The Blue Jays got exactly what they needed from a bullpen game and still walked away empty-handed.
Toronto’s relievers kept the Athletics to two runs, but the offense never found a way through in a 2-0 loss. On a night when six pitchers combined to do enough to win, the bats simply didn’t match it.
Braydon Fisher started things off with a clean inning and a strikeout over 18 pitches. Michael Lorenzen took the next stretch and ran into more trouble, working 2.2 innings while allowing four hits, one walk, two strikeouts, and two earned runs, including a home run. After that, the bullpen settled in.
Paul Sewald threw a clean inning, and Joe Mantiply followed with 1.1 scoreless innings. Tyler Rogers allowed one walk in his frame, and Louis Varland finished the job with two strikeouts in the ninth.
The problem was the other side of the ball. Toronto managed just six hits - five singles and a double - along with three walks.
The Jays did put runners on in every inning except the seventh and eighth, so the traffic was there. The finishing touch never showed up.
There were real chances, too. Toronto had two on with one out in the fifth, but Vlad grounded into a double play. In the eighth, Vlad and Springer both sent balls to the warning track, but neither one carried far enough to change the score.
For now, the loss leaves Toronto 1.5 games back, with the Guardians not playing until tonight. There are 15 games left, and being one or two games back is still a lot better than this team looked capable of a couple of months ago. It’s not at the point where they have to run the table, but they are going to need to win a bunch.
Next up is a six-game home stretch against the Orioles and Tigers at Rogers Centre. After that, the picture should be a little clearer.
In Other News...
Blue Jays May Need To Rethink Ernie Clement's Role Fast
With the Blue Jays closing in on a playoff spot, the conversation around the roster is shifting from getting there to getting ready. Toronto sits one game behind the Guardians and owns the tiebreaker edge, which only sharpens the focus on every everyday choice John Schneider has left to make. Ernie Clement has been part of that mix as a utility infielder, but his second-half slide has started to make his role look less secure.
Clements value has always been tied to versatility and steady coverage around the diamond, yet the recent numbers have not matched that profile. His fielding metrics have gone in the wrong direction, and the bat has not offered much support either, leaving the Blue Jays with a tougher call as October nears. If Toronto wants to maximize its best lineup for the stretch run, reducing Clements playing time is suddenly part of the discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Suddenly Have A Left Field Problem Fans Can't Ignore
Jess Snchez has given the Blue Jays some needed pop, but his glove in left field has become impossible to overlook. Among Toronto outfielders who have logged at least 100 innings, he sits at the bottom in fielding percentage, a reminder that the clubs outfield picture is still very much a work in progress even as the season moves forward.
Anthony Santander is starting a rehab assignment after shoulder surgery, and his return could quickly change the conversation. Toronto views him as a possible defensive upgrade in left, which puts the roster in a holding pattern as the club weighs what fits best once he is ready, with Myles Straw and others also part of the mix depending on how the next stretch unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Could Face One Massive Decision To Land A Future Ace
Tarik Skubal is already the kind of name that can reshape an offseason before it arrives, and CBS Sports Mike Axisa has put the Blue Jays on a short list of clubs that could be in the mix when the ace reaches free agency after the 2026 season. Toronto has shown a willingness to spend when it believes the fit is right, and Skubal would instantly become the sort of frontline starter this organization rarely gets a chance to chase.
The obvious complication is who else might be at the table, with the Dodgers also mentioned as a possible destination in what could become a serious bidding war. For the Blue Jays, the appeal is easy to see: a rotation headlined by Skubal and Dylan Cease would give them a pair of high-end arms to build around, but that idea remains firmly in the projection stage for now. [Read more 🡒]