Game #88 - Toronto Blue Jays (42-46) @ Seattle Mariners (45-44) - game recap

 

After an off-day/travel day yesterday, the Blue Jays began a west coast swing in Seattle against the Mariner, a rematch of the ALCS that propelled the Blue Jays to an opportunity for their 3rd world series of which they fell inches short. In the regular season, the Blue Jays won the season series outscoring the Mariners 31-24. Dylan Cease got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. The rest of the lineup was the same as Wednesday's Canada Day blowout against Bo Bichette and the Mets. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 2 games and start te west coast swing with a win? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd as Andres Gimenez doubled scoring Sean Keys
• Two batters later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled home Gimenez
• Luis Castillo pitching line; 6IP 5H 2R (both earned) 1BB 4K 101 pitches (712 for strikes) 
• Dylan Cease pitching line: 7IP 3H 0R 1BB 9K 102 pitches (70 for strikes)
• Louis Varland threw a scoreless 9th for his 18th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 2 Mariners 0

My Take:

• Dylan Cease fired 7 shutout innings, scattering 3 hits, walking 1 and striking out 9.  He hit into a jam in the bottom of the 3rd but pitched his way out of it witth the help of a nice double play executed behind him. That was really his only stressful inning and Cease retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced
• The bullpen held the Mariners to a walk and a hit while striking out 3 over the last 2 innings. Hoffman was placed on the highest leverage situation he's been in for a while, pitching the 8th with a 2- run lead. Hopefully John Schneider keeps him where he is and doesn't try to make him a closer again.
• The sputtering offense got two clutch base hits off the bats of Vlad and Andres Gimenez. Maybe just maybe Vlad is starting to slowly turn it around, but he is still executing far below what one should expect someone paid aikm to stars like Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto, who have been earning their mega deals a lot better. Vlad basically had his career year in 2021; a year where the Blue Jays were playing their home games in minor league ballparks due to the COVID-19 restrictions. He is almost certainly playing through something and should seriously consider an IL stint to get over whatever the ailment is so he can better help the team. No one should be questioning his commitment to trying to improve - Guerrero Jr. has been spent hours in the batting cage - perhaps too much time.  Maybe he should try some video sessions to try and find the flaw in his swing.
• The Mariners Randy Arozarena was unsuccessful in both his ABS challenges and Alejandro Kirk successfully overturned the Blue Jays only ABS challenge.  Mariners manager Dan Wilson can't be happy that Arozarena blew both their ABS challenges
• The Blue jays were 1-4 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to extend the win streak to 3 games and notch their 11th series win of the season. Shane Bieber starts against Mariners righty Logan  Gilbert 

Game #88 - Toronto Blue Jays (41- 46) @ Seattle Mariners (45 -43)

 

Hey Cito, my swing doesn't need to be fixed.

Time for a little JiTH after dark baseball.

The embark on a nine game west coast road swing.

Without getting too dire this trip could pretty much sum up the season for the team as they head into the all star break.

So with everyone not having any duties and responsibilities to attend to settle in and enjoy some left coast baseball.

Game #87 - NY Mets (36-51) @ Toronto Blue Jays (41-46) - game recap

 

Sean Keys hit a 3-run HR for his first career HR in a 9-3 rout over the Mets

After a shutout loss yesteday due to another lacklustre effort by the offense, the Blue Jays were looking to notch their 10th series win of the season and extend their winning streak on Canada Day to 2 games. George Springer was placed on the paternity list and Jonathan Clase was recalled from AAA-ball. It was a bullpen day with Brayden Fisher starting and Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Vlad was back in the lineup at 1B after being removed from yesterday's lineup with back tightness. Kazuma Okamoto was also back at the hot corner after a day off yesterday. Ernie Clement was at 2B and Sean Keys served as DH. Could the Blue Jays notch their 10th series win of the season and extend their winning streak on Canada Day to 2 games? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Kazuma Okamoto singled scoring Nathan Lukes
• Brayden Fisher pitching line: 1IP 0H 0R 1BB 1K 14 pitches (7 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 3rd as Ernie Clement doubled scoring Okamoto
• A batter later, Sean Keys whacked a 3-run blast to the opposite field in left and into the Blue Jays bullpen; also scoring Clement and Alejandro Kirk
• Freddy Peralta pitching line: 4IP 7H 5R (all earned) 3BB 4K 91 pitches (52 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 7th as Daulton Varsho singled scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• Two batters later, Myles Straw smacked a 3-run blast to left-center; also scoring Varsho and Kirk
• The Mets got a pair back in the top of the 8th as Carson Benge belted a 2-run jack to the opposite field in left-center; also scoring Brett Baty
• The Mets got one back in the 9th inning as Francisco Lindor hammered a solo bomb to the second deck in left
• Patrick Corbin pitched the last 5 innings for his 1st save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 9 Mets 3

My Take:

• The Blue Jays were forced, due to a struggling Patrick Corbin who was moved to the bullpen, to have another bullpen day. Brayden Fisher pitched the first inning, walking a batter on 14 pitches. He might have started the 2nd inning, but the offense was at bat a long time and the team had a couple of pitchers who could go a few innings today.
• The two pitchers in question were Spencer Miles, who pitched three shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk. Corbin notched the 5-inning save and gave up 3 runs on 4 hits. Both relievers struck out 5 batters each. Kudos to both for saving the rest of the bullpen for the upcoming west coast road trip.
• The offense exploded n a big way just like last year when they pumped 12 runs on the board against the Yankees. Today, rookie Sean Keys went the opposite way for his first career HR in the 3rd inning and Myles Straw added 3 more in a similar spot in the 7th inning. Up and down the lineup everyone contributed
• Everyone in the starting lineup except Yohendrick Pinago reached base and all but Pinago and Andres Gimenez had a hit
• Alejandro Kirk was unsuccessful on the only ABS challenge of the day
• The Blue Jays were 5-9 with runners in scoring position
• Up next, after an off-day/travel day tomorrow, the Blue Jays head to Seattle for a rematch of last year's ALCS that propelled the Blue Jays to an opportunity for their 3rd world series of which they fell inches short. In the regular season, the Blue Jays won the season series outscoring the Mariners 31-24. Dylan Cease starts for the Blue Jays. The Mariners haven't set their rotation for the series yet.

Game #87 - New York Mets (36-50) @ Toronto Blue Jays (40-46)

 

I miss that smile....put him in the HOF already!

I gotta be honest with you...this team's offense is painful to watch.

How painful?

This painful.

So as we try to win this series let's remember that a win would bring this ten game homestand to a 3-7 record. Ugh. Many beds have been shat in.

On the plus side at least Gausman looked a fuck ton better last night.

Of note: No Georgie as he's on the paternity list.

His post season was a success both on and off the field in 2025.

I doubt many of you will subject yourself to viewing the game today as it's...

CANADA DAY!!!

The best flag ever...but I'm biased.

Some fun Jays Canada Day facts...

Overall record on Canada Day: 16-29

At home on Canada Day: 14-9

And for historical reference...29 years ago the Jays and Expos faced each other for the first and only time on Canada Day in 1997.

It was a pitchers duel between Roger Clemens and Jeff Juden.

The Jays lost 2-1 with Juden having struck out 14 Jays batters....some things never change.

With that said I wish everyone a very happy Canada Day and for those in Southern Ontario (even Fergus) stay hydrated!! It's nasty out there.

Game #86 - NY Mets (36-50) @ Toronto Blue Jays (40-46) - game recap

Kevin Gausman fired 6 strong innings in a 3-0 shutout loss to the Mets

After eking out a win yesterday on the strength of a 6.2 inning effort from starter Trey Yesavage and just enough offense to carry the day, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to two games and notch their 10th series win and 4th season series win of the season. Ace Kevin Gausman got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Sean Keys was added late lineup replacement for Vladimir Guerrero Jr, who was removed from the lineup with lower back tightness. Daulton Varsho was in CF, Ernie Clement was at the hot corner and Andres Gimenez got the start at SS. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 2 games and notch their 10th series win and 4th season series win of the season? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Mets opened the scoring in the top of the 5th as Francisco Alvarez hammered a solo bomb to dead center
• Kevin Gausman pitching line: 6IP 5H 1R (earned) 2BB 7K 96 pitches (65 for strikes)
• Nolan McLean pitching line: 6IP 5H 0R 2BB 7K 91 pitches (63 for strikes)
• The Mets added a run in the top of the 7th as Luis Torrens whacked a solo blast to the opposite field in right and into the Mets bullpen
• The Mets added a run in the top of the 9th on a sac fly by Brett Bat-y that scored AJ Ewing
• Devin Williams threw a scoreless 9th for his 12th save of the season
• Final score: Blue Jays 3 Mets 0

My Take:

• The pitching lines were virtually identical with both starters going 6 innings, giving up 5 hits, walking 2 and striking out 7. The difference was one of the hits off Kevin Gausman left the ballpark. Gausman also threw 5 more pitches (96 vesus 91) and got 2 more strikes (65 for Gausman). It was a better start for Gausman, who has experienced a regression in performance (due to age? injury? other factors?). Tonight's start could be important if the Blue Jays decide to sell at the deadline if they hit the all-star break still creeping along. 
• The bullpen gave up 2 runs on 2 hits while walking 1 and striking out 4 over the last 3 innings. At this point, the Blue Jays are really just trying to work piecemeal with whichever armss are available and hope that the starteer is effective like Gausman was tonight. Buyers or sellers, the team needs some fresh bullpen arms for the stretch drive.
• The offense did nothing tonight, managing 8 total base runners. Luis Urias, who has made a good early impression since being acquired 10 days ago, was the only Blue Jay to reach base multiple times with 2 hits and a walk. The Blue Jays never advanced a runner past 2nd base
• The Blue Jays were a perfect 4-4 on ABS challenges with Alejandro Kirk overturning 3 calls for the pitchers. The Mets were unsuccessful on their only ABS challenge
• Quirky stat of the day: Both teams are a combined 0-25 with runners in scoring position. Will either team get a hit with a runner in scoring position tomorrow?
• Up next, the rubber match where the Blue Jays will be looking to extend the current and Canada day win streak to 2 games and notch their 10th series win and 4th season series win of the season. The Blue Jays have an overall record of 17-29 on Canada Day with no game on Canada Day in 1981 (player's strike) and 1993 (off-day) and 2020 (COVID-19 pandemic - season didn't start until end of July). It will be a bullpen day after the decision was made to move the struggling Patrick Corbin to the bullpen. Brayden Fisher, Spencer Miles or Adam Macko will likely come in as the opener. The Mets will counter with righty Freddy Peralta