Game #157 - Toronto Blue Jays (77-80) @ Baltimore Orioles (76-81) - game recap

 

Nathan Lukes drove in a run and scored a run in a losing effort as the Orioles came from behind to defeat the Blue Jays 4-3 

After a massive win thanks to a 4-run 7th inning rally, the Blue Jays were looking to extend the win streak to 2 games as they opened the final road series of the season in Baltimore. The Blue Jays have won 6 of the first 10 games in the season series, with the Orioles outscoring the Blue Jays 53-52. Joe Mantiply was DFA'd and Trey Yesavage was reinstated off the 15-day IL. Spencer Arrighetti was assigned to the spring training complex and Chad Dallas was recalled from AAA-ball. Trey Yesavage got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. George Springer was back in the lineup as DH after the complete day off Sunday. Vlad got the complete day off to rest a sore back with Sean Keys at 1B. Could the Blue Jays extend the win streak to 2 games? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights: 

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 1st as Nathan Lukes singled scoring Brett Bateman
• A batter later, George Springer singled scoring Alejandro Kirk 
• A batter after that, Lukes scored on a sac fly by Sean Keys
• The Orioles got one back in the bottom half of the inning as Pete Alonso whacked a solo blast to the opposite field in right
• Trey Yesavage pitching line: 2IP 1H 1R (earned) 0BB 3K 40 pitches (26 for strikes)
• The Orioles got one back in the bottom of the 6th as Gunnar Henderson belted a solo jack to right
• Shane Baz pitching line: 6.2IP 5H 3R (all earned) 3BB 2K 92 pitches (59 for strikes)
• The Orioles took the lead in the bottom of the 8th as Alonso smashed a 2-run blast to left; also scoring Christian Franklin
• Rico Garcia threw a perfect 9th for his 10th save of the season
• Final score: Orioles 4 Blue Jays 3

My Take:-

• Trey Yesavage got through the first 2 innings, albeit not without a scar with him slipping on the wet mound. Yesavage gave up a run on a hit, walked none and struck out 3. Assuming he's feeling good the next few days, he should get one more start Saturday with about the same pitch limit.
• The bullpen gave up 3 runs on 5 hits while walking 2 and striking out 7 over the last 6 innings. Brendan Cellucci continues to impress, recording 4 outs and striking out 3 batters. Tyler Rogers was tagged with the loss.
• Thr offense strung together 3 runs in the 1st inning and did nothing after that. When you have a pitcher on the ropes, you have to finish the job and get him out of the game. O's starter Shane Baz was at 50 pitches through 2 innings and was able to pitch into the 7th inning. The Blue Jays got half their hits in the 1st inning for crying out loud
• The Blue Jays were 1-2 on ABS challenges and O's catcher Carlos Narvaez was unsuccessful on the Orioles only ABS challenge
• The Blue Jays were 2-7 with runners in scoring position
• In terms of the wild card race, The Blue Jays lost a half game to the Astros, Rangers, Guardians and White Sox, who were all idle tonight and are 3.5 (effectively 4.5 games back of the White Sox since they hold the tiebreaker) for the 3rd WC spot
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to even the series and avoid their 25th series loss of the season. It will be a battle of fantasy football commissioners with Max Scherzer starting against Orioles righty Chris Bassitt.

Game #156 Toronto Blue Jays (77-79) @ Baltimore Orioles (75-81)

- Game #156 - Toronto Blue Jays (77-79) @ Texas Rangers (78-78) - game recap

 

-Nathan Lukes drove in 2 runs and scored twice in a 7-2 win over the Rangers

After another loss due to a subpar start from Jose Soriano, the Blue Jay were looking to snap the 2 game skid and avoid being swept for the 4th time and 1st time in a season series. It was bullpen day (again) with Spencer Miles getting the start and Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate. Josh Smith was in LF and Ernie Clement was at 2B. Could the Blue Jays snap the 2 game skid and avoid being swept for the 4th time and 1st time in a season series? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the top of the 1st on a sac fly by Nathan Lukes that scored Brett Bateman
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 3rd as Sean Keys doubled scoring Lukes
• Spencer Miles pitching line: 3IP 2H 0R 0BB 4K 46 pitches (30 for strikes)
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was removed from the game prior to the bottom of the 4th with left lower back tightness
• The Rangers tied it in the bottom of the 4th as Jake Burger whacked a 2-run blast to left-center; also scoring Ezequiel Duran
• The Blue Jays retook the lead in the top of the 5th as Kazuma Okamoto singled scoring Bateman
• Jacob deGrom pitching line: 4.1IP 5H 3R (all earned) 4BB 2K 82 pitches (53 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the top of the 7th as Lukes singled scoring Bateman
• Three batters later, Charles McAdoo doubled scoring Myles Straw and Lukes
• A batter later, Andres Gimenez singled home McAdoo
• Final score: Blue Jays 7 Rangers 2

My Take:

• Spencer Miles did exactly what the Blue Jays needed him to do - make it through 3 innings. He gave up 2 hits, walked none and struck out 4. He has been the most invaluable pitcher and certainly stretching him out as a starter could be a viable option for him next season. Miles will be needed 2-3 more times in bullpen days with news that Dylan Cease will not make his scheduled start Wednesday in Baltimore with his shoulder not feeling right. Trey Yesavage will also be able to help some too, but the team won't push him either with just days left in the season.
• The rest of the bullpen gave up 2 runs on 5 hits while walking 4 and striking out 3 over the last 6 innings. The already exhausted bullpen is going to have to get a lot more outs with Cease now at least being pushed back and likely done for the year, especially if the Blue Jays are all but eliminated from the playoffs by Wednesday or Thursday. Paul Sewald retired every batter he faced
• Offensively, the Blue Jays strung together a 4-run rally in the 7th inning to put this game out of reach. Nathan Lukes (2 runs scored, 2RBI), Charles McAdoo (2 run double) and Kazuma Okamoto (knocked in the game-winning run) led the way. Depending on the health of Vlad, George Springer and Andres Gimenez - McAdoo, Davis Schneider and Straw might get some playing time in these important games this week. Obviously Vlad will want to play if at all possible.
• The Rangers were successful in their only ABS challenge and the Blue Jays were unsuccessful in their only ABS challenge.
• The Blue Jays were 4-13 with runners in scoring position
• In terms of the wild card race, the Blue Jays stayed alive with the win. They remain 3 (technically 4 since the White Sox hold the tiebreaker over the Blue Jays) games back of the 3rd WC spot since the White Sox won their game. The White Sox remain a game back of the Guardians for the AL Central division title since the Guardians won their game. The Astros (lost today) are also 3 back of the White Sox (tiebreaker still to be determined between the Astros and Blue Jays) and one game back of the Rangers for the AL West title (Astros have the tiebbreaker over the Rangers). The Orioles (currently losing) are 4.5 games back of the final WC spot for the moment and will fall back to 5 games back if the score holds or be 4 games back if they comeback and beay Milwaukee.
• Up next, the Blue Jays travel to Baltimore for the final road series of the season. Implications for the series are huge. The Blue Jays have won 6 of the first 10 games in the season series with the Orioles outscoring the Blue Jays 53-52. One win by the Blue Jays secures the season series win and the tiebreaker over the Orioles. However, if the Orioles sweep the series (and they'll have plenty of incentive to do so to either keep their slim playoff hopes alive or deal a serious blow to the chances of a fierce division rival), they could overtake the Blue Jays in the wild card race. The Astros, Rangers, Guardians and White Sox are all idle tomorrow so a win would be a free half game gain in the wild card standings. Trey Yesavage is expected to come off the IL and start for the Blue Jays. Max Scherzer starts against Orioles righty and ex-Blue Jay starter Chris Bassitt (a battle of fantasy football commissioners too!)

Game #156 Toronto Blue Jays (76-79) @ Texas Rangers (78-77)

 

Game #155 - Toronto Blue Jays (76-79) @ Texas Rangers (78-77) - game recap

 

Davis Schneider hit a solo home run in a 6-2 loss to the Rangers

After a tough loss yesterday due to a bd start from ace Dylan Cease and an even worse effort from the offense, the Blue Jays were looking to even the series and avoid their 23rd series loss of the season. Jose Soriano got the start with Alejandro Kirk behind the plate. Andres Gimenez was back in the lineup at SS after a couple of days off to rest a sore hamstring. Could the Blue Jays even the series and avoid their 23rd series loss of the season? Here is tonight's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Rangers opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Josh Jung whacked a solo blast to the opposite field in right
• Cal Quantrill pitching line: 1.1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K 12 pitches (7 for strikes) (left the game injured) 
• The Rangers added a run in the bottom of the 2nd on a throwing error by Andres Gimenez on a ball hit by Danny Jansen that scored Wyatt Langford
• A batter later, Nicky Lopez scored on a wild pitch by Jose Soriano
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 6th as Alejandro Kirk singled scoring Andres Gimenez
• Thc Rangers added a run in the bottom half of the inning as Langford doubled scoring Jung
• Three batters later, Brandon Nimmo was forced in after Jansen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded
• A batter later, Langford scored on a sac fly by Evan Carter
• Jose Soriano pitching line: 5IP 4H 6R (5 earned) 1BB 8K 80 pitches (50 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays got one back in the top of the 7th as Davis Schneider whacked a solo blast to left\
• Final score: Rangers 6 Blue Jays 2

My Take:

• Jose Soriano battled through 5 innings, giving up 6 runs on 4 hits while walking 1 and striking out 8. One of the runs against was on him completely, uncorking a wild pitch to make it 3-0. Soriano must have been frustrated to be taken deep with 2 outs in the 1st inning and then to see Ernie Clement throw the ball away for the game's second run in the 2nd inning (anyone missing Bo Bichette?). He did settle down after the throwing error to retire 8 in a row. Soriano will get one more start in the final weekend of the season.
• The bullpen gave up a hit and 3 walks in 3 (mostly) scoreless innings - although Paul Sewald was on the mound when the Rangers 5th and 6th runs came across the plate, but the runs were charged to Soriano. Brendan Cellucci did well to escape a jam due to walking a pair of batters in the 9th. The rookie has looked good in the three games he's pitched. I'd keep him low leverage to let him keep building confidence.
• The bats don't look like they are good enough to carry the Blue Jays to the playoffs. Alejandro Kirk had a third of the Blue Jays hits and drove in half the runs. Davis Scheider went deep for the Blue Jays other run. At least Vlad showed some hustle running from 1st to 3rd. Bottom 4 in the lineup were a combined 1-13.
• Alejandro Kirk successfully overturned both of the Blue Jays ABS challenges. The Rangers did not attempt an ABS challenge
• The Blue Jays were 1-4 with runners in scoring position
• In terms of the wild card race, both the Guardians and White Sox won, so the Chisox remain a game back of the Guardians for the AL Central title. With the win, the Rangers took over top spot in the AL West, placing the Astros (lost today) in the wild card race and 2 games back of the White Sox for the 3rd WC spot.The Blue Jays are 3 games back (techically 4 due to the White Sox owning the tiebreaker for winning the season series. The Orioles (lost today) are 4 games back of the 3rd WC spot.
• Up next, the Blue Jays try to snap the 2-game skid and avoid being swept for the 4th time this season and first in a season series. It will be yet another bullpen day with Spencer Miles as the opener. The Rangers will counter with righty Jacob deGrom