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The 2019 MLB season has mercifully come to an end for the Blue Jays. The final week of play started with an epic 15 inning marathon that ended with Anthony Alford walking it off for his first career HR. The ball was flying out of the yard with a combined 10 home runs. Both teams used 9 relievers, and had the game dragged on much longer a position player probably would have pitched. If you like offensive displays, you would have loved watching this juggernaut. The next day, Baltimore snapped a 4 game losing streak against the Blue Jays as Dylan Bundy was his usual masterful self against the Blue Jays with a solid seven innings. Dwight Smith Jr. killed his former team with 2 runs scored, 3 hits and 3 RBI. Trey Mancini went 5-5 and drove in yet another run. Mancini finished the season series with 25 RBI against the Blue Jays. Toronto ended the season series against Baltimore with a victory. In a bit of a quirk, every run the Blue Jays scored was a leadoff home run to start an inning (Billy McKinney in the 1st and Rowdy Tellez in the 4th and 6th). Baltimore made things interesting in the 8th, scoring a pair of runs, including off a bases loaded walk. Luckily, Wilmer Font got Chris Davis to fly out to end the threat and Ken Giles struck out the side in the 9th. Tampa Bay came into the final series of the season needing a win or Cleveland loss to punch their ticket to the postseason. They got both with Cleveland getting pounded 8-2. Meanwhile, the Rays were their usual stingy self with patient AB's, scoring runs every which way (HR, single and a double error by Reese McGuire). The bats were pretty silent (4 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks). The next day, the Blue Jays jumped all over a Rays teams early that had clearly partied late into the night. Rays starter Ryan Yarborough gave up 3 runs on 4 hits in the 1st and and just 1 hi, 2 walks and a hit batter in his final 4 innings. Trent Thornton threw 5 shutout innings in his final start, but continues to struggle with command with 4 walks. Ken Giles appears to be back to full health (he retired the side in order on just 10 pitches). On the final day, it was fan appreciation day and the annual team awards were handed out. Randal Grichuk was named team MVP. He finished with a .232 average, 31HR and 80RBI. Ken Giles was pitcher of the year, finishing 2-3 with 23 saves and a 1.87ERA in 53 appearances. My personal choice would have been Tim Mayza, not for performance, but for being such a warrior. The rookie of the year was Bo Bichette, who finished batting .311 with 11HR and 21RBI in 46 games before a hit by pitch ended his season ten days prematurely. Finally, the most pleasant surprise award went to rookie Reese McGuire, who finished batting .299 with 5HR and 11RBI in 30 games. McGuire also threw out 5 of 19 would be base stealers. Several Blue Jays had strong games on the final day of play. Clay Buchholz threw five solid innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits while walking 1 and striking out 6. Teoscar Hernandez hit a big 3-run HR that proved to be the difference in the game. Justin Smoak hit a pair of RBI doubles. Breyvic Valera went 3-4, scored twice, drove in 2 runs and made a nice play defensively. Ryan Tepera pitched a perfect 9th on just 12 pitches, striking out 1. All in all, it was great to see the Blue Jays end a miserable season with a win. This post will be both a look back on the season that was and a look to the future. Here are ten random thoughts from week 26 of the MLB.
