue Jays starter except Santiago Espinal had at least one hit
  • The Blue Jays were 5-11 with runners in scoring position
  • In terms of the wild card race,  the Red Sox and Mariners won and the Astros and Rangers were leading their games.  The Blue Jays will still be out of a playoff spot by the end of the day, but may be chasing a different team for the final WC spot with the Mariners poised to take over the top spot in the AL west division with a Rangers loss. While the Blue Jays are probably too far back of the Orioles for the AL East division title, the Orioles may have lost closer Felix Bautista for a while with the righty suffering some degree of injury to his UCL and a likely Tommy John surgery. At the moment, the Blue Jays are a game back of the Astros and two games back of the Mariners and Rangers. The Red Sox are 2.5 games back of the Blue Jays. 
  • Up next, the Blue Jays go for their 2nd straight win, 25th series win and 12th season series win.  Yusei Kikuchi starts against Guardians righty Noah Syndergaard. 

Game #130 Cleveland Guardians (61-68) @ Toronto Blue Jays (70-59)

 

Friday, August 25, 2023

Game #129 - Cleveland Guardians (61-68) @ Toronto Blue Jays (70-59) - game recap

 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a solo HR in a losing effort as the Guardians came from behind to defeat the Blue Jays 5-2

After yet another loss to the Orioles,  the Blue Jay's returned home to take on the Guardians. The two teams split the 4 games in Cleveland a couple of days ago with the Blue Jays outscoring the Guardians 7-6. Chris Bassitt got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad was back in he field after DH'ing yesterday (Brandon Belt served as DH tonight). Kevin Kiermaier was in CF and Daulton Varsho was in LF.  Whit Merrifield got the start at 2B.  Could the Blue Jays snap the 2- game skid? Here is tonight's game recap. 

Game #129 Cleveland Guardians (60-68) @ Toronto Blue Jays (70-58)

 

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Game #128 - Toronto Blue Jays (70-58) @ Baltimore Orioles (79-48) - game recap

 

Brandon Belt hit a solo HR in a losing effort as the Orioles came from behind to defeat the Blue Jays 5-3

After getting routed last night, the Blue Jays were going for their 24th a series win. Jose Berrios got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Vlad got the half day off as DH with Brandon Belt at 1B. S Daulton Varsho was in CF and Whit Merrifield was in LF. Cavan Biggio got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays end the road trip on a winning note and notch their 24th series win of the season? Here is tonight's game recap. 

Game #128 Toronto Blue Jays (70-57) @ Baltimore Orioles (78-48)

 

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Game #126 - Toronto Blue Jays (70-56) @ Baltimore Orioles (77-49) - game recap

 

Brandon Belt hit a 2-run HR in the 10th inning to lift the Blue Jays to a 6-3 extra innings win over the Orioles

After an off-day yesterday, the Blue Jays continued the road trip in Baltimore against the Orioles, who have won 8 of 10 against the Blue Jays to date this season, outscoring the Blue Jays 60-31. Yusei Kikuchi got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Rest of the lineup was same as Sunday.  Could the Blue Jays increase the win streak to three games? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game #126 Toronto Blue Jays (69-56) @ Baltimore Orioles (77-47)

 

Sunday, August 20, 2023

Game #125 - Toronto Blue Jays (69-56) @ Cincinnati Reds (64-61) - game recap

Brandon Belt hit a pair of home runs in a 10-3 win over the Reds

 

After a solid win thanks to three shutout innings from the bullpen and a home run from Davis Schneider, the Blue Jays were looking for their 2nd straight win, 23rd series win 13th season series win of the season. Hyun-.Jin Ryu got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate.  George Springer was back in the lineup and in RF after missing a couple of days with a sore right ankle. Kevin Kiermaier was in CF and Daulton Varsho was in LF. Whit Merrifield got the start at 2B.  Brandon Belt served as DH.  Could the Blue Jays make it two straight wins and botch their 23rd series win and 13th season series win of the season? Here is today's game recap. 

Game #125 Toronto Blue Jays (68-56) @ Cincinnati Reds (64-60)

 

Saturday, August 19, 2023

Game #124 - Toronto Blue Jays (68-56) @ Cincinnati Reds (64-60) - game recap

 

Davis Schneidrr hit a solo HR to lift the Blue Jays to a 4-3 win over the Reds

After a heartbreaking 1-0 walk off loss to the Red, the Blue Jays were trying to snap the 2- game skid and avoid their 15th series loss and 7th season series loss of the season. Bo Bichette was reinstate from the 15-day IL and got the start at SS.  Paul DeJong was DFA'd.  DeJong had a disappointing and brief stint as a Blue Jay,  accumulating just 3 hits in 44AB, driving in 1 run and scoring once. Chris Bassitt got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Daulton Varsho was in CF and Whit Merrifield was in LF. Santiago Espinal got the start at 2B. Davis Schneider served as DH. Could the Blue Jays snap the 2-game skid and prevent their 15th series loss and 7th season series loss? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game #124 Toronto Blue Jays (67-56) @ Cincinnati Reds (64-59)


Friday, August 18, 2023

Game #123 - Toronto Blue Jays (67-56) @ Cincinnati Reds (64-59) - game recap

 

Jose Berrios threw 5.2 shutout innings in a 1-0 shutout loss to the Reds

After an off-day yesterday, the Blue Jays hit the road, traveling to Cinnnati to take on the Reds. The Blue Jays won the season series last year, outscoring the Reds 7-5. Kevin Kiermaier (started in CF) and Trevor Richards were reinstated from the IL. Nathan Lukes and Jay Jackson were optioned back to AAA-ball. Jose Berrios got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate Matt Chapman was back in the lineup and at the hot corner after missing a few days after dropping a dumbbell on his finger. George Springer got the complete day off with Cavan Biggio in RF. Daulton Varsho was in LF, Santiago Espinal was at SS and Whit Merrifield got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays start the weekend and road trip with a win? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game #123 Toronto Blue Jays (67-55) @ Cincinnati Reds (63-59) Apple TV+ Exclusive

 

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Game #122 - Philadelphia Phillies (66-55) @ Toronto Blue Jays (67-55) - game recap

 

Cavan Biggio drove in a pair and scored once in a losing effort as the Phillies came from behind to defeat the Blue Jays 9-4

After eking out a win yesterday when cavan Biggio took one for the team in a bases loaded hit by pitch, the Blue Jays were looking for their 7th series sweep and 3rd straight win. Kevin Gausman got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. The Blue Jays fielded the same lineup as last night.  Could the Blue Jays win their 3rd straight game and complete their 7th sweep? Here is tonight's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

  • The Phillies opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd on a sac fly by Jake Cave that scored Nick Castellanos
  • The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Daulton Varsho bashed a 2-run blast to right; also scoring Cavan Biggio
  • The Phillies tied it up in the top of the 3rd as Bryce Harper drilled a solo jack to dead center
  • The Blue Jays retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Biggio singled scoring George Springer and Brandon Belt
  • The Phillies got one back in the top of the 5th as Castellanos doubled scoring Kyle Schwarber 
  • A batter later, Castellanos and Harper scored on a throwing error by Santiago Espinal on a ball hit by Bryson Stott
  • The Phillies added a run in the top of the 6th on a sac fly by Schwarber that scored JT Realmuto
  • A batter later Alec Bohm singled scoring Cave
  • Aaron Nola pitching line: 5IP 4H 4R (all scored) 4BB 7K 92 pitches (57 for strikes)
  • Kevin Gausman pitching line 5.1IP 7H 7R (5 earned) 3BB 4K 84 pitches (60 for strikes)
  • The Phillies added a run in the top of the 7th as Cave hammered a solo bomb to dead center
  • The Phillies added a run in the top of the 9th as Harper drilled a solo blast to right-center
  • Final score: Phillies 9 Blue Jays 4

My Take:

  • Kevin Gausman was lit up for 7 runs (5 earned thanks to avhorrible throwing error by Santiago Espinal that resulted in 2 runs scored on the play) on 7 hits while walking 3 and striking out 4. Ironically, the Blue Jays actually gave him some run support, but sadly he did not have his best stuff tonight. Gausman was pitching in and out of trouble all night, including a bases loaded jam with none out in the 2nd inning. Gausman also took a comebacker off his leg in the 6th inning. He was ok and faced one more batter before being removed. 
  • The bullpen gave up two runs on 4 hits while walking none and striking out 2 over the last 3.2 innings.  Tim Mayza allowed two inherited runners to score.  Genesis Cabrera and Erik Swanson were the only relievers to retire every batter they faced.  It is likely one or both of Jay Jackson and bowden Francis may have made their final appearance in the majors for a couple of months with Chad Green and Trevor Richards potentially returning Friday in Cincinnati. 
  • Offensively, Cavan Biggio led the way, driving in 2 and scoring once. Daulton Varsho also went deep for two more runs. 
  • The Blue Jays were 2-4 with runners in scoring position 
  • In terms of the wild card race, the Blue Jays maintain control of the 3rd WC spot, but the Mariners gained a game on the Blue Jays after they defeated the Royals, cutting the lead to just 1 game. The Blue Jays are 3 games back of the Astros for the 2nd WC spot and 5.5 games back of the Rays for the 1st WC spot. The Red Sox are 3 games back of the Blue Jays for the final WC spot. The Blue Jays are 3rd in the AL East standings and 7.5 games back of the Orioles for the AL East division title.
  • Up next, after an off-day tomorrow, the Blue Jays head to Cincinnati for a weekend set with the Reds. The Blue Jays won the season series last year, outscoring the Reds 7-5. Jose Berrios will start for the Blue Jays. The Reds have not set their rotation for the weekend series yet.

Game #122 Philadelphia Phillies (65-55) @ Toronto Blue Jays (67-54)

 

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Game #121 - Philadelphia Phillies (65-55) @ Toronto Blue Jays (67-54) - game recap

 

Whit Merrifield scored twice in a 2-1 come-from-behind win over the Phillies

After an off-day yesterday, the Blue Jays opened up a mini 2-game set against the Phillies, whe swept the Blue Jays in the two games in Philadelphia three months ago, outscoring the Blue Jays 10-5. Yusei Kikuchi got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Jordan Romano was reinstated from the 15-day IL and Nate Pearson was optioned back to AAA-ball. Yusei Kikuchi got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad was back in the field after DH'ing Sunday (Brandon Belt served as DH today. Could the Blue Jays make it two straight wins and avoid their 6th season series loss? Here is tonight's game recap. 

Game #121 Philadelphia Phillies (65-54) @ Toronto Blue Jays (66-54)


Monday, August 14, 2023

Ten random thoughts: Post-all star week - August 13

 


We are a month past all star week and two weeks past the trade deadline.  This edition of ten random thoughts will recap what's happened for the Blue Jays and in the world of baseball. Since the all star break, the Blue Jays have won four series (two of those were series sweeps) and lost three series. We've seen Hyun-Jin Ryu return to the majors after missing 13 months with Tommy John surgery. They have had injury scars with closer Jordan Romano and star shortstop Bo Bichette landing on the IL with back and knee injuries respectively. Alek Manoah has shown encouraging signs as he tries to get back to his dominant self. This post will examine all that and more. Here are ten random thoughts from around the MLB. Note, all stats will be as of Saturdays games 

1. As per usual, we will look at the injuries and their impact on the team. First, let's start with arguably the most impactful loss. Blue Jays fans were holding their breath when Bo Bichette grabbed his right knee after it buckled when he stopped suddenly on what could have been a double. Bichette has been a consistent threat in a lineup that has largely underperformed and struggled mightily with runners in scoring position. He is leading the AL in both average (.321) and hits (144). Bichette also has 17 HR and 59 RBI. Thankfully, the MRI came back fairly clean and Bichette was placed on the 10-day IL. Another impactful injury is to close Jordan Romano, who had his lower back tighten up on him while warming up for the all-star game. Romano is 4-5 with 28 saves. There's no question that the Blue Jays will go as far as their bullpen takes them. This is an injury that needs to be nipped in the bud and not linger. Trevor Richards is another reliever dealing with a nagging injury that the Blue Jays are trying to nip in the bud. Richards has been a valuable piece of of the bullpen, in a middle-relief, multi-inning role. The team is hoping his stint will be the minimal 15 days.  Chad Green is getting very close to returning from Tommy John surgery. He has made 5 rehab appearance and has looked good. The last hurdle to clear appears to be appearing on back to back days. He'll only be pitching an inning max so he doesn't need to build up his durability to throw a ton of pitches. Green will likely assist in bridging the gap to getting the ball to closer Romano. Kevin Kiermaier had to leave the game in the 6th inning August 6 after crashing into the center field wall at Fenway Park making a leaping catch and cutting his elbow. Obviously risk of infection is going to be a concern. He was placed on the 10 day IL retroactive to August 1st. Danny Jansen also missed a few days after getting hit by a pitch against Baltimore. The injury is to his throwing hand.  Hyun-Jin Ryu, just two starts back from Tommy John surgery, had the misfortune of getting drilled in the knee by a screaming line drive back at him.  

2. Two Blue Jays staring pitchers are in the midst of comebacks for different reasons.  For Hyun-Jin Ryu, his start August 1st marked the end of a grueling 13 and a half month rehab from Tommy John surgery. The next 2 months will be crucial for Ryu, especially since he is on an expiring contract. He is also going to be auditioning for a potential spot on the playoff roster. The big question will be velocity and whether that holds up start to start. 

Alek Manoah is trying to regain his form that saw him dominate in his first two seasons in the bigs. There are a variety of factors that contributed to his struggles in 2023. First and foremost, batters figured out how to beat him. Success in three majors is about adjusting. Players have access to iPad in the dugout, scouting reports and a lot of players have now faced Manoah several times over the three seasons. Second, Manoah had done a lot of trash talking, giving players motivation to beat him. Nobody likes to be shown up on the field and the best way to combat cockiness is to beat the cocky player. A third factor is for just of spring training, Manoah's personal catcher Alejandro Kirk was absent due to waiting for his partner to have his first child in Mexico. Yet another factor is Manoah's physical conditioning.  He came into spring training notably bulkier. While you can succeed in baseball with all kinds of physical shapes, generally the successful players are in shape. He's also been affected by the pitch clock. While he had looked better since the all star break, the real fix will likely come in the off season when he can really work on his mechanics and also revamp his physical training program. Command is definitely a concern. Thankfully the way he left his July 29th start (pulled after badly injuring Angels outfielder Taylor Ward with a fastball that drilled ward in the face) Did not negatively impact his next start. That is a big reason why he needs to get himself sorted out otherwise more accidents can happen if he has no control of his pitches. Manoah was optioned back to AAA-ball after Thursday's start

4. How about Davis Schneider? Drafted in the 28th round of the 2017 amateur draft,  Schneider beat the incredibly long odds and made his major league debut last weekend vs. the Red Sox. With Bo Bichette on the IL with a knee injury and Otto Lopez injured with an oblique strain, the Blue Jays called up Schneider. He turned Fenway Park into his own personal playground, going yard over the green monster in his first career at bat. Schneider ended up going 9-13 with 1 walk, 5 RBI (including one the painful way on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded) and 2 home runs. He cooled off a bit in Cleveland,  going 0-6 with 3 strikeouts and a rally killing double play with the bases loaded. Here are some other late rounders who went on to have careers in the MLB. 

4. Let's look at the trade deadline and the moves made both by the Blue Jays and around the MLB. The biggest needs for the Blue Jays were a high impact bar and another arm or two in the bullpen (preferably a lefty). The Blue Jays acquired two arms for the bullpen; lefty Genesis Cabrera and righty setup man and second closer Jordan Hicks. Cabrera filled a need for a second lefty besides Tim Mayza that could be used to attack left handed batters. Cabrera has more than impressed in his brief time as a Blue Jay, allowing 3 unearned runs and 4 hits, 2 intentional walks while striking out 9 over 10 appearances spanning 10.1 innings. Hicks hasn't quite been as effective, taking the loss Saturday against the Cubs.  In 6 appearances, he has a 3.86 ERA. With Romano currently injured,  Hicks has been filling in as the closer. Once Romano returns,  Hicks should slot in his more ideal role as a setup man. Just prior to the trade deadline, the Blue Jays got a big scare when star shortstop Bo Bichette injured his knee while running the bases (thankfully the MRI showed no major structural damage. The Blue Jays opted to acquire infielder Paul DeJong from the Cardinals. Defensively he's been solid, not so much offensively with just 2 his and a run scored in 13 AB. Once Bichette returns, he'll likely slide over to 2B and be a backup SS. Trent Thornton was dealt to the Mariners.  In his first four appearances in a Mariners uniform, Thornton has a 3.38 ERA. 

Perhaps the biggest player not traded was Shohei Ohtani, who was pulled off the trade market as the Angels felt they could make a run at a wild card spot. It's a move they will likely regret if they miss the playoffs with Ohtani a free agent after this season. The Astros made a big move, reacquiring veteran righty Justin Verlander, who has thrown several no hitters and is still capable of doing damage.The Padres, Rangers and Angels were the most active buyers at the deadline and the Mets, Cardinals and white Sox were the most active sellers. At the end of the day, only one team will be the world series champ, but the early winner looks like the Mariners, who are on a hit streak and currently neck and neck with the Blue Jays for the final wild card spot.  The early losers are the Angels, who have lost 10 of 12 since the deadline and are quickly falling out of contention for a wild card spot. 

5. In terms of the wild card standings, the Blue Jays are neck and neck for the last wild card spot.  At this point, it appears that the Blue Jays will be fighting for the last wild card spot as they are 7.5 games back of the Orioles for the division title.  They have three game left against the Orioles and have won just twice in ten season series games to date. Thru are tied for the final wild card spot with the Mariners,  who would hold the tie breaker due to a better interdivisional record. The Red Sox and Yankees are 3 and 4 games respectively back of the final wild card spot. Both the Red Sox and Yankees would hold the tiebreaker if the season ended today as the Red Sox have already clinched the season series and the Yankees are leading the season series 4-3. The Blue Jays need to get on a roll pretty quick. Their biggest winning streak is 6 games (accomplished between April 23rd and 29th. 

Looking at the national league, if the season ended today, the Braves, Dodgers and Brewers would be the division winners (the Braves and Dodgers would have byes to the divisional round and the Brewers would host a wild card game). The Phillies, Giants and Cardinals would be the three wild card teams. The Reds, Marlins, Diamondbacks and Padres are all within 5 games of the final wild card spot. 

6. In recent weeks the Blue jays have DFA'd a few players,  a couple of whom were claimed. Prior to his trade to the Mariners,  Thornton was initially DFA'd and cleared. Thornton was 7-14 with a 4.74 ERA in 108 appearances (35 starts) over 4 seasons with the Blue Jays. He had largely fallen out of favor for the Blue Jays in recent years. Jordan Luplow, who is an outfielder by trade, was claimed off waivers by the Twins. Luplow batted .214 in 13 AB for the Blue Jays this season. Interestingly,  he is batting. 385 in 6 games for the Twins. Is this further proof that the Blue Jays need to move on from Guillermo Martinez as hitting coach? On the same day, Mitch White cleared waivers and was outrighted to Buffalo.White is a trade deadline bust from last season. White is 0-1 with a dreadful 7.11 ERA in 10 appearances this season. He missed the first 2 months of the season with a dead arm. Initially he was supposed to challenge Yusei Kikuchi for the 5th starters role, but he was never able to pitch in spring training and the Blue Jays now see him as a bulk inning reliever. However,  he cannot even be trusted in low leverage situations. Thomas Hatch, another pitcher having a tough season was claimed off waivers by the Pirates. Hatch has a 4.26 ERA in 6 appearances for the Blue Jays this season.. in his only appearance for the pirates, he threw 4 shutout innings and was credited with the win. 

7. We are almost a full year into the new rules for the 2023 seasons. To recap,  the new rules are a pitch clock (pitchers must begin their pitching motion before the clock expires or a ball is called . Batters must be ready at the 8 second mark or they get a strike). Clock resets on pickoff attempt,  with a limit of two pickoff attempts per at bat generally,  but get two more tries if the base runner(s) advance a base (runners automatically advances on third failed pickoff attempt). The bases are bigger this season to prevent injuries and increase chances of stealing bases. Defensive shifts are largely eliminated with two infielders required to be on either side of 2nd base and infielders cannot switch sides. An outfielder can move to the infield, but that is a risky move since it gives batters more space more space to hit the ball to the outfield. In terms of the pitch clock bulkier pitchers such as Alek Manoah have struggled the most to adjusting to the pitch clock. The big impact of the pitch clock has been a reduction in the length of games, which has brought new fans to the sport. The no defensive shift rule has increased batting average. Left handed batters have enjoyed the biggest benefit since they are the ones who were shifted against most. Case in point, Corey Seagar, who batted .248 last season, is batting a remarkable .348 so far this season. The biggest impact of bigger bases is the almost complete elimination of preventable injuries simply from baserunners and fielders not having enough space to both occupy a base without someone getting spiked. There have also been an increase in stolen bases. Ronald Acuna Jr leads both leagues with 54 stolen bases and has only been caught stealing 9 times.

8. With the MLB season approaching the final stretch, let's look at the potential award winner.

  • AL Cy Young - Nathan Eovaldi. Here's a pitcher having a comeback season after a so-so 2022 season where he was 6-3 with a 3.87ERA. This season he is 14-3 with an AL-leading ERA of 2.69. He is currently injured with a forearm strain,  but he is still a major reason why the Texas Rangers are first in the AL west.  Other potential candidates are Gerrit Cole (10-3, 2.76 ERA) and Shohei Ohtani (10-5, 3.17 ERA)
  • AL MVP - Shohei Ohtani. The Angels pitcher/DH wins the AL MVP awards on the strength of his offensive numbers. He is leading the league in HR (40), triples (7), slugging% (.661) and is 5th in batting average. As Matt Chapman infamously said,  Ohtani is the only batter on the Angels who can hit. Bo Bichette, who leads the league in hits (144) and is 2nd in the AL in batting average (.321) should also receive some votes. 
  • AL rookie of the year Josh Jung of the Texas Rangers. Leads all rookie in both leagues with 22 HR, it's batting a solid .274 and has driven in 67 runs
  • AL manager of the year - Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. Since he took over from buck Showalter in 2019, the Orioles have steadily improved. This season,  they stand a decent shot at winning the AL East division title just 5 years after they lost 100+ games. They are going to be a dangerous team in the playoffs. 
  • NL Cy Young - Justin Steele of the Chicago Cubs. He's leading the NL in wins (13) and has a solid 2.79 ERA over 22 starts. Last season,  Steele finished the year 4-7 with a 3.18 ERA over 24 starts. The only other candidate that can be considered is Arizona Diamondback righty Zac Galen, who is 12-5 with a 3.24 ERA in 25 starts on he season.  Yes,  Blake Snell leads the league in ERA (2.63) but he has a record of 9-8. Steele gets the mood for Cy Young, plus he was solid against the Blue Jays on Saturday. 
  • NL MVP - this award will be better Luis Arraez, who leads the NL in batting average (.365) and hits (159) and Braves first baseman Matt Olson, who leads the NL in HR (42) and RBI (105). I would give the nod to Olson since home runs and RBI have a bigger impact on the game than hits. If Arraez was still batting over .400, I may have said he should win, but he's not. Cubs starter Steele should also receive some votes,  especially if the Cubs can overtake the Brewers for the NL division title. 
  • NL rookie of the year - Corbin Carroll of the Diamondbacks - tied for the NL rookie lead with 21HR, batting .272 and has driven in 59 runs. 
  • NL manager of the year -  Chicago Cubs manager David Ross.  A member of the 2016 world series champion Cubs team, Ross is leading the team as manager towards a potential NL central title or likely wild card spot. Since the Cubs broke that 108 year curse in 2016, the Cubs have made the playoffs three times and missed three times, including the last 2 seasons. Under Ross'leadership,  the Cubs have been steadily improving over the last three seasons. I doubt any of their fans want to wait another 100 years for a world series championship. 

9. Finally, congrats to Jose Bautista in making the level of excellence,  very well deserved.  He was a huge part of the 2015 and 2016 playoff teams

10. Blue Jay of the month: Yusei Kikuchi. In five starts since the all- star break, Kikuchi has given up just 4 earned runs and deserves to have won his last start when he pitched seven outstanding innings, but the Blue Jays were shut out.  

Sunday, August 13, 2023

Game #120 - Chicago Cubs (61-57) @ Toronto Blue Jays (66-54) - game recap

 

Daulton Varsho drove in 5 runs and scored twice in a 11-4 comeback win over the Cubs

After losing yesterday's matinee and spoiling the party on Jose Bautista's induction to the level of excellence,  the Blue Jays were looking to snap a 3-game skid and avoid being swept for the 4th time this season. Hyun Jin Ryu got the start with Danny Jansen behind he plate. George Springer was back in the field after DH'ing yesterday.  Vlad got the half day off as DH today with Brandon Belt at 1B. Matt Chapman was a late scratch with right middle finger inflammation. Santiago Espinal took his spot at the hot corner and Paul DeJong got the start at SS. Could the Blue Jays snap the three game skid and avoid being swept for the 4th time this season? Here is today's game recap. 

Game #120 Chicago Cubs (61-56) @ Toronto Blue Jays (65-54)

 

Saturday, August 12, 2023

Game #119 - Chicago Cubs (61-56) @ Toronto Blue Jays (65-54) - game recap

Santiago Espinal scored a run and drove in a run in a losing effort as the Cubs came from behind to edge the Blue Jays 5-4

After a second straight loss due to the inability to drive in runners in scoring position and a subpar performance from Jose Berrios, the Blue Jays were looking to snap the two game skid and avoid their 11th series loss of the season. Chris Bassitt got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. George Springer got the half day off as DH with Cavan Biggio in RF. Paul DeJong  got the full day off with Santiago Espinal at SS. Davis Schneider was at 2B. Could the Blue Jays snap the 2-game skid and avoid their 11 5th series of the season? Here is today's game recap.!

Game #119 Chicago Cubs (60-56) @ Toronto Blue Jays (65-53)

 

Friday, August 11, 2023

Game #118 - Chicago Cubs (60-56) @ Toronto Blue Jays (65-53) - game recap

 

Brandon Belt hit a solo HR in a 6-2 loss to the Cubs

After a tough loss to end the road trip, the Blue Jays returned home to take on the Cubs. Last season,  the Blue Jays won the season series 2-1, outscoring the Cubs 15-14. Alek Manoah was optioned to AAA-ball and Hagen Danner was recalled from AAA-ball.  Jose Berrios got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad was back in the field after DH'ing yesterday (Brandon Belt served as DH today). Paul DeJong was back at SS after the day of yesterday.  Cavan Biggio got the start at 2B. Daulton Varsho was in CF.  Could the Blue Jays start the homestand and weekend with a win? Here is tonight's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

  • The Cubs opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Nico Hoerner smacked a solo blast to left-center
  • Two batters later,  Cody Bellinger bashed a 2-run jack to right-center and into the Cubs bullpen; also scoring Ian Happ
  • The Cubs added a pair of runs in the top of the 4th as Selya Suzuki doubled scoring Dansby Swanson and Jeimer Candelario
  • Two batters later,  Mike Tauchman singled home Suzuki
  • The Blue jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning as Alejandro Kirk singled scoring Cavan Biggio
  • Jose Berrios pitching line: 4.1IP 9H 6R (4 earned) 0BB 4K 91 pitches  (62 for strikes)
  • Javier Assad pitching line: 7IP 4H 1R (earned) 1BB 2K 90 pitches (58 for strikes)
  • The Blue jays got one back in the bottom of the 8th as Brandon Belt belted a solo bomb to dead center
  • Hagen Danner left his big league debut in the 9th After throwing just 7 pitches when his lower back seized up on him, he recorded one out and had a full count on the next batter. 
  • Final score: Cubs 6 Blue Jays 2
My Take:

  • Jose Berrios was lit up for 6 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits while walking none and striking out three in 4.1 innings. He had 2 rough innings, giving up 3 runs on two home runs.  In the 4th inning, he gave up three more runs on three hits and a missed catch error charged to Vlad. Too many pitches in the prime hitting zone tonight.
  • The bullpen did its job, allowing a hit (to be fair it was Jay Jackson's first pitch to a batter that already had a 3-2 count on him) and a walk in the last 4.2 innings.  Bowden Francis was excellent and ate up 3.2 innings (he'll likely be optioned for a fresh arm in the morning). Really unfortunate that Hagen Danner had to leave his big league debut with an injury after throwing just 7 pitches. At least his recorded his first big league out before the injury
  • What can you say about the offense.  The Blue jays were sent down in order four times,  could not score with runners on 1st and 2nd with one out in the 2nd inning and had few answers for the Cubs pitching tonight
  • Up next, the Blue Jays try to snap the 2- game skid and avoid their 11th series loss of the season. Chris Bassitt starts against Cubs lefty Justin Steele

Game #118 Chicago Cubs (59-56) @ Toronto Blue Jays (65-52) Apple TV+ Exclusive

 

Thursday, August 10, 2023

Game #117 - Toronto Blue Jays (65-52) @ Cleveland Guardians (56-60) - game recap

 

Whit Merrifield scored a run and drove in a run in a losing effort as the Guardians came from behind to edge the Blue Jays 4-3

After eking out a 1-0 shutout win thanks to seven excellent innings from Kevin Gausman and a George Springer solo HR, the Blue Jays were looking for two straight wins over the Guardians and their 23rd series win of the season. Alek Manoah got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Vlad got the half day off as DH with Brandon Belt at 1B. Nathan Lukes got the start in CF. Santiago Espinal was at SS. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 2 games and notch their 23rd series win of the season? Here is today's game recap. 

Game #117 Toronto Blue Jays (65-51) @ Cleveland Guardians (55-60)


Wednesday, August 9, 2023

Game #116 - Toronto Blue Jays (65-51) @ Cleveland Guardians (55-60) - game recap

 

Kevin Gausnan threw 7 shutout innings in a 1-0 shutout win over the Guardians

After being shutout for the 6th time this season, the Blue Jays were looking to retake the season series lead. Kevin Gausman got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Davis Schneider got the start at 2B. Danny Jansen served as DH. Could the Blue Jays retake the season series lead? Here is tonight's game recap. 

Game #116 Toronto Blue Jays (64-51) @ Cleveland Guardians (55-59)

 

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Game #115 - Toronto Blue Jays (64-51) @ Cleveland Guardians (55-59) - game recap

 

Yusei Kikuchi threw seven strong innings in a 1-0 shutout loss to the Guardians

After eking out a win yesterday, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 5 games. Kevin Kiermaier was placed on the 10-day IL (retroactive to yesterday) with an elbow laceration. Nathan Lukes was recalled to take his place on the roster. Yusei Kikuchi got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Matt Chapman got the complete day off with Santiago Espinal at the hot corner. Whit Merrifield was in LF and batting leadoff. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 5 games? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

  • The Guardians opened the scoring in the bottom of the 2nd as Ramon Laureano doubled scoring Oscar Gonzalez
  • Tanner Bibee pitching line:7IP 6H 0R 0BB 6K 100 pitches (63 for strikes)
  • Yusei Kikuchi pitching line: 7IP 3H 1R (earned) 1BB 6K 95 pitches (63 for strikes)
  • Emmanuel Clase pitched a scoreless 9th for his 30th save of the season
  • Final score: Guardians 1 Blue Jays 0

My Take:

  • Yusei Kikuchi pitched 7 strong innings, giving up a run (unfortunately the only run scored by either team) on 3 hits while walking 1 and striking out 6. He and Guardians starter Tanner Bibee threw the same number of strikes (63) and struck out the same number of batters (6). Kikuchi walked a batter. whereas Bibee did not walk anyone and Bibee allowed three more hits. In short, both starters were dialled in tonight. After allowing a 2-out walk in the 3rd inning, Kiuchi retired 12 in a row. In fact, Kikuchi retired 18 of the last 20 batters he faced. Just phenomenol
  • Genesis Cabrera pitched a perfect 8th with one strikeout. He's almost certain to make the playoff roster with how well he is pitching
  • Not much to say about the offense. Driving in runners in scoring position is still a major weak spot. The Blue Jays had two great chances to score early (runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs in the 1st inning only to have Daulton Varsho kill the rally with a groundout to 2nd, and bases loaded with one out in the 3rd inning only to have Geothe Springer and Varsho strikeout). Heck they had runners on the corners with 2 outs in the 9th only to have Alejandro Kirk fly out to CF to end the game.
  • Up next, the Blie Jays try to retake the season series lead. Kevin Gausman starts against Guardians lefty Logan Allen/

Game #115 Toronto Blue Jays (64-50) @ Cleveland Guardians (54-59)

 

Monday, August 7, 2023

Game #114 - Toronto Blue Jays (64-50) @ Cleveland Guardians (54-59) - game recap

 

Cavan Biggio hit a clutch 8th inning 2-run HR in a 3-1 win over the Guardians

After an epic series sweep over the Red Sox, the Blue Jays were looking to keep rolling as they continued the road trip in Cleveland.  Last season, the Indians won 5 of 7 meetings in the season series, outscoring the Blue Jays 37-22. Hyun-Jin Ryu got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Davis Schneider was in LF and batting leadoff. Daulton Varsho was in CF. Vlad was back in the lineup and at 1B after the complete day off yesterday. George Springer was back in the field in RF after DH'ing yesterday (Brandon Belt served as DH). Cavan Biggio got the start at 2B. Could the Blue Jays make it four straight wins? Here is tonight's game recap. 

Game #114 Toronto Blue Jays (63-50) @ Cleveland Guardians (54-58)

 

Sunday, August 6, 2023

Game #113 - Toronto Blue Jays (63-50) @ Boston Red Sox (57-54) - game recap

 

Davis Schneider was 4-5 with 4 RBI and a run scored in a 13-1 rout over the Red Sox

After two statement wins over the Red Sox and their first series win of the season after losing seven straight games VS. the pesky division rivals,  the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to three games and compete their seventh series sweep of the season. Chris Bassitt got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad got the complete day off with Brandon Belt at 1B. George Springer got the half day off as DH with Cavan Biggio in RF. Could the Blue Jays make it three straight wins and compete their seventh series sweep of the season? Here is today's game recap. 

Game #113 Toronto Blue Jays (62-50) @ Boston Red Sox (57-53)

 

Saturday, August 5, 2023

Game #112 - Toronto Blue Jays (62-50) @ Boston Red Sox (57-53) - game recap

 

Kevin Kiermaier drove in the game winning run as the Blue Jays hung on to edge the Red Sox 5-4

After a statement win over the Red Sox that included the first career hit and home run for 28th rounder Davis Schneider and a solid effort from Alek Manoah,  the Blue Jays were going for their second straight win and 22nd series win of the season (the Red Sox have already clinched the season series after winning seven straight over the Blue Jays). Jose Berrios got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate (initially Danny Jansen was in the lineup but was remoqaved late with lingering right wrist inflammation, likely stemming from getting hit by a pitch last Wednesday). Brandon Belt served as DH.  Could the Blue  Jays extend the win streak to 2 games and notch theitr 22nd series win of the season? Here is today's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

  • John Schreiber pitching line: 1IP. 1H 0R 0BB 1K 17 pitches (15 for strikes)
  • The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd as Brandon Belt belted a solo bottom to the opposite field in left-center and over the green monster
  • Three batters later, Alejandro Kirk doubled scoring George Springer
  • Two batters later, Daulton Varsho singled home Kirk
  • The Red Sox tied it up in the bottom of the 4th as Rafael Devers hammered a 3-run bomb to right-center; also scoring Masataka Yoshida and Justin Turner
  • The Blue Jays retook the lead in the top of the 6th as Belt singled scoring Davis Schneider
  • Jose Berrios pitching line: 5.2IP 6H 3R (all earned) 0BB 6K 85 pitches (56 for strikes)
  • The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 9th as Kevin Kiermaier singled scoring Springer 
  • The Red Sox got one back in the bottom half of the inning as Luis Urias singled scoring Adam Duvall
  • Erik Swanson got the last 2 outs for his 4th save of the season
  • Final score: Blue Jays 5 Red Sox 4

My Take:

  • Jose Berrios battled through 5.2 innings, giving up 3 runs on 6 hits while walking none and striking out 6. Other than the one mistake pitch in the 4th inning that landed beyond the bulpens in right-center for 3 runs, Berrios was solid. He retired 8 of the first 10 batters he faced and 8 in a row after giving up the home run. He still makes you hold your breath start to start as he is prone to bad starts at times, but when he is dialled in, he is one of the better pitchers in the game.
  • Is this bullpen good enough to help the Blue Jays get deep in the playoffs? That is very much in question. They blew a huge lead in the 2nd WC game against Seattle in October last year. Today, they got a bit fortunate when Reese McGuire completely misread a fly ball that was caught at the warning track. The Red Six had already plated a run in the 9th inning and were threatening to at least tie the game or walk it off until that brutal baserunning error. Yimi Garcia, who had a riugh 1st half, has been much better lately. The two lefties in the bullpen, Genesis Cabrera and Tim Mayza, have been solid. The health of Jordan Romano will be a factor and also bullpen usage down the stretch. They will need to be solid with the Blue Jays offensive struggles with runners in scoring position.
  • The offense was sparked by Brandon Belt (homered and drove in the 4th run), George Springer (scored twice, including the game winning run) and Alejandro Kirk.(drove in a run and scored a run)
  • How about Davis Schneider? He is giving every amateur athlete reason to hope and never give up on your dreams. It's not often that players selected in the 28th round play in the majors. Schneider has beaten the odds and is taking full advantage of the opportunity, with 5 hits, including a home run in his first big league at-bat, in his first 8 AB. He even made a nice play on the fly in the 5th inning. It's a likely he'll be optioned back to AAA-ball once Bo Bichette is ready to return from his knee injury, but in the meantime, Schneider is playing with zero pressure and just soaking in the experience.
  • George Springer may be heating up at the right time. After struggling mightily and being dropped from the leadoff spot, Springer has hits in 3 of his last 4 games
  • The Blue Jays were 5-12 with runners in scoring position
  • Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 3 games and complete their 7th series sweep of the season. Chris Bassitt starts for the Blue Jays. The Red Sox have yet to name a starter.

Game #112 Toronto Blue Jays (61-50) @ Boston Red Sox (57-52)

 

Thursday, August 3, 2023

Game #110 - Baltimore Orioles (67-42) @ Toronto Blue Jays (60-50) - game recap

 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in the Blue Jays only run in a 6-1 loss to the Orioles, who have won every series against the Blue Jays this season and clinched the season series two days ago.

After a solid win over the Orioles yesterday,  the Blue Jays were going for 2 straight wins and a series split, as well as a win to end the home stand. Kevin Gausman got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad was back in the field after DH'ing yesterday (Brandon Belt served as DH today). Could the Blue Jays make it two straight wins, earn the series split and end the home stand with a win? Here is today's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

  • The Orioles opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd as Austin Hays singled scoring Ryan Mountcastle
  • Three batters later, Adley Rutschman singled home Adam Frazier. Hays was thrown out at home on the play
  • The Orioles added a run in the top of the 5th on a sac fly by Mountcastle that scored Gunnar Henderson
  • Kevin Gausman pitching line: 4.1IP 8H 3R (all earned) 2BB 6K 103 pitches (66 for strikes)
  • The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 6th as Vladimir Guerrero Jr singled scoring Kevin Kiermaier
  • Jack Flaherty pitching line: 6IP 4H 1R (earned) 2BB 8K 92 pitches (61 for strikes)
  • The Orioles added a run in the top of the 8th on a squeeze play sac bunt by Ryan McKenna that scored Hays
  • The Orioles added a run in the top of the 9th on a sac fly by Frazier that scored Colton Cowser
  • A batter later, Hays doubled scoring Mountcastle
  • Final score: Orioles 6 Blue Jays 1

My Take:

  • Kevin Gausman battled through 4,1 innings, giving up 3 runs on 8 his while walking 2 and striking out 6. He retired the first four batters of the game before allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and a walk in the 2nd inning. He also got into a bases loaded jam in the 4th with one out but escaped that inning without allowing a run. Certainly not his best start, but not his worst of the season either. 
  • The bullpen gave up 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 his while walking 1 and striking out 4. The bulk of the damage was against Thomas Hatch, who was tagged for the three runs and five of the hits and the walk. He could be the next pitcher DFA'd. If he can't be trusted in a low leverage situation, he is useless to the team.
  • Offensively, the Blue Jays only run was a 6th inning RBI single off the bat off Vlad. Paul DeJong is still looking for his first hit in a Blue Jays uniform. Whit Merrifield was the only Blue Jays batter to reach base more than once (He had 2 hits)
  • The Blue Jays were 1-7  with runners in scoring position
  • Up next, the Blue Jays head to Fenway Park, where they will be looking for their first win of the season against the Red Sox, who have outscored the Blue Jays 49-29 thus far this season. Alek Manoah starts against Red Sox lefty and Blue Jays killer James Paxton

Game #110 Baltimore Orioles (66-42) @ Toronto Blue Jays (60-49)

 

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Game #109 - Baltimore Orioles (66-42) @ Toronto Blue Jays (60-49) - game recap

 

Yusei Kikuchi threw 6 solid innings in a 4-1 victory over the Orioles

After a blowout loss yesterday on Hyun-Jin Ryu's return to the majors following Tommy John surgery,  the Blue Jays were looking to snap a three game skid.  Bo Bichette was placed on the 10-day ILwith rightknee patellar tendonitis (retroactive to August 1). Paul DeJong from his roster spot and started at SS tonight. Nate Pearson was optioned to AAA- ball and Thomas Hatch was recalled in his place. Yusei Kikuchi got the start with Danny Jansen behind the plate. Vlad got the half day off as DH with Brandon Belt at 1B. Could the Blue Jays snap the three game skid? Here is tonight's game recap. 

Game Highlights:

  • The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 4th as George Springer singled scoring Brandon Belt 
  • The Orioles tied it up in the top of the 5th as Adley Rutschman singled scoring James McCann
  • The Blue Jays retook the lead in the bottom of the 6th as Matt Chapman was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded forcing in Belt
  • A batter later,  Danny Jansen was hit by a pitch forcing in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 
  • A batter after that, Springer scored on a fielder's choice hit by Daulton Varsho
  • Grayson Rodriguez pitching line: 5.2IP 2H 3R (all earned) 2BB 6K 96 pitches (63 for strikes)
  • Yusei Kikuchi pitching line: 6IP 6H 1R (earned) 1BB 3K 91 pitches (60 for strikes)
  • Erik Swanson pitched a scoreless 9th for his 3rd save of the season
  • Final score: Blue Jays 4 Orioles 1

My Take:

  • Yusei Kikuchi threw 6 solid innings,  giving up a run on 6 hits while walking 1 and striking out 3. After allowing a one out single in the 1st inning, Kikuchi retired the next 6 batters. He didn't get into too many hands, other than the 3rd inning where he allowed a hit and a walk with 2 outs before getting Anthony Santander to ground out to 3B, and the 5th inning when he gave up his only run. I would consider Kikuchi for a playoff start in the divisional round, especially if the Blue Jays were up a game or two in the series. Definitely he'd make the playoff roster.
  • The bullpen was much better tonight after blowing up last night, holding the Orioles to a hit and a walk in the last 3 innings. Jordan Hicks redeemed himself after allowing a couple of runs in his Blue Jays debut last night, walking a batter and striking out a batter in his inning of work. Erik Swanson got the save and got the final out of the game by picking off Jordan Westburg at 1st base. That's the beauty of baseball, if you have a bad game,  you usually don't have to wait long to redeem yourself (unless you are a starting pitcher)
  • The Blue Jays offense literally laid their bodies on the line to win this one. Both Danny Jansen and Matt Chapman were hit by pitches in the 6th inning with the bases loaded. George Springer finally got the monkey off his back, snapping an 0-35 hitless drought dating back to July 22. You could see the absolute relief on his face when he got the RBI single. 
  • Paul DeJong was 0-3 in his Blue Jays debut.  He was involved in 2 plays defensively tonight
  • Up next, the Blue Jays go for two straight wins. Kevin Gausman starts against Orioles righty Jack Flaherty