Jays rue missed opportunities in close series

TORONTO – Manager John Schneider has religion the Toronto Blue Jays offence volition look from its early-season funk.

The Blue Jays dropped the last 2 outings of their three-game acceptable against the Cleveland Guardians due to the fact that of a deficiency of clutch hitting.

Schneider’s lineup near a whopping 25 runners connected basal successful the series, including 9 apiece successful the 2 defeats.

“It’s a pugnacious mates of games, truly 3 adjacent games,” said Schneider, whose squad won the opener 5-3 connected Friday, but dropped 5-3 and 5-4 decisions to adjacent against the Guardians.

The Blue Jays particularly struggled to people precocious connected Saturday and Sunday against the Guardians’ beardown bullpen. After snatching a 3-0 pb successful the 5th inning connected Saturday, their last 12 hitters were retired successful order.

On Sunday, the Blue Jays near runners connected 3rd successful the eighth and ninth innings. The eighth inning was peculiarly achy due to the fact that Toronto had runners connected 2nd and 3rd aft an Ernie Clement sacrifice tally for the archetypal out.

But Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes popped up for the last 2 outs.

“You’re trying to scrap crossed a tally there,” Schneider said. “You get a bully bunt from Ern and we conscionable couldn’t get it done determination with those with those pop-ups.

“In that situation, there’s going to beryllium match-ups you similar and there’s going to beryllium match-ups that are going to beryllium tough, particularly against a bullpen similar that.

“Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But you person to instrumentality your chances.”

The Blue Jays besides got caught taking chances early. After Bo Bichette led disconnected the archetypal inning with a treble and moved to 3rd connected Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s single, a imaginable large inning was snuffed retired by a Guardians treble play.

Santander grounded retired to first, and past Bichette got caught successful a rundown betwixt 3rd and home.

“I talked to Vlad, talked to Bo astir it,” Schneider said. “It’s a weird play. They’re apt going to get 2 outs. I deliberation the champion imaginable result was Bo stays astatine third. But you’re trying to people aboriginal and those things happen.”

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VARSHO SIDELINED

Gold-glove outfielder Daulton Varsho was fixed the bid finale disconnected to remainder his little back.

Varsho missed the archetypal 28 games aft offseason close enarthrosis surgery. He played successful 5 consecutive earlier taking Sunday disconnected to rest.

“His backmost was a small spot tight, and I’m not taking immoderate chances with him aft what he’s been through,” Schneider said.

NEW ADDITIONS

The Blue Jays person yet to corroborate they person signed seasoned right-handed pitchers Spencer Turnbull and Jose Urena. But reports bespeak the deals are done, pending physicals.

“We might, yeah, we’ve got to spell fig that retired close now, before, earlier we deed the (plane),” replied Schneider erstwhile asked if he’ll person immoderate further assistance erstwhile his nine begins a six-game travel connected Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels.

This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published May 4, 2025.