Article: A Perfect Homestand, A Perfect Week: Blue Jays Week in Review, June 30-July 6

[Jesse Burrill]

Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 6/30 through Sun, 7/6
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Record Last Week: 7-0 (Overall: 52-38)
Run Differential Last Week: +16 (Overall: +12)
Standings: First Place in AL East (3.0 Games Up on NYY and TB), Third in AL (3.0 GB of HOU for second)

Last Week’s Results
Game 84: NYY 4  - TOR 5
Scherzer: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Guerrero Jr.: 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI
Clement: 2-4, RBI
Schneider: 2-4 

Game 85: NYY 5 - TOR 12
Gausman: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
Springer: 3-4, 2 HR (12,13), 7 RBI, BB
Giménez: 2-3, HR (5), 3 RBI
Clement: 1-4, BB, 2 RBI

Game 86: NYY 9 - TOR 11
Berríos: 4.1 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Schneider: 2-4, 2 HR (2,3), 3 RBI
Gimenez: 3-5, RBI
Barger: 2-5, HR (10), 4 RBI

Game 87: NYY 5 - TOR 8
Bassitt: 5.2 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 9 K
Springer: 3-5, 2 HR (14,15), 4 RBI
Barger: 3-4, HR (11), 2 RBI
Lukes: 3-5, 2 RBI

Game 88: LAA 3 - TOR 4 (10)
Lauer: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Springer: 2-4, R
Wagner: 1-3, 2B

Game 89: LAA 3 - TOR 4 (11)
Scherzer: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
Estrada: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB 4 K
Guerrero Jr.: 3-5, BB
Springer: 2-6, HR (16), 2 RBI
Barger: 2-5, 2 RBI

Game 90: LAA 2 - TOR 3
Gausman: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K
Bichette: 1-3, HR (12), 2 RBI
Loperfido: 1-3, RBI
Schneider: 1-3, 2B, RBI

Highlights
The Whole Team: What a week this was for the Toronto Blue Jays. They played as well as possible, winning all seven games on the schedule and vaulting themselves from three games back in the division to first place with a three-game cushion. The Blue Jays scored the second-most runs in baseball this week, and the bullpen, which was overworked this last series, did its job to get the team the wins they needed. When all was said and done, the Blue Jays went 7-0, their first sweep of a homestand of seven or more games in franchise history, including their first-ever four-game home sweep of the New York Yankees. If the Blue Jays do end up winning the AL East this season, this week is going to be a big reason why. 

George Springer: Wow. What a week. Personally, I don't remember a time another Blue Jay had a week like George Springer just had. As a whole, he hit .429/.500/.964 with 5 home runs and 13 RBI, all while walking more than he struck out, and he added a stolen base for good measure. Springer led all AL hitters (or tied for the lead) in: runs (9), RBI (13), fWAR (0.8), plate appearances (33), hits (12), and Win Probability Added (0.94). On the season, Springer now has a 148 wRC+, which trails only Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, and Jonathan Aranda in the American League, all of whom will be representing the AL at the All-Star Game. Springer deserves to be there with them.

Jeff Hoffman: There was really no wrong answer here to put as our third highlight, but it's important to take a look at what Jeff Hoffman did over this homestand. The Jays used their closer a lot this week. He got into four games, pitched an inning in each, and was a perfect 4-for-4 in saves. He now has 22 on the season, which is the fourth-most in baseball. It's worth noting too that since the start of June, He’s thrown to a 1.38 ERA with just two earned runs allowed in 13 innings pitched. He seems to have gotten back on track lately.

Honorable mentions: Addison Barger, Lazaro Estrada, Andrés Giménez, Davis Schneider, Eric Lauer, Max Scherzer 

Lowlights
Yimi García: In a week that was predominantly so good for the Blue Jays, it was hard to find that many low lights, The most notable one this week has to be Yimi García, who came back after roughly six weeks on the IL and was immediately thrown into the fire; he threw a season-high 34 pitches and gave up a game-tying home run to Aaron Judge. To make things worse, García was then sent back to the IL with an ankle sprain after he slipped getting out of a cold tub. Just some real rough luck.

José Berríos: This one might be grasping at straws a little, but when the Blue Jays played so well, you’ve got to look hard for some small moments of underperformance. This week, it was José Berríos who was cruising along in his start before things really fell apart for him in the fifth inning. He allowed five straight batters to reach via four singles and a double to begin the inning, and after a fly out, a massive three-run homer by Giancarlo Stanton chased Berríos from the game. Via Baseball Reference's game score metric, his score of 24 was his worst of the season, and both the nine hits and six earned runs he allowed tied his season-worst. Berríos has had starts like this before and has bounced back several times. He will have the opportunity to do so against the White Sox this week.

Random Stats of the Week

• The Blue Jays had two batters reach via catcher's interference this week.
• Davis Schneider had the hardest swing of his career this week, swinging the bat 82.9 mph.
• Addison Barger recorded his sixth outfield assist of the season this week, throwing a ball 95.3 mph to nab Mike Trout trying to score.
• MLB All-Stars were announced this week. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be there for his fifth Midsummer Classic, and Alejandro Kirk will be there for his second.
• Lazaro Estrada, Joey Loperfido and Ryan Burr became the 46th, 47th and 48th different Blue Jays to appear in a game this season.
• The Blue Jays celebrated Canada Day at home this week, winning 12-5. They are now 17-29 all-time on Canada Day.
• Max Scherzer made his return to the mound after a long layoff, throwing nine innings over two starts. He allowed four earned runs and struck out eleven.

News, Notes and Not Playing

• INF Leo Jiménez, OF Joey Loperfido, RHP Robinson Pina and RHP Ryan Burr have all been called up.
• RHP Yimi García returned from the IL and is now back on the IL.
• RHP Lazaro Estrada made his MLB debut this week and has since been sent back to Triple-A Buffalo.
• OF Jonatan Clase, LHP Mason Fluharty, and LHP Justin Bruihl have all been sent to Triple-A Buffalo.
• OF Will Robertson has been designated for assignment.

10-Day IL: Andrés Giménez, Daulton Varsho

• Andrés Giménez is on the injured list with an ankle sprain.
• Daulton Varsho is set to get into rehab games in the coming days (via Mitch Bannon).

15-day IL: Yimi García, Bowden Francis, Paxton Schultz

• Yimi García hits the IL with a right ankle sprain after slipping in the tub (via Bannon).

60-day IL: Anthony Santander, Alek Manoah

• OF/DH Anthony Santander was diagnosed with a subluxation of his shoulder and has been transferred to the 60-day IL (via Keegan Matheson).
• RHP Alek Manoah is going to have one more live bullpen session before getting into games (via Mitch Bannon).

Trending Storylines
The Blue Jays just don’t stop winning games. Following a 7-0 homestand that saw them soar into first place, a lot of the credit should go to the offense. Almost everyone who got into the lineup produced in some way, and it does feel like almost every player on the roster is contributing. It won't last this way forever, but the Blue Jays do look like one of, if not the best team in baseball for the time being.

Some of the team's flaws may have been overshadowed by a great week, but the Blue Jays' starting pitching wasn’t at its best. Scherzer showed some good and some bad in both of his starts, noting that it was a push to get things together to make his second start this week. Eric Lauer has pitched well since he was named a full-time member of the starting rotation, but all three of Berríos, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt had less-than-spectacular starts this week. The rotation is worth monitoring going forward once the Blue Jays' offence slows down (if it ever does) and as the team approaches the trade deadline.

The Blue Jays' bullpen also got a heavy dose of usage this week. Blue Jays relievers threw 30.1 IP, which was the most out of all 30 MLB teams. The bullpen has been good, but the Blue Jays don't want to run the risk of overworking their relievers, as it could cost them later in the season.

Looking Ahead
The Blue Jays have one more week until the All-Star break, and their road trip will have them run through Chicago to visit the White Sox and then to Sacramento to visit the A’s. There is a lot on the line, too. If Toronto can win just two of their next six games, they'll set a record for most wins in franchise history before the All-Star break.

In their first series, the Jays will be looking for revenge against Chicago, who took two out of three against them two weeks ago at the Rogers Centre. On paper, the Blue Jays should be able to continue their winning ways against a team that is near the bottom of the standings. Berríos, Bassitt, and Lauer are the Jays' projected starters for this series.

After a trip to the windy city, the Blue Jays will head to Sacramento to take on the A’s in a ballpark that has been a real offensive force so far this season. The Jays have played well against the A’s, sweeping them earlier in the season, and they will look to do so again before they head into the All-Star break. On paper, it looks like a real opportunity for the Jays to further their lead in the AL East, but they can’t take these two teams lightly, especially when playing them on the road.

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[Spanky__99]

Keep cooking Jays and get that separation. Last guy that was this hot was EE I believe Jesse.