Ten weekly random thoughts: Week 22 - August 26-September 1

It was reunion week at the Rog with several ex-Blue Jays returning to the 6ix. On Tuesday, Josh Donaldson played his first game in Toronto since the August 31st, 2018 trade that sent him to Cleveland more on that later). Alex Antropolous, who was largely responsible for putting together the 2015 and 2016 teams that went as far as the ALCS, was also back in town, as were former trainers George Poulis and Mike Frostad. For some Canadian content, you had Vlad (born in Quebec when his father played for the Expos) and Freddie Freeman, who's parents are both Canadian. The Blue Jays and Braves split the 2 games here with a pair slated for Monday and Tuesday this week in Atlanta. On the weekend, the Houston Astros came to town along with ex-Blue Jays Roberto Osuna and Joe Biagini. Aaron Sanchez, who is rehabbing a pectoral injury, did not make the trip. The two teams split the first two games and Sunday's rubber match was dominated by Justin Verlander, who threw his 3rd career no-hitter and 2nd vs. the Blue Jays (the first coming here as a member of the Detroit Tigers). To makeSunday's gem even more impressive, Verlander became the 5th starter all-time to get 250 strikeouts in a single season five times. Looking at the week ahead, as mentioned,the Blue Jays play their final interleague games of the season this week in Atlanta. They then travel to Tampa Bay on a rare Wednesday off-day to begin a 4-game series at the Trop. The Blue Jays completed the trade for Eric Sogard this weekend, acquiring righties Curtis Taylor (from Port Coquitlam, BC; 0-3 with a 3.06ERA in 15 games this season in AA-ball in 2019) and Edisson Gonzalez (4-2 with a 2.45ERA in lower A-ball in 2019). Sogard is batting .307 with 3HR and 9RBI in 27 games since the trade. The Blue Jays took 2 of 3 from the Rays at the Trop a month ago. Here are ten random thoughts from week 22 of the MLB

Game #139 Toronto Blue Jays (55-84) @ Atlanta Braves (85-54) - game recap

Josh Donaldson was 1-3 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI in a 6-3 win over the Blue Jays

After splitting two games with the Braves in Toronto a week ago, the Blue Jays opened a mini 2-game series in Atlanta that will mark the end of interleague play for the Blue Jays this season. The Blue Jays are an abysmal 3-15 in interleague play this season and were swept by the Diamondbacks, Rockies and Dodgers. Today's game pitted Canadian righty Mike Soroka against Blue Jays righty Jacob Waguespack. Fittingly, both Waguespack and Soroka were the losing pitchers in the 2-game mini series last week at the Roger's center. Vlad was given the complete day off with Brandon Drury at 3B and no DH due to playing in an NL ballpark and under NL rules. Justin Smoak got the start at 1B, Danny Jansen was behind the plate and Billy McKinney was in right field. Could the Blue Jays beat Canadian Mike Soroka for the second time in a week or would the Braves prevail over Jacob Waguespack for the second time in a week? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Braves opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Josh Donaldson smashed a 2-run blast to  dead center also scoring Ozzie Albies
• The Braves added a pair of runs in the bottom of the 3rd that scored Albies and Donaldson
• The Blue Jays got a run back in the top of the 4th as Randal Grichuk smacked a solo shot to left
• The Blue Jays got a run back in the top of the 5th as Rowdy Tellez annihilated a solo bomb to right-center
• Three batters later, Bo Bichette scored on a sac fly by Randal Grichuk
• Jacob Waguespack pitching line: 4IP 1H 4R (2 earned) 5BB 4K 87 pitches (54 for strikes)
• Mike Soroka pitching line: 5IP 5H 3R (all earned) 2BB 6K 89 pitches (52 for strikes)
• The Braves added a pair of runs in the bottom of the 8th as pinch hitter Johan Camargo lined a 2-run drive over the wall and into the Blue Jays bullpen also scoring Donaldson
• Mark Melancon struck out the side in a perfect 9th for his 9th save of the season
• Final score: Braves 6 Blue Jays 3

My Take:

• Jacob Waguespack battled his way through 4 innings, giving up four runs on one hit and a costly fielding error by Brandon Drury while walking 5 and striking out 4. Wags command wasn't great and he didn't help himself by walking 5 batters, including walking the bases loaded in the 3rd with 1 out, thus putting more pressure on the defense to make a play. The walk to Ozzie Albies in the 1st allowed Josh Donaldson to come to bat and hit the 2-run HR that opened the scoring. It appeared Wags was overthrowing his pitches.
• Video replay went both for and against the Blue Jays. In the top of the 7th, the Braves challenged a line drive hit by Rafael Ortega that replay confirmed was just a bit foul. Ortega walked and later stole second base and replays confirmed that the tag by Cavan Biggio was just late (it was the correct call)
• Errors absolutely killed the Blue Jays. A fielding error by Drury in the 3rd directly led to 2 runs. In the 8th, Bo Bichette booted a ground ball hit by JD and the next batter, Johan Camargo hit a 2-run HR that put the game out of reach. Ryan Tepera also had a throwing error, but no runs scored because of it or after. I get it's getting late in the season, but attention to detail still matters. I wonder if Charlie Montoyo will bench anyone tomorrow to send a message
• Bo Bichette was the only Blue Jay to get on base multiple times, hitting a single leading off the game and drew a walk in the 5th
• Tepera lowered his ERA to 6.00 with a scoreless inning where he walked a batter and stuck out the side. Nice outing in his first MLB game in over 2 months
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to even the season series and this mini series as Mike Foltynewicz, who beat the Blue Jays a week ago goes for the Braves. The Blue Jays will have a bullpen day. Expect Clayton Richard to pitch for the first time in a month as he was activated from the 10-day IL today. Thomas Pannone and Sammy G might also pitch a couple of innings

#139 - Toronto Blue Jays (55-83) at Atlanta Braves (84-54)

Monday, September 2, 2019 | 1:20 pm ET

SunTrust Park | Cumberland, Georgia

Jacob Waguespack (4-2, 3.93, 1.25) vs. Mike Soroka (10-3, 2.44, 1.09)

PREAMBLE:

The Blue Jays, after running into Justin Verlander, head to Atlanta for a two-game mini-series against the Braves, who they just saw last week in Toronto.  The teams split last week's series with each of today's starting pitchers losing their matchup.

Jacob Waguespack takes the ball for the Jays as he looks to atone for a rough outing last time out against the Braves.  Similarly, Mike Soroka, a Calgary kid, looks to get back on the winning track after being outduelled 3-1 by seven Jays pitchers.

Game #138 Houston Astros (89-49) @ Toronto Blue Jays (55-83) - game recap

Justin Verlander threw his 3rd career no-hitter and 2nd against the Blue Jays in a 2-0 shutout win Sunday afternoon

First, my weekly random thoughts posts will be delayed a day due to the early game tomorrow, but the content will end today. Anything that happens tomorrow will appear in next week's edition. After a win that felt like pulling teeth last night, the Blue Jays were looking to finish off the homestand with a victory. They were in tough facing Justin Verlander, who already no-hit the Blue Jays as a Detroit Tiger back on May 7, 2011. Justin Smoak was back at 1B with Rowdy Tellez serving as the DH today. Reese McGuire was behind the plate. Could the Blue Jays pull off a miracle? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• Wilmer Font pitching line: 2IP 1H 0R 1BB 3K 39 pitches (28 for strikes)
• The Astros took the lead in the top of the 9th as Abraham Toro slammed a 2-run blast to left-center also scoring Alex Bregman
• Justin Verlander pitching line: 9IP 0H 0R 1BB 14K 120 pitches (79 for strikes)
• Final score: Astros 2 Blue Jays 0

My Take:

• Wilmer Font pitched decent, allowing 1 hit and walking one over 2 innings work to set things up nicely for Sammy G, who pitched three perfect innings and struck out three.
• What can you say about Justin Verlander, who should be a future hall-of-famer. He had Blue Jays batters stymied all afternoon, striking out 14 batters, with his only blemush being a 1 out walk to Cavan Biggio in the 1st. He was stranded at 2nd base. The strikeout to Justin Smoak to end the 4th gave Verlander 250 on the year, making him the 5th pitcher to reach the single season milestone five times. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap and say you were simply beaten by a better opponent.
• Up next, the Blue Jays hit the road for a mini 2-game series in Atlanta that will finish off the interleague schedule for the year. The Braves and Blue Jays split the 2 games at the beginning of the week here in Toronto. Tomorrow's matinee is a rematch of last Tuesday's tilt with Canadian righty Mike Soroka pitching against Blue Jays righty Jacob Waguespack.

#138 - Houston Astros (88-49) at Toronto Blue Jays (55-82)

J.R. Richard - one of the great what-ifs

Sunday, September 1, 2019 | 1:07 pm ET

Rogers Centre | Toronto, Ontario

Justin Verlander (16-5, 2.69, 0.80) vs. Wilmer Font (opener, 1-1, 2.70, 1.07 as a Jay)

PREAMBLE:

The Blue Jays look to secure a series win in the finale of a three-game series against the Houston Astros.  Cavan Biggio homered in each of the first two games with his father, Craig, watching stoically in the stands (hey, he works for the Astros).  Can he make it three straight and help the Jays take the series?

Wilmer Font will get the ball to open the game and then turn things over to either Zack Godley (4-5, 6.17 ERA) or Sam Gaviglio (4-2, 4.66 ERA); both are likely to pitch today.  Justin Verlander is on the bump for the Astros - he's having a potential Cy Young season, but he's gone 0-4, 6.07 in five starts against the Jays dating back to 2013.  Even with a no-hitter against the Jays, Verlander is a career 3-6, 4.73 in 13 starts against the Jays.