TORONTO – When high quality beginning pitching is paired with small ball, some satisfying, hard-fought wins will typically comply with. But as soon as the standard of pitching drops off, bunts, sac flies and singles are not sufficient to beat large deficits and momentum disappears shortly.
On Sunday afternoon, the Blue Jays skilled that disappointment first-hand because the visiting Seattle Mariners rocked beginning pitcher Easton Lucas and the Toronto offence had no solutions on their strategy to an 8-3 loss in entrance of 25,752. Whereas reliever Paxton Schultz stepped up with 4.1 excellent innings to maintain the sport shut in his MLB debut, the Blue Jays nonetheless misplaced the collection finale, falling to 12-10 on the season earlier than flying south to Houston.
Massive image, the Blue Jays are nonetheless in a fairly great spot contemplating the standard of their opposition thus far this season, however this loss does increase questions about their beginning rotation and their offence.
On the pitching facet, Lucas was hit exhausting instantly, permitting a house run, a double and one other house run to the primary three hitters he confronted. In every occasion, he left hittable pitches over the guts of the plate and Dylan Moore, Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh made him pay with loud contact and three early runs.
By the point Lucas left the sport, he’d allowed two walks and 7 hits on his strategy to six earned runs and his worst begin as a Blue Jay. Whereas his stuff can work when it’s situated completely, Lucas doesn’t overpower hitters, so he can’t afford to overlook middle-middle the best way he did Sunday.
It was solely because of Schultz that this sport stayed shut as late because it did. The proper-handed reliever was added to the staff’s 40-man roster a pair of hours earlier than the sport, and ended up contributing ahead of anticipated with a clutch, scoreless aid efficiency during which he struck out eight Mariners and allowed solely two hits.
“I am excited for him,” stated catcher Tyler Heineman, who contributed three hits within the loss. “He is a bulldog. He competes with no matter he is acquired that day and provides it the whole lot he is acquired.”
How the Blue Jays proceed with their fifth rotation spot isn’t but clear, however they’ve choices forward of subsequent weekend’s collection towards the Yankees. Max Scherzer isn’t near rejoining the rotation, so it’s attainable Lucas might get one other begin and Schultz now deserves consideration, too. Prospect Jake Bloss pitched effectively at triple-A Sunday and is already on the 40-man roster, however given his gradual begin with Buffalo (7.31 ERA), extra seasoning within the minors could also be preferable.
If the Blue Jays are comfy pushing their veteran starters a bit of tougher, they might use upcoming off days to skip the fifth spot within the rotation whereas beginning Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt in New York on common relaxation. In that situation, the Blue Jays would give their established arms much less relaxation however they might get away with no fifth starter till Might 3.
Within the meantime, the Blue Jays should additionally discover methods to hit for extra energy. They do different issues effectively offensively, as evidenced by their 11 hits Sunday, together with two apiece from Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., however they didn’t hit a house run within the collection finale, so that they rank twenty ninth among the many 30 MLB groups with solely 12 house runs by 22 video games.
Till that adjustments, there shall be continued strain on the pitching workers to carry out at their best possible. Sadly for the Blue Jays, Lucas wasn’t as much as that problem this time.
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