The Blue Jays didn’t need a barrage to beat the Rays 3-1. Seven hits, three walks, and a run in three different innings was enough to get it done, and Shane Bieber did the heavy lifting from there.
Toronto scratched out its first run in the opening inning. Ernie Clement singled with two outs, George Springer drew a walk, and Alejandro Kirk brought Clement home with a dribbler down the third base line. Junior Caminero tried to bare hand it and missed, with Kirk reaching safely after what looked like a tougher play than it really was.
The Jays added another in the third. Yohendrick Yohendrick led off with a double - Toronto’s hardest-hit ball of the day at 108.2 mph - and later scored when Springer singled with two outs. Yohendrick also had the club’s second-hardest contact, a 106.8 mph groundout, and handled the leadoff spot well.
The final run came in the seventh. Myles Straw worked a walk after challenging a couple of pitches and getting the call, then stole second and scored on a Vladimir Guerrero single. Guerrero was caught stealing later, but with Toronto already up two and two outs, the attempt to get into scoring position wasn’t a problem.
Guerrero and Springer finished with two hits apiece. Clement, Kirk and Yohendrick supplied the others. The Jays struck out nine times, but by July standards it was a strong offensive night.
Bieber was even better. He went seven scoreless innings, allowed three hits and one earned run, and struck out three.
Toronto’s defense backed him up all night. Straw made a terrific catch in center field in the first, Okamoto turned in three excellent plays at third, and Clement added a strong play at short.
There were a couple of plays Toronto would probably like back. Yohendrick had a ball drop at his feet that was scored against the Jays, and Davis had one in left that should have been caught.
Tyler Rogers and Louis Varland finished it off with a clean inning apiece, neither allowing a baserunner. That gave Rogers a hold and Varland save number 21.
Bieber was lifted after 86 pitches, and while there was some grumbling about the move, the Jays clearly liked getting him out after a dominant start with two relievers who can keep the game clean behind him.
Jays of the Day went to Bieber, who posted a 0.35 WPA, and Springer, at 0.18. Rogers and Varland also earned honorary mention, along with Straw for the first-inning catch that may have changed the game if it had dropped.
The other award went to Urias at -0.09. Okamoto had the number too, but his three defensive gems kept him out of that discussion.
Next up, the Red Sox come to town for a three-game series. Trey Yesavage, 4-5 with a 3.78 ERA, will face Patrick Sandoval, who is 0-0 with a 4.82 ERA in just 9.1 innings.
In Other News...
Padres May Finally Be Closing In On The Rotation Help They Need
With the trade deadline approaching, the Padres are still trying to patch together a rotation that has been hit by injuries, and that search has naturally pushed them toward the market for a veteran arm. One name that has surfaced is Kevin Gausman, the Blue Jays right-hander who would bring a track record of big-game experience and, at least for Toronto, a tempting chance to turn an expiring contract into future value.
Gausmans situation gives the Blue Jays a real deadline decision to weigh, especially with the veteran set to reach free agency after the season. Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden has tied him to San Diego as part of a broader list of clubs that could be in the mix, which makes Torontos next move worth watching closely as the market for starting pitching begins to tighten. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Letting Ty France Walk Looks Even Worse Now
Ty France is making Torontos old decision look a lot sharper in hindsight, because the first baseman the Blue Jays let walk last offseason has turned into one of the more productive bats on San Diegos roster. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. locked in at first for Toronto and other roster needs to sort through, the Jays moved on from France and watched him land elsewhere, where he has hit well enough to put himself back on the radar around the league.
Now the wrinkle is that France may not even stay put long enough for the Padres to fully enjoy the payoff. San Diego is hanging around the playoff picture but not firmly in it, and Frances value has climbed enough that he is being viewed as a possible deadline trade chip. For a Blue Jays club still looking for more offense, it is another reminder that letting a usable bat get away can come back into focus fast. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Prospect Is Drawing The Kind Of Buzz Fans Crave
JoJo Parker is already giving the Blue Jays something to think about in Dunedin. The 19-year-old first-round pick has flashed the kind of all-around skill set that tends to get attention fast, pairing on-base ability with power and speed while handling Single-A pitching in his first full look at pro ball. For a Toronto system that is always watching the middle infield closely, that matters.
Dunedin manager Ryan Casteel has been especially bullish on Parkers bat and maturity, enough to put him in a favorable light against a familiar big-league name. The longer view is what makes the buzz so interesting: Parker is not just building a rsum, he is also entering the kind of future shortstop conversation that can shape a farm system, with Arjun Nimmala part of the same picture and plenty of time for that race to develop. [Read more 🡒]