The Toronto Blue Jays are suddenly carrying themselves like a team that knows exactly who it is. Friday’s 9-2 win over the Kansas City Royals was their sixth victory in seven games, and it pushed them back to .500 at 71-71 for the first time since June 22nd.
That kind of turnaround has changed the mood around the club. Toronto has not been above .500 since April 1st, so getting back to that line has been a long time coming for John Schneider’s team. But this recent stretch has erased a lot of the season-long doubt hanging over the group.
Ernie Clement was right in the middle of it. He finished with two hits and two RBIs, helping Toronto jump on Kansas City immediately with a four-run first inning. RBI hits from Alejandro Kirk, Kazuma Okamoto, and Clement gave the Blue Jays a fast start, and the bullpen handled the rest from there.
After the game, Clement described the team’s approach to Keegan Matheson of mlb.com.
"We're gritty as hell," Clement said. "If we go down early, we're not afraid to come back. Right now, we're punching first, which is something I don't think we had done early in the season."
For Clement, the night carried extra weight. He came in mired in a 3-for-27 slump, and it was his first multi-hit game since August 22nd. That made the performance feel like more than just another box score line.
"The boys have done a great job picking me up after my historic month of August," Clement said jokingly. "These guys are awesome.
We're playing great baseball. It's not about me, so I've got to put my frustrations aside and try to help the team win.
It felt good to get a couple, score a run, a couple of RBIs, just be part of a win."
Toronto still has work to do, with 20 games left and a wild-card race that leaves little margin for error. The Blue Jays enter Saturday one game back of a wild-card spot, and the schedule offers a path if they keep stacking wins. They have two more against Kansas City before a three-game series against the 56-86 Athletics.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s growing confidence is a good sign, Clement’s bounce-back is another, and the pitching has been steady through this run. The offense is starting to keep up, too. For a team whose season has gone off script, the opportunity is there now, and Toronto just has to keep turning it into wins.
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Blue Jays Add Catching Depth With One Intriguing Upside
The Blue Jays made a quiet catching move, claiming Shawn Ross off waivers from the Mets and sending him to Triple-A Buffalo. It is the kind of depth add that can matter over a long season, especially for a club that keeps one eye on the big-league roster and another on keeping Triple-A stocked with options that can move quickly if needed.
Ross brings a little intrigue with the bat, having shown notable power in the minors even as the strikeouts have remained part of the package. He reached the majors with Pittsburgh before landing in the Mets organization, and now he gets another reset in Toronto as a depth catcher with enough upside to keep him interesting if the contact comes around. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Face A Bigger Pitching Question After Latest Roster Shuffle
Jameson Taillon landing back on the injured list with right elbow inflammation adds another layer to a Blue Jays staff that has already had to keep adjusting on the fly. Toronto answered by recalling Ricky Tiedemann from Buffalo, giving the club another arm to plug into the mix after he has already appeared in two games for the Blue Jays. The move at least gives the team a fresh option while it sorts through a rotation picture that keeps shifting.
Shawn Ross also came into the organization on Tuesday after Toronto claimed the catcher off waivers from the Mets, though he will head to Buffalo for now. It is the sort of roster shuffle that can look routine from the outside, but for the Blue Jays it underscores how much of the present is tied to managing the staff day by day. The bigger concern is whether Taillons return to the injured list is an isolated setback or the latest sign that the pitching depth is about to be tested again. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Just Created Another 40-Man Roster Question
Daz Camerons latest stop with the Blue Jays has already come full circle. The outfielder was designated for assignment, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo, keeping him in the organization after a brief run on Torontos major league roster. Cameron had only recently been promoted and is now back in the upper minors, where the Blue Jays can keep a closer eye on a player who has bounced through some unfamiliar territory in the past.
Cameron does have the option to reject the assignment and test free agency, but he is expected to stay with Buffalo for now. For Toronto, the move is another reminder of how quickly the 40-man picture can shift, especially with fringe depth pieces who are trying to hold onto a spot. Cameron has already shown a willingness to keep moving, including time in Korea with the Doosan Bears, and this latest turn leaves the Blue Jays with one more roster question to manage. [Read more 🡒]