Toronto Blue Jays Week in Review: Two Dropped Series

Weekly Snapshot:
Record Last Week: 2-4 (Overall: 22-24)
Run Differential Last Week: -6 (Overall: -27)
Standings:  Place in AL East (4.5 GB), 10th in AL (3.0 GB of Third Wild Card)

Last Week’s Results
May 12 - 18

Game 41: TB 11 - TOR 9
Jose Berrios: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 4 K, 3 BB
Daulton Varsho: 2 HR 
HRs for Ernie Clement and Bo Bichette
Hoffman: blown save (0.1 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 1 K, 1 BB)

Game 42: TOR 3 - TB 1
Chris Bassitt: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 6 K, 2 BB
Alejandro Kirk: 2 for 4, 3-run HR, and threw out Chandler Simpson

Game 43: TB 8 - TOR 3
Kevin Gausman: 5.2 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 6 K, 0 BB
Bichette: 3 for 4
Addison Barger, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Nathan Lukes all with solo HRs
Lukes: OF assist

Game 44: DET 5 - TOR 4
Bowden Francis: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 6 K, 2 BB
Varsho: Hit HR, climbed WAY up the wall on Greene’s HR
Vladdy: 500th career run
Jonatan Clase: OF assist
Bichette: HR

Game 45: TOR 2 - DET 1
Eric Lauer, Yariel Rodriguez, Brendon Little, Chad Green, Yimi Garcia, and Jeff Hoffman: 9 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 7 K, 2 BB
Clement walk off RBI
Kirk game-tying RBI
Lukes OF assist

Game 46: DET 3 - TOR 2
Berrios: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 4 K, 1 BB
Left nine on base, leadoff runner on 5 times

Highlights:
Daulton Varsho continues to defy the odds, both with his bat and in the field. Three home runs on the week - including one off the face of the 500 level! Plus, we’ve come to expect the weekly defensive highlights. He couldn’t stop Reily Greene’s home run against Detroit, but he went higher up the outfield wall than anyone I can recall and garnered the notice of Art, but Make it Sports.

Not to be outdone by Varsho, a couple of his outfield mates came up with big OF assists this week, with Nathan Lukes and Jonathan Clase showing off their arms.

Alejandro Kirk only had three hits this week, but one was the game-tying RBI against Detroit; the others came in the win over Tampa, where Kirk’s 3-run HR brought in all the runs Toronto would score that game.

Bo Bichette, Varsho, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were the three Jays with wRC+ at 200 or higher this week. All three swung the bat well.

Lowlights:
Jeff Hoffman had some solid appearances later in the week, but when you start it off with a grand slam blown save in the first game of the week, you’re going to be in the lowlight section every time.

It took until the last game of the week for a Jays starter to see the end of the 6th inning. The bullpen has been good, but the more they’re called on, the more trouble we can get into. 

Anthony Santander went 1 for 12 in the Tampa series. Then missed a pair of games against Detroit, dealing with a shoulder issue (he came in as a pinch hitter in the second game). He returned on Sunday, but found himself hitting 6th (his first time outside of the 3-spot). He went 0 for 4 with 3 Ks and didn’t inspire much confidence.  

News, Notes, and Not Playing
Day-to-Day: Anthony Santander, 
Santander missed a couple of games with a “cranky shoulder” and DH’d on Sunday.

10-day IL: Andrés Giménez
Giménez is ramping up baseball activities.

15-day IL: Nick Sandlin
Sandlin planning to throw off a mound early this week

60-day IL: Max Sherzer, Erik Swanson, Ryan Burr
Swanson and Burr are currently rehabbing with Buffalo. Scherzer felt some tightness after throwing to hitters this week.

Looking Ahead
With an off day and a Holiday Monday here in Toronto, the Jays get a break before the Padres come to town. After that 3-game set, it’s down to Florida to take on the Rays in their temporary home at Steinbrenner Field.