Comebacks, Clutch Hits, and a Kirk Walk-Off: Another Winning Week for the Blue Jays

Weekly Snapshot: Mon, 6/2 through Sun, 6/8
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Record Last Week: 4-2 (Overall: 35-30)
Run Differential Last Week: +4 (Overall: -1)
Standings: Third Place in AL East (4.5 GB), Sixth in AL (Currently in a three-way tie for all three WC spots. 0.5 games up on CLE.)

Last Week’s Results
Game 60: PHI 8  - TOR 3
Francis: 1.2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Lauer: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Barger: 2-4, HR (6), 2 RBI
Schneider: 2-3, HR (1), RBI 

Game 61: PHI 1 - TOR 2
Berríos: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Giménez: 2-3, R
Guerrero Jr.: 1-4, SB
Kirk: 1-4, RBI, walk-off hit against former Blue Jay Jordan Romano

Game 62: PHI 1 - TOR 9
Bassitt: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Bichette: 2-4, HR (8), 2 RBI
Kirk: 3-4, RBI
Heineman: 2-4, 3 RBI
Straw: 2-4, 3 RBI

Game 63: TOR 6 - MIN 4
Lauer: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (Schultz started: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER)
Barger: 1-4 HR (7), 2 RBI
Springer: 1-4 HR (9), RBI
Bichette: 1-4, 2 RBI
Hoffman: 1.0 IP, 1 BB, 3 K, SV (14)

Game 64: TOR 5 - MIN 4
Gausman: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Springer: 1-4, HR (10), 2 RBI
Heineman: 3-4, HR (2), 2 R 

Game 65: TOR 3 - MIN 6
Francis: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 5 BB (career high), 2 K
Roden: 1-3, 2B, RBI
Springer 1-4, 3 K

Highlights
Tyler Heineman has been making his mark on every game he has played this season. This week, he only appeared in two games and got eight plate appearances, but he made the most of them. He went 5-for-8 with a double, a home run, and four RBI. He accumulated 0.4 fWAR in just those two games, which was in the top 30 for most fWAR gained by all MLB players this week (coming into games on Sunday). Not bad for just a two-game sample. The Blue Jays aren’t losing much when Heineman sees playing time, which could allow John Schneider to give Alejandro Kirk a few more breaks from behind the plate.

Addison Barger continued his hot stretch that began at the end of last week, when he hit a home run in three straight games against the Athletics. He hit one against the Phillies on Tuesday and proceeded to hit another in the series opener against the Twins. On the week, it was a 5-for-18 total with three more extra base hits, as he has continued to provide the Blue Jays with some much-needed left-handed power. Schneider seems to believe in him as well, regularly batting him third in the order and finding a way to get him playing time in right field to keep the bat in the lineup with Andrés Giménez back from injury.

Chris Bassitt took the mound again and put together another impressive start. Allowing just one earned run, he completed seven innings for the first time this season. Via Baseball Reference's game score statistic, it was his fourth-best start of the season and his second-best since April 16 against Atlanta. Bassitt was coming off back-to-back outings with five earned runs allowed, so getting that back down to just one was key.  Most importantly, the Blue Jays have now won six of the last seven games that Bassitt has started.

Lowlights
Bowden Francis has really struggled to build on the success that he had in the second half of 2024. In his two starts this past week, he allowed 10 earned runs and four more home runs, which brought him to an MLB-worst 19 long balls allowed. On the season, it's a 50.3% hard-hit rate against him and a 12.2% barrel rate, both of which are in the bottom five in baseball. Post game, Francis took responsibility, saying, “I can't keep digging a hole. I've got to find a way to get out of it, turn the page, so I can post for the guys that are playing hard. I'm just not doing that right now. I've got to keep grinding it out” (per Sportsnet's Shi Davidi).

As of now, no move has been made to replace Francis in the rotation. However, he has an option remaining, and it may be getting close to the time to let someone else take his spot.

Jonatan Clase had been showing some encouraging signs lately, but this past week was not a good one for him. The stat line on the whole was 0-for-14 with one walk and five strikeouts. The Blue Jays have a crowded outfield situation already, with Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, George Springer, Barger, Alan Roden, and Davis Schneider all able to play the outfield, and when either Anthony Santander or Daulton Varsho returns, it seems likely that Clase will be the odd man out and sent back to Buffalo.

Random Stats of the Week

• Chris Bassitt recorded career strikeout number 1,100 in his start.
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had his 35-game on-base streak come to an end on Wednesday. It was the longest streak a Blue Jay has had this season.
• Eric Lauer faced 22 batters this week and allowed only one hit.
• George Springer became the first Blue Jay to reach double-digit home runs this season.
• The Blue Jays now have 19 come-from-behind wins this season, which is the most in the American League.
• Blue Jays hitters struck out at a 15.2% rate this week, which was the best in baseball.
• Per FanGraphs' Clutch metric, Blue Jays' hitters were the most clutch in baseball this week. Their 1.412 OPS in high-leverage plate appearances also led the league. 

News, Notes and Not Playing

• Spencer Turnbull has been recalled, RP Paxton Schultz has been sent to Triple-A.
• INF Michael Stefanic has cleared waivers and remains in the Blue Jays organization.
• C Ali Sánchez has re-signed with the Blue Jays and reported to Buffalo.
• RHP José Ureña has elected free agency.

10-Day IL: Anthony Santander, Daulton Varsho

• Anthony Santander had a PRP injection in his shoulder. He should start throwing and ramping up in another day or two (via The Athletic's Mitch Bannon).
• Daulton Varsho is hitting in the batting cages and playing catch but is not running yet (via Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling).

15-day IL: Yimi García, Nick Sandlin, Will Wagner

• Yimi García has resumed plating catch after receiving a cortisone shot (via Zwelling).
• Nick Sandlin pitched 1.1 IP in the Florida Complex League, throwing 23 pitches (via Zwelling).
• Will Wagner has begun rehabbing in the FCL as well (via Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith).

60-day IL: Max Scherzer, Ryan Burr, Alek Manoah, Adam Macko, Brandon Barriera

• Adam Macko has finished his rehab assignment and reported to Triple-A Buffalo. He threw four hitless innings in his first start (via Bannon).
• Max Scherzer threw 50 pitches in a simulated game. His next step is a side session (via Zwelling).
• Alek Manoah is expected to face live hitters on Tuesday (via Bannon).
• Ryan Burr has resumed playing catch (via Zwelling).
• Brandon Barriera (minor league IL) is joining the FCL for a rehab assignment (Via Bannon).

Trending Storyline
The Blue Jays' offence really looks like it's coming around again, especially in terms of power. On the season, the Blue Jays are now 18th in home runs after ranking in the bottom five of baseball during the early part of the year.

The Jays have also shown their resilience in coming from behind to win ballgames. As previously mentioned, their 19 come-from-behind wins trail only the Dodgers for the most in baseball, backed by a bullpen that has a 3.27 ERA on the season, a mark that is fifth in MLB.

Speaking of the bullpen, there have been some dominant performances as of late. Jeff Hoffman picked up two more saves this week (although he did give up a home run to the Twins), Yariel Rodríguez faced five more batters without allowing a hit, and none of Rodríguez, Chad Green, Lauer or Braydon Fisher allowed a run this week. It's quite the turnaround from a bullpen that was so dreadful in 2024. 

Looking Ahead
The Blue Jays have now won four straight series and are 8-2 in their last ten games. They’re right in the hunt in the AL East, and every game is going to matter as the AL Wild Card race is incredibly tight. The Blue Jays will spend the next week on the road, as they have two interleague matchups on tap. They will begin the week with three games in St. Louis, a place they haven't been since the opening series of 2023. The Cardinals have been playing well, as they’re seven games above .500 and just one game out of a playoff spot, so that series will be tough.

Following an off day, the Blue Jays will travel to Philadelphia, where the Phillies will look to get revenge on the Blue Jays after the Jays took two out of three against them at home. The probable pitchers could change, but if the schedule lines up as it does right now, the Blue Jays might miss Zack Wheeler again, which would be a significant break.