Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
Features Boston at Toronto, September 23-25
One week left. 

Two games ahead of the Yankees, six left to play, all at home.

A wild final week may be in store. The Blue Jays have punched their ticket, the Yankees and Mariners are in very good shape. Four more teams are scrapping over the three spots, one of them also a division title, that are still up for grabs. 

Boston and Detroit are tied at 85-71, which also puts Detroit atop the AL Central; Cleveland and Houston are one game back at 84-70. Right now, that has Cleveland taking the third Wild Card, as they took the season series from the Astros. 

This could end in a multitude of ways.

Cleveland holds the tie-breaker over Detroit, which could end up deciding who wins the AL Central; Cleveland has the tie-breaker over Houston as well if they're fighting for the Wild Card.

Boston holds the tie-breaker over Cleveland and Houston, if the Wild Card comes down to that. But the Red Sox were swept in three by Detroit earlier this season, which means that the three final games - the Red Sox at Comerica - could be decisive.

Detroit holds the tie-breaker over Houston, if those two end up fighting over the Wild Card, as well as being up 3-0 over Boston.

Houston needs to finish ahead of someone. They've got six games in the road, all in California, against the A's and the Angels. 

Spare a thought for the Yankees fan, obliged to cheer for the bloody Red Sox for the next few days. The Jays have a golden opportunity to make both rival fan bases miserable. Which is something well worth doing.


Matchups

Tue 23 Sep - Giolito (10-4, 3.46) vs Gausman (10-10, 3.38)
Wed 24 Sep - Crochet (17-5, 2.69) vs Scherzer (5-4, 5.06)
Thu 25 Sep - Bello (11-8, 3.34) vs Bieber (3-2, 3.57)
Posted by Magpie on Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 04:06 PM EDT.
Boston at Toronto, September 23-25 | 270 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Magpie - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 04:15 PM EDT (#468730) #
Breaking news - the robot umpires are coming! To a ballpark near you in 2026!

Just a bit. Each team will get two challenges per game (which they keep if the challenge is successful.)
[ Reply to This ]
lexomatic - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 04:25 PM EDT (#468731) #
Forgotten point in blown replay calls was losing the challenge.
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 04:46 PM EDT (#468732) #
No Santander? The Jays are making a mistake with two players they are committed to beyond this season, for very little gain (if any at all).
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 04:56 PM EDT (#468733) #
Keegan Matheson
@KeeganMatheson
·
Follow
The #BlueJays still haven’t made a decision on Anthony Santander…

He’s told the team he feels ready to compete. Schneider says they’re trying to make the decision that’s best for everyone.

We should know the next steps by tomorrow, but there aren’t many tomorrows left.
[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 05:13 PM EDT (#468734) #
"Forgotten point in blown replay calls was losing the challenge."

I worry that Vlad might burn through these quickly, if his frantic begging for challenges on plays umps got correct are any indication of how he'll view borderline strike calls against him.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 05:17 PM EDT (#468735) #
I actually think it's pretty simple - they have access to the same strike zone vizualizations we do on gameday/statcast/broadcasts.

So just challenge when it tells you to challenge.
[ Reply to This ]
SK in NJ - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 05:22 PM EDT (#468736) #
I wonder if the Jays would have activated Santander by now if it wasn't looking like Bichette will have to DH if he comes back in time.
[ Reply to This ]
dalimon5 - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 05:27 PM EDT (#468737) #
I don't think they're going to activate him and I think it's a big mistake.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 05:41 PM EDT (#468738) #
I'd activate Santander to see where he is at against MLB pitching. I'd be extremely surprised if he has anything to offer after a year off but its a mistake not to find out. As to it being a "big mistake", I think that's a bit unlikely as his role is likely to be LH pinch hitter in the playoffs. I think it would be a bigger mistake to jettison Berrios from the playoff roster.
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:10 PM EDT (#468739) #
Fans won’t have the K zone on broadcasts anymore. The system is designed to force the players into a decision without that information.

Merrifield on Berrios is worth a watch: https://x.com/6ixinningpod/status/1970551968704668068
[ Reply to This ]
dalimon5 - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:10 PM EDT (#468740) #
"Big" is for the wild card factor that a power bat brings to playoff games where runs are harder to come by.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:20 PM EDT (#468741) #
That's fair dalimon.

After Bieber and Gausman, my idea for how to line up pitching in a playoff game would be to tell Yesavage and Berrios to chuck it as hard as they can for 3 innings each. I might do the same for a Bassitt/Lauer tandem.
[ Reply to This ]
braden - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:24 PM EDT (#468742) #
Santander up, France IL, Manoah DFA. Per Blake Murphy.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:25 PM EDT (#468743) #
Needle drop -

- Santander activated
- France to 10-day DL
- Manoah DFA
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:29 PM EDT (#468744) #
Huh? Why on earth would they DFA Manoah before the 8 other fungible players on the 40?
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:31 PM EDT (#468745) #
I'm going to guess that the Manoah DFA stems from some unhappiness from him that he didn't get a September look. That feels like a falling out move rather than a performance move.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:35 PM EDT (#468746) #
Manoah a surprising DFA but I guess it makes sense. It will be three straight bad or nothing years and his stuff just hasn't come back. For Yesavage. I'm torn because is he more valuable throwing like five innings in a start or maybe 3-4 innings in a couple of high leverage relief spots?
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:42 PM EDT (#468747) #
I've never really seen Manoah being able to come back as anything more than a pure depth arm tbh.

[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:44 PM EDT (#468748) #
Nigel probably has it right. Manoah never lacked for confidence.
[ Reply to This ]
99BlueJaysWay - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:47 PM EDT (#468749) #
I find it surprising from a depth perspective. I would guess Nigel is right about the fallout, and Marc has been saying for a while that the stuff simply isn’t there and he’s sitting at 90mph. On top of that, he was lined up for arb 2, which would be somewhere around 2.5-3M. Thats a lot for a guy to just sit in AAA, especially if they don’t think the stuff is coming back or he won’t /hasnt put in the work in.

It’s really too bad. He was so good in 21 and 22.
[ Reply to This ]
dalimon5 - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 06:51 PM EDT (#468750) #
I like these moves.

"After Bieber and Gausman, my idea for how to line up pitching in a playoff game would be to tell Yesavage and Berrios to chuck it as hard as they can for 3 innings each. I might do the same for a Bassitt/Lauer tandem."

That is actually a great plan.

Manoah was cut loose too soon and this move is highly questionable until we get info that he requested it and was bad in the clubhouse. I want the best vibes and best team to make a serious run now.
[ Reply to This ]
Eephus - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:00 PM EDT (#468751) #
“Fans won’t have the K zone on broadcasts anymore. The system is designed to force the players into a decision without that information.“

Best news of the day! I loathe the superimposed image of the strikezone onto the broadcast with a burning passion: let me see the full travelled distance of the ball from fingers to mitt without it disappearing behind a flashing number (if it were a graphic off to the side I wouldn’t mind).

The Manoah DFA is surprising but I wonder with the clearly diminished stuff and seeming command issues, they determined it wasn’t worth the bother keeping him around. Not sure I’d be so quick to come to the same conclusion, at least see how he looks in the spring, but he clearly wasn’t in any form to help the team right now.
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:04 PM EDT (#468752) #
The arb salary isn’t guaranteed. They could have waited until mid-March to see how his stuff looks, and it would have cost them around 400K if they thought he wasn’t worth keeping around as a depth piece.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:05 PM EDT (#468753) #
I think it’s self evidently too soon to reach any conclusions about what his post op form will be that there must be other reasons.
[ Reply to This ]
SK in NJ - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:10 PM EDT (#468754) #
Wouldn't surprise me if it's a combination of diminished stuff and attitude. Manoah could have been useful rotation depth in 2026 but last time he got an extended MLB sample size he was one of the worst starters in baseball, so between that and whatever they saw from him this season, they might have thought cutting bait made more sense (and saved them ~$3M in the process). We will see if it comes back to bite them.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:16 PM EDT (#468755) #
Agree that there was likely something else at play here and probably attitude related. His salary still wouldn't be particularly high even for a #6 starter and I don't think it's likely he comes back successfully but it would make a lot more sense to just wait until spring training to know more so definitely think there is something else.
[ Reply to This ]
vw_fan17 - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:18 PM EDT (#468756) #
Best news of the day! I loathe the superimposed image of the strikezone onto the broadcast with a burning passion:

I'm the opposite - I will greatly miss it. Unless it turns out to be totally unaligned with the auto-zone challenge system.

What I loathe with the white-hot passion of at least 2 or 3 burning suns is the post(simul?)-processed ads IMPERFECTLY superimposed on the backdrop in various stadiums. Not sure if regular SNet (that most of you will see?) get this, but on mlb.tv, it's getting more and more obvious. Some stadiums are done well (or not at all?), but others are obvious like someone's chair popping in-and-out on a zoom call. Seeing the ball turn partly blue or green on its way to the plate as the system imperfectly super-imposes it on a blue/green/whatever ad along with flickering is super, super annoying.

I have someone who shares my mlb.tv subscription, so I am unlikely to cancel it, but if I could choose, I would much, MUCH rather drop the horrid, 90s-looking ghosting instead of the superimposed strikezone.
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:20 PM EDT (#468757) #
My bet is Manoah has been acting like he belongs in the majors right now and has been a pain in the butt over it. Feeling he should be in Toronto with the club and this is the reality check he desperately needed. Sad as he looked like a Cy potential at first and might have been a great one but injuries and attitude seem to have killed his career here.

France on IL I didn't see (probably a phantom injury) but makes sense. Don't need him with Santander around. I expect Santander to PH tonight at some point, and start tomorrow.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:34 PM EDT (#468758) #
That 3-0 pitch TO Kirk wasn't close to being a strike.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:35 PM EDT (#468759) #
Attitude might be part of it but it's also true he's done nothing to show he can help in the majors over the last 3 years, and that includes 110ip in MLB, 60ip in AAA, and nearly 200ip at all levels combined.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:46 PM EDT (#468760) #
man umps really have their orders from new york.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:47 PM EDT (#468761) #
Umpires just killing the Jays for the last week.
[ Reply to This ]
James W - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:47 PM EDT (#468762) #
Y'all got any more of them



robot umps?
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:48 PM EDT (#468763) #
Wow. What a screw job
[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:49 PM EDT (#468764) #
Springer's screamer really looked fair to me -- 2 killer calls that inning (strike 1 to Kirk instead of ball 4).
[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 07:50 PM EDT (#468765) #
Oh, and strike 3 to Springer too.
[ Reply to This ]
James W - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 08:01 PM EDT (#468766) #
Springer's screamer really looked fair to me

You, and everyone else with working eyes.
[ Reply to This ]
James W - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 08:02 PM EDT (#468767) #
Better turn off those italics...
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 08:21 PM EDT (#468768) #
this ump is twitching to call a strike every ball Gio throws within 5 inches of the zone.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 08:23 PM EDT (#468769) #
holding Gimenez there really upsets me tbh.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 08:25 PM EDT (#468770) #
Boston should challenge that play in center on the Springer bloop. I’m sure the replay officials would call that a catch if asked.
[ Reply to This ]
Magpie - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 08:40 PM EDT (#468771) #
I have this recollection of Doug Eddings having an egregiously awful game a couple of years ago. Jays were playing the White Sox. It was.... mext level awful.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 08:43 PM EDT (#468772) #
Chisox take the lead! 2-1 in the 6th.

and the Guardians are up 5-2 on the Tigers now in the 7th. Looks like they're gonna catch them for the division lead tonight.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 08:45 PM EDT (#468773) #

for your viewing displeasure, Magpie....

[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 08:50 PM EDT (#468774) #
Narvaez is onto it. He’s holding for a good beat any pitch that the Jays take and doesn’t actually bounce like it’s a strike. Edgings is literally twitching every time. Brutal.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:01 PM EDT (#468775) #
looked safe to me.
[ Reply to This ]
Michael - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:02 PM EDT (#468776) #
Lucky they got the call stand. I do think he tagged the helmet before the base, but the runner got the base before the tag to arm/body (but the helmet was first). But these days what actually happened and the replay are only vaguely associated.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:02 PM EDT (#468777) #
That’s just NY recognizing that the entire game has been messed up in the 2nd. Runner was clearly safe.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:13 PM EDT (#468778) #
CHX get judge to ground into a DP (after the ump called two strike 3s balls) to get out of the 7th and past judge in the lineup with the lead.

2 more innings.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:20 PM EDT (#468779) #
umps still trying to screw us.

but at least NY is feeling a little ashamed.
[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:24 PM EDT (#468780) #
Varsho has looked overmatched tonight
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:27 PM EDT (#468781) #
This is the fifth time in six games where Jays offense has been simply awful. (4 hits or less so far)
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:31 PM EDT (#468782) #
yanks still down heading into the 9th. their 8/9/1 due up.
[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:45 PM EDT (#468783) #
If any Yankee reaches, Judge will bat as the winning run.
[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:47 PM EDT (#468784) #
And there's the lead off single for the Yankees.  A double play would be nice, or they'll face Judge for the win.
[ Reply to This ]
scottt - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:50 PM EDT (#468785) #
The closer is Eisert?
[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:50 PM EDT (#468786) #
And another one -- I feel like I've watched this Yankee game all my life living in NJ.  I hope I'm mistaken tonight.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:51 PM EDT (#468787) #
YUGE double play.

[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:52 PM EDT (#468788) #
Double play!!! Judge intentionally walked!  Breath-holding time!
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:54 PM EDT (#468789) #
that was less than ideal.
[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:54 PM EDT (#468790) #
So darn close....wild pitch on ball 4 to tie the game.  Absolutely brutal.
[ Reply to This ]
James W - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:54 PM EDT (#468791) #
When you're relying on some guy who can't even get Anthony Volpe out, your chances are slim.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 09:59 PM EDT (#468792) #
credit to IKF that was a good at bat despite the out.

he could be ueseful against pure fireballers.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 10:02 PM EDT (#468793) #
Just another pathetic offensive performance. Yes Umps screwed them but once again, you're not going to win games getting 3 hits. This is likely the worst offensive stretch of the Jays schedule at the worst possible time.
[ Reply to This ]
Michael - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 10:03 PM EDT (#468794) #
It does make you appreciate the guy who's led the league in hits and the important part of the offense he's provided.

And then there was one (game up).
[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 10:03 PM EDT (#468795) #
And there it is, in both games -- Yankees comeback and win; Jays anemic again and lose.
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 10:04 PM EDT (#468796) #
The umps win, that bad call on the 'foul' ball for Springer, then the ball 4 K right after it gave the Sox the win. Sigh. At least the pen looked good.
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 10:08 PM EDT (#468797) #
It'll be interesting to see what happens tomorrow. I'd shuffle the lineup a bit. MLB needs to expand replay to cover everything imo and that'd simplify things.
[ Reply to This ]
Magpie - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 10:09 PM EDT (#468798) #
Well, I know I miss Bo Bichette.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 10:12 PM EDT (#468799) #
I spent most of the last few innings watching the Yankees. If you think the umpiring was bad in Toronto it was stellar compared to the Yankees game. Cone actually laughed out loud at a call in the 7th. Which is pretty crazy, given that Yankees commentators usually show zero spatial awareness when the Yankees are getting the calls.
[ Reply to This ]
jjdynomite - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 10:24 PM EDT (#468800) #
Hopefully the team's anemic results on the field post-Bo injury will impress upon the club the necessity of resigning him.

And am I the only one who thinks that a serious team would have kept the champagne on ice Sunday evening?
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 10:33 PM EDT (#468801) #
The Jays have scored 2 runs or fewer in 6 of their last 8 games and 1 run or fewer in 5 of their last 6. In their last 5 losses (6 games), they have a total of 18 hits.

Jays should have celebrated when they clinched. Baseball is a long season and making playoffs matters. Let's say they don't celebrate and then don't clinch the division they just don't get a celebration? Let them be happy.
[ Reply to This ]
SK in NJ - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 10:39 PM EDT (#468802) #
The bad umpiring masking the pathetic offensive showing again. I know Bo is out but they shouldn’t be having this much trouble scoring runs.

I think the Jays are still in a good spot but to win the East but they can’t lose more than 2 games the rest of the way. Even then the Yankees could go 5-0 and take the division, but 3-2 should be the absolute worst case scenario for the Jays. Anything worse than that and the Yankees are likely getting the bye while the Jays are hosting the Red Sox in a WC round.
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Tuesday, September 23 2025 @ 11:59 PM EDT (#468803) #
You are not, jjdynomite. I have heard from many Jays fans about how pathetic they thought it was. Do teams in the NFL celebrate making the playoffs? It’s hardly that big an accomplishment anymore in baseball now that they’ve watered down the playoffs and ruined the marathon.
[ Reply to This ]
mendocino - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 12:21 AM EDT (#468804) #
good to know that the Yankees aren't a serious team
[ Reply to This ]
Katie - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:13 AM EDT (#468805) #
Nor are the Mariners.

Apparently the AL is chock full of unserious teams.
[ Reply to This ]
ISLAND BOY - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:25 AM EDT (#468806) #
I had no problem with the team celebrating making the playoffs. It may be the only thing they get to celebrate this year. Late season swoon and star player injured -- I'm getting heavy 1987 vibes all of a sudden.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:34 AM EDT (#468807) #
Last 2 weeks (Sep 10) WRC+ with minimum 20 PAs.
Springer:174
Schneider:112
Clement: 100
Varsho: 78
Lukes: 75
Vlad:52
Barger: 50
Gimenez:46
Kirk:13
[ Reply to This ]
Mike Green - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 09:28 AM EDT (#468808) #
On the importance of umpiring.  Michael Wacha pitched better on Sunday than Lucas Giolito did last night.  Wacha was squeezed a bit from time to time, while Giolito got many, many calls significantly outside the zone and all over the place. It's pretty much impossible to hit under those conditions.  Kudos to Kevin Gausman for pitching so well for 5 innings while not even getting calls on pitches on the edge of the zone as compared with his opposing number.  The whole thing has to be very frustrating for the club- if you don't feel the umpire is doing his best to fairly call balls and strikes, it's hard to know when to swing and not.  Doubt is an enemy for a hitter.

The Blue Jays hit the ball hard quite a bit in Tampa, and were not rewarded for it.  The Trop is a hard park.  
[ Reply to This ]
SK in NJ - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 09:57 AM EDT (#468809) #
I don’t mind the celebration, although it has the potential to age poorly if they collapse and lose the division to the Yankees. Would have been nice to clinch like the Mariners did while having a 4 game lead with 5 to play. Regardless, it’s a long season and making it is an accomplishment even with the expanded format. Just don’t choke down the stretch to make it look premature. The latter is something the Jays can control but 1-5 in their last 6 while the Yankees have a cupcake schedule is not going to lead to good results.

It’s looking very possible that the Jays could be forced to use Gausman on Sunday. I could easily see the Jays go 2-2 in the next 4 and the Yankees go 3-1. Using Gausman Sunday and then having to play in the WC round would be the absolute worst case scenario but it’s a possibility now due to the team’s poor week. They really need to take care of business.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:29 AM EDT (#468810) #
The Baseball Gods have generally been on the side of the angels (the Jays) this year. The Jays have had some BABIP luck this season. So, the last week or two of hard hits but bad luck has been a bit of an evening up exercise. I said after the series in NY it was a coin toss (notwithstanding what the betting markets said then:)) and I still think that. Hopefully the Baseball Gods remember to act in favour of doing what’s right (the Jays) and not in favour of who’s paying them (the Yankees).
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:43 AM EDT (#468811) #
Last 7 days


Team: 32wrc+

Springer 135
Schneider 92
Gimenez 89
Clement 86
Lukes 56
Varsho 48
Guerrero 17
Kirk -26
Barger -70

Straw -14
Heineman -14
France -60
Falefa -100
Loperfido -100



this is what we call choking.
[ Reply to This ]
Hodgie - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:52 AM EDT (#468812) #
"this is what we call choking."

Or, we call it baseball. Even the very best teams go through small slumps like this. Unfortunately, the timing of this one magnifies the slump.

[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:54 AM EDT (#468813) #
well, it's probably the worst 7-day stretch of the season offensively, right when it's winning time.

For me, that's choking.

the good news is that there's plenty of time left to stop choking.
[ Reply to This ]
dalimon5 - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 11:01 AM EDT (#468814) #
The fear mongering is personal to some. So many knee-jerk reactions. If you think the team is good then deal with however they finish. If they get a bye great. If they don't then it's harder but they are still in and good.

If you don't think they're good then what difference does it make if they have a bye or not? Will they become better with rest? Maybe they play worse. Too many views of hindsight will be coming from fans where anything short of a division series will lead to calls of how this team wasn't good enough and failed.

The negative views of this team now are the same as those from March where it was evident to those people that this team wasn't serious, wouldn't compete and sucked. Same poop just different side of the 162 game schedule.

Bieber and Gausman games 1/2 gives this team a huge advantage with the defence and offense which can attack from a lot of angles. I hope Santander can make a difference.
[ Reply to This ]
scottt - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 11:46 AM EDT (#468815) #
The Trop is a hard park. 

They didn't play in the Trop.
[ Reply to This ]
scottt - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 11:56 AM EDT (#468816) #
Well, if they lose the Boston series, there's a fair chance that they'll host Boston for the wild card match--facing the same pitchers.
If it comes to it, the Jays could be using Gausman on Sunday which would take him out of the wild card series.

Mind  you, the same type of calculations will come up for other teams.

Realistically, need to win at least 1 against Boston and 2 against Tampa.
Outside of that, the Baseball Gods need to smack the umps.

[ Reply to This ]
ISLAND BOY - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 12:04 PM EDT (#468817) #
" If you don't think they're good then what difference does it make if they have a bye or not?"

I don't think anybody here thinks the Jays aren't good, but everybody is hoping for first place and the bye. Going from worst to first in one season is quite an achievement and it would be frustrating to lose first place after being there since early July. Also, it would be great to deprive the obnoxious Yankees from first and make them play an extra round.

Being good means nothing in the vagaries of playoff baseball. The year the Braves won the World Series, they had the worst record among teams that made the playoffs. The Jays are 0-6 in the last 3 wild card rounds they've played so no doubt fans are hoping to avoid that, too.
[ Reply to This ]
Jonny German - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 12:17 PM EDT (#468818) #
Tuesday September 23: Not a great day to be a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays. But losses for Detroit and Houston did make them disappear altogether from the rear view mirror.

Magic numbers for the Jays to finish ahead of the other top AL teams:

4 New York
1 Boston
3 Seattle
1 Cleveland

5 games remaining.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 12:24 PM EDT (#468819) #
well at least we get one last excellent test for Scherzer to see if he's up to being a playoffs starter.
[ Reply to This ]
Rich - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 02:21 PM EDT (#468820) #
Kirk -26
 Barger -70
There's not really an alternative, but these 2 in particular are absolutely killing the team right now.  Last night Kirk looked as bad as I have ever seen him, swinging out of his shoes (and fouling) several hittable pitches, then chasing off the plate too.  He threw a ball into right-field and messed up the rundown that replay bailed him out on.  Barger looks like he's hit the late season wall many others run in to in their first full seasons.  Vlad's slump is also terrible timing.
We can only hope this was the nadir but there's not much time left.
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 02:24 PM EDT (#468821) #
NY is the one to worry about, but by making the playoffs and now with magic #'s of 1 for 2 of the 4 left they should have home field in whatever round they play first. I'd be surprised if the Jays lost all their games left and Boston won all the ones they have left. Cleveland has been burning hot, but same situation. 5 games left. 1-4 locks in home field. 4-1 locks in AL East. Both very much in reach. A win today would help relax people a bit, as would a NYY loss.

FYI: Ump Scorecard for last nights game...
[ Reply to This ]
Marc Hulet - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 03:23 PM EDT (#468822) #
Kirk hasn't looked right since he took the foul ball off his bare hand.

Barger has been irrelevant for two months. I don't think it's a late season wall... and having him hit cleanup is just silly. He never adjusted to the pitchers' adjustments.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 03:36 PM EDT (#468823) #
I know that Lukes hasn't been going very well recently but none of the LHHs have been. Assuming that they are dedicated to having a LHH between Springer and Vladdy, then I think the lineup has looked best this year when they've had Lukes hitting second - trying to stack some long sequence offence at the top of the lineup. Barger and Varsho and their contact issues need to be lower in the lineup.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 03:37 PM EDT (#468824) #
Table is really set for a heroic return for Santander to finish the year.

Tonight:

1. LF Springer
2. SS Clement
3. 1B Guerrero
4. C Kirk
5. DH Santander
6. 2B Schneider
7. CF Varsho
8. RF Straw
9. 3B Falefa
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 03:40 PM EDT (#468825) #
I know people love the perfect L/R balance but the fact of the matter is that Schneider has been our 4th best hitter this year, and 2nd best vRHP and 5th best vLHP. His strength is also OBP and seeing a ton of pitches in general. He's the fit for the 2-hole in all situations tbh.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 03:54 PM EDT (#468826) #
I agree with Schneider hitting 2nd. The other thing about Schneider or Lukes hitting second is that Springer and Vladdy can be fairly hacktastic. They give you a shot at avoiding the dreaded 7 pitch, three-up three-down first.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 03:56 PM EDT (#468827) #
Also - if they're good with Schneider playing 2B tonight in this huge game, maybe they could consider playing him there fulltime. Could be a big boost to the offense.
[ Reply to This ]
SK in NJ - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 04:54 PM EDT (#468828) #
Bieber's start has been pushed to Friday, according to Matheson. I am very curious to hear the logic on this one. If it's because he needs the extra day, then not much you can do, but if it's for any other reason, then I'd like to hear it because it greatly improves NY's chances to win the division if Berrios is starting tomorrow.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 04:59 PM EDT (#468829) #
Since the Deadline


vRHP

2B Schnieder 48pa, 217wrc+
LF Springer 70pa, 202wrc+
SS Bichette 113pa, 171wrc+
CF Varsho 122pa, 133wrc+
1B Guerrero 140pa, 132wrc+
C Kirk 106pa, 114wrc+
RF Loperfido 37pa, 102wrc+
3B Clement 119pa, 100wrc+
DH Santander n/a

France 66pa, 92wrc+
Falefa 82pa, 80wrc+
Lukes 132pa, 71wrc+
Barger 137pa, 65wrc+
Gimenez 101pa, 46wrc+
Heineman 41pa, 22wrc+
[ Reply to This ]
Marc Hulet - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 05:26 PM EDT (#468830) #
Resigned to the wildcard, they don't want Bieber facing Boston twice?

Tonight is essentially an automatic loss, maybe a no-hitter given the way the Jays are swinging, but Santander is not a great fit. They've said his RH swing is noticeably behind his LH swing and his super long swing path makes contact against an upper-90s guy pretty unlikely.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 05:36 PM EDT (#468831) #
Given his reverse splits, I think you can make a pretty good case that Gimenez's ABs could be going to IKF right now. I say that as someone who thinks IKF is an offensive sinkhole. I'm just not sure that you can afford to be carrying Gimenez's "bat" right now.
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 05:38 PM EDT (#468832) #
An interesting lineup. wRC+ vs LHP this year...
  1. LF Springer: 131
  2. SS Clement: 151
  3. 1B Vlad: 170
  4. C Kirk: 98
  5. DH Santander: 47
  6. 2B Schneider: 111
  7. CF Varsho: 62
  8. RF Straw: 93
  9. 3B IKF: 48 (18 PA as a Jay, 39 overall vs LHP this year in 121 PA)
On bench: Heineman 189 (49 PA), Loperfido 123 (23 PA), Lukes 103, Barger 72, Gimenez 34.

So the bench makes a lot of sense, if you want Santander in there tonight that is (Springer DH, Lukes in RF would be better, but I get wanting to see if Santander is ready or not). I'd have been tempted to play Straw in CF, Lukes RF and let Varsho have a day off as an alternative. Playing IKF is never going to look good on offense, but vs Gimenez against LHP it can make sense. Still tempting to use Barger instead, but he also has been slumping lately so a day off might be good here and he can come in to PH if needed later on.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 05:39 PM EDT (#468833) #
Crochet earned runs allowed in his last four starts: 3, 3, 0, 7 (13 total).

He’s a very good pitcher, excellent when he’s on, but he’s not invincible. And he’s thrown almost 200 IP. His innings totals have climbed a lot year-over-year from 2023 to now.

As long as the Red Sox aren’t cheating and Scherzer isn’t tipping his pitches, this game is not unwinnable.
[ Reply to This ]
Marc Hulet - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 05:42 PM EDT (#468834) #
Just keep having IKF and Straw bunt every time out and try to make Crochet field the ball. Wear him down a little.

I love the video of Springer saying that the umps are clearly trying to give the division to New York. One more questionable play and they should play under protest. I'd also.love to hear the crowd chanting "rigged" or "coreupt umps"... why not, it can't get any more blatant.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 05:55 PM EDT (#468835) #
Crochet has pitched more innings than ever and has been giving up gopher balls all september. so there's a chance.
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 05:57 PM EDT (#468836) #
An automatic loss, eh Marc Hulet? Thanks for this, the team needs it.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 06:04 PM EDT (#468837) #
For me one key to the game is, don’t start walking Red Sox batters! It will be a bad sign if we start seeing nibble, nibble, nibble, walk.
[ Reply to This ]
Marc Hulet - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 06:38 PM EDT (#468838) #
Scherzer needs to be more concerned with tipping his pitches and going 2B, HR, HR,2B.

They're likely not announcing Berrios for tomorrow because they'll need him if/when they fall behind by a lot.

And you're welcome.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 06:47 PM EDT (#468839) #
[ Reply to This ]
mendocino - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 06:55 PM EDT (#468840) #
Vladdy's teammates being fans with Sr. in town

https://www.instagram.com/p/DO9v2DCji1G/?img_index=1
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 06:56 PM EDT (#468841) #
ESPN Analytics chances of winning the game:

Bos 59.9%
Tor 40.1%

Chances of an umpshow: 23%
[ Reply to This ]
Hodgie - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:02 PM EDT (#468842) #
"If they want New York to win just tell me and give it to them already!" 
   - George Springer September 23, 2025

I hope the Jays unveil the George Springer statue in time for my next visit, next season.

[ Reply to This ]
electric carrot - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:12 PM EDT (#468843) #
Automatic loss -- that phrase produces automatic snark.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:13 PM EDT (#468844) #
agreed hodgie!
[ Reply to This ]
Katie - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:14 PM EDT (#468845) #
Resigned to the wildcard is a little strong, but I wouldn't be shocked if wanting to hide Scherzer from a potential playoff opponent (regardless of Wild Card or Bye) was a big factor in that decision.
[ Reply to This ]
electric carrot - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:14 PM EDT (#468846) #
i like the lineup -- especially clement at #2.
[ Reply to This ]
Katie - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:15 PM EDT (#468847) #
Bieber, sorry.

No edit feature.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:15 PM EDT (#468848) #
Scherzer sure likes pitching over the middle of the plate. So do the Red Sox hitters.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:15 PM EDT (#468849) #
Middle Middle.
[ Reply to This ]
lexomatic - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:18 PM EDT (#468850) #
So does Scherzer retire after this season?
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:19 PM EDT (#468851) #
after the game maybe?
[ Reply to This ]
Katie - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:25 PM EDT (#468852) #
Meanwhile the Yankees have loaded the bases against someone called F. Ellard.

I'm not convinced that's a real person.
[ Reply to This ]
James W - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:31 PM EDT (#468853) #
Don't worry, Ellard is out of the game after walking the first three batters and getting two outs. Here comes Cannon!
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:32 PM EDT (#468854) #
Maybe ask him to retire mid game?
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:38 PM EDT (#468855) #
Vlad and Kirk 3/4 right now is just killing us. Neither has been to hit at all for 2 weeks. Even when some other part of the lineup scrapes something together, it just dies with weak grounders and soft fly balls.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:39 PM EDT (#468856) #
already Santander. time to earn $20m in a week.
[ Reply to This ]
Four Seamer - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:50 PM EDT (#468857) #
It is too late to revert to a 154 game schedule?
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:52 PM EDT (#468858) #
I’m now watching the Yankees/Sox game. Seems a more likely way to use whatever karma I have:). Sox putting up a credible fight so far.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 07:59 PM EDT (#468859) #
So much for the credible fight:(
[ Reply to This ]
scottt - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:00 PM EDT (#468860) #
F. Elon would be suspicious.
[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:03 PM EDT (#468861) #
This is just so sad to watch -- I know it's not over, but what a collapse this has been.  And we don't even get to wallow in it being the worst one happening right now.  Detroit gets that honor, I believe.

C'mon fellas, give us a reason to have hope!
[ Reply to This ]
dalimon5 - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:06 PM EDT (#468862) #
I believe they are managing for the playoffs not the season. They will take their chances this way.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:12 PM EDT (#468863) #
So, likely tied for first place after tonight (but with the Jays holding the tiebreaker).

Maybe about 50/50 at that point to win the division.

I think the Bo send/slide may well have been the key pivot point in terms of winning the AL East.

Also, I would be fine with no Scherzer in the playoffs. He’s evidently just not that good anymore.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:15 PM EDT (#468864) #
Yankees now blowing out the Sox. Jays now have to be underdogs to take the Division.
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:20 PM EDT (#468865) #
Sigh. The offense has to come to life someday. But right now it is Nance time imo - use the low leverage guys. Maybe Berrios.

In good news the Jays Korean hot prospect Seojun Moon who was expected to be a top 3 pick in the KBO draft. An 18 year old RHP. So hope for the future, looks like a good use of $1 mil in international cap space gained when the Jays took on Straw's contract from Cleveland.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:29 PM EDT (#468866) #
never liked baseball all that much tbh.
[ Reply to This ]
dalimon5 - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:32 PM EDT (#468867) #
John, there is no good news. Jays lost the division. Biggest collapse ever. That young prospect probably requires Tommy John surgery. Terrible. They WILL finish 2nd place in division. No hope. They will not get better with Bo Bichette's return. They are not testing Santander now for the playoffs at the expense of losing production now. They are not gaining any advantage by pushing Bieber back. They blew it and if it wasn't them then it was the umpires and a conspiracy. **BUT, if they win tonight or finish first place by the end of the week then I reserve the very special right to return here and post a very positive message with an exclamation point and pretend like I secretly believed in this team all the way.

*Trademarked/copyrighted self sabotage
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:44 PM EDT (#468868) #
Seeing the doom and gloom here I can only imagine Detroit Tiger message boards and NY Met ones - September 1st Tigers up by 9 on Royals, 10 1/2 on Guardians, now on the verge of moving into 2nd place and out of the playoffs (were 99.9% odds of playoffs then, 99.8% of division, 87.2% of bye). Mets on the 1st were 94.5% of playoffs, now 67.7% and dropping. No matter what the Jays are in the playoffs. Yeah, division title is a good thing but it isn't worth pulling hair out over.
[ Reply to This ]
electric carrot - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:48 PM EDT (#468869) #
I am ready to be ejected from this game.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:57 PM EDT (#468870) #
Each of us will have a different emotional response to these pressure games. This is normal! There is no need to monitor other people’s responses and teach them the right level of optimism or pessimism to have (in my opinion).
[ Reply to This ]
Four Seamer - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 08:58 PM EDT (#468871) #
If they are going to continue to play this listlessly, the wild card round and a quick two game exit would be the most merciful outcome.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 09:04 PM EDT (#468872) #
This thread has very little doom and gloom.
[ Reply to This ]
Marc Hulet - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 09:10 PM EDT (#468873) #
I canceled my Sportsnet+ subscription due to an $80/year increase year over year and today was my last day to watch. They just canceled it at 9PM on the night before.

Literally about 3 mins after Berrios gave up the home. Nice.

BTW it looked like the runner was giving something away by jumping up and down off the bag on the pitch. He jumped on the Narvaez homer pitch... he knew what was coming.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 09:11 PM EDT (#468874) #
Jays have two innings to get 2 hits or it will be the 6th game in 7 with 4 or fewer hits.
[ Reply to This ]
Katie - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 09:34 PM EDT (#468875) #
The Jays not winning the AL East will be maybe the third biggest collapse of the season by a playoff contender.

I'd normally say that it was 50-50 for the AL East title based on the Jays having the tiebreaker, given that tomorrow looks like a non-lengthened Lauer/bullpen game, I think the odds are in New York's favour at this point.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 09:44 PM EDT (#468876) #
The White Sox are pretty bad and they are playing a surging NYY team in Yankee Stadium. Seems very unlikely they’ll win tomorrow’s game, unless Rodon somehow melts down.

That extreme WP by Eisert with two out in the ninth, a 2-1 lead, a runner on third, and a 3-2 count on Bellinger, was a horrible dereliction of duty (if you’re a Blue Jays fan).
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 09:55 PM EDT (#468877) #
Funny, the Jays only run a homer by IKF, the guy I suspect we all didn't want to see in the lineup. Go figure.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 09:55 PM EDT (#468878) #
Scherzer is this year’s Justin Turner. Feel-good signing that ultimately doesn’t feel very good.
[ Reply to This ]
James W - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:03 PM EDT (#468879) #
The one betting site I checked still has the Blue Jays as a slight favourite (-115) over the Yankees (-106) to win the division.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:15 PM EDT (#468880) #
Fangraphs currently (after tonight’s results) gives the Blue Jays a 54.2% chance of winning the division.

Interestingly, they nonetheless give the Yankees a 16.2% chance of winning the WS, and the Blue Jays a 9.9% chance of winning the WS.
[ Reply to This ]
BlueMonday - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:16 PM EDT (#468881) #
A little ‘bird’ told me there would be pain. I think it was on this site.
[ Reply to This ]
SK in NJ - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:38 PM EDT (#468882) #
Tomorrow is a very important game (obviously). The Yankees probably aren't losing with Rodon facing a hapless White Sox team. Entering the weekend tied gives the Jays a glimmer of hope with Bieber/Yesavage on Friday/Saturday and then Gausman an option for Sunday depending on the circumstances. If they enter Friday's game behind by 1 game, then I'd be tempted to just prepare for the WC round at that point. Whatever the case, just make sure if the Jays do have to play Tuesday that Gausman is starting Game 1. Due to pushing Bieber back a day he won't pitch until Game 2 at the earliest.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:40 PM EDT (#468883) #
i was happy to see Falefa in there instead of Gimenez tbh!
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:48 PM EDT (#468884) #
Kinda feels like the team should have just kept Lauer in the rotation the whole time and bumped Berrios (or Scherzer) to the bullpen.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:48 PM EDT (#468885) #

Blake Murphy
@BlakeMurphyODC
·
51s
Louis Varland starts tomorrow for Jays
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:50 PM EDT (#468886) #
yeah greenfrog they seemed to have outclevered themselves once again, on a number of fronts.

suddenly a 7-deep rotation has no starter for a massive game. pretty slick.
[ Reply to This ]
The_Game - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:52 PM EDT (#468887) #
So a bullpen day tomorrow in the biggest game of the Jays’ season?

A fitting outcome for the same front office that phantom IL’d one of their few major league caliber SPs last week for some bullpen depth until a divisional series that they aren’t even likely to play in.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:53 PM EDT (#468888) #
Jays knew they had bullpen game going tomorrow so why in hell not just save Berrios for that game instead of 2 relief innings? Just baffling.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 10:55 PM EDT (#468889) #
So Varland for an inning or two, then Lauer for maybe 3-5 innings, then Fisher / Fluharty / Seranthony / Hoffman. Something like that?
[ Reply to This ]
SK in NJ - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 11:02 PM EDT (#468890) #
Demoting their best performing reliever, and then sabotaging their best or 2nd best performing starter around the same time was a bad omen (Fisher and Lauer, respectively). Then things like stubbornly keeping Hoffman in the closer role when he's had a -1 WAR since May. Make enough decisions based on things other than performance and it can come back to bite you.

Regardless, what's done is done. They have to start taking care of business now.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 11:05 PM EDT (#468891) #
yeah the Bassit IL did seem a little fishy at the time. if that was them being clever then whoo boy.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 11:11 PM EDT (#468892) #
Honestly, just don’t send Bo home from third base and none of this is an issue. The division and bye would have been secured by now. All the tinkering is happening because Bo (second half wRC+ of 177, September wRC+ 301) was subtracted from the lineup and the offense cratered.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 11:38 PM EDT (#468893) #
Toronto Blue Jays hitters have a .463 OPS over their last 7 games. It's their lowest OPS in any 7-game span in 30 years"

From Chris Black on Twitter.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 11:43 PM EDT (#468894) #
Yep, that's a choke.
[ Reply to This ]
Eephus - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 11:49 PM EDT (#468895) #
Geez, by the looks of it I picked an excellent night to work a concert instead of watch the game (at this point the members of Devo and the B-52s could probably match the Blue Jays recent offensive output and would be far more entertaining while doing it).

Seriously though, I'm seeing a lot of people already throwing in the towel (and fair enough their recent performance does not rouse faith) but they could also go off and win the next four and make all the defeatism look real darn silly and premature. It's baseball, and baseball is stupid like that sometimes. Would I bet on it? ........no, probably not, but it wouldn't surprise me either. Agreed, it really really does stink to be at this point while the Yankees get to have fun beating up on the downright pathetic White Sox (not to mention all this BS with the replay stuff)... all I'm saying is there's no certainty either that the magic has finally run out for this Jays team. 50/50 for the division, at this point, feels about right. 40/60 if you're big on momentum being a thing.  

If this time next week we've just witnessed another anemic appearance in the Wild Card round and the season is already over... well in that moment I'll be more than happy to unleash some hearty venom and despair (and hoo boy, after a downright miserable season playing baseball, I've got plenty stored). But I'm in no hurry to get to that point.    
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Wednesday, September 24 2025 @ 11:55 PM EDT (#468896) #
I have zero problem with a bullpen start tomorrow. The stating pitching has been the Achilles Heel of this team all year (a little discussed issue). I feel better about a bullpen start than any of the other options.
[ Reply to This ]
Katie - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:15 AM EDT (#468897) #
I still don't agree with the idea the Jays shouldn't have sent Bo home on that play in New York.

If a team doesn't send it's runners home any time there is a small chance of a collision at home plate because there is a chance a collision could result in an injury, they would be one of the worst baserunning teams in the league.

In retrospect, obviously, but the idea that in the moment, Bo should have been held because he had some tiny chance of suffering a major injury seems silly to me.

Think of the number of times we've seen Vlad or Springer (or others) dive across home plate and score an important run. Presumably none of those should have happened, since there is some small chance that those plays could have resulted in a play at the plate if the fielding team had played it exactly right.
[ Reply to This ]
SK in NJ - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:32 AM EDT (#468898) #
Going with a bullpen game rather than Berrios probably increases the team's chances of winning tonight, which is sad to say considering how many years and how much money Berrios has left on his contract.
[ Reply to This ]
Jonny German - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:50 AM EDT (#468899) #
Wednesday September 24: No movement.

Magic numbers for the Jays to finish ahead of the other top AL teams:

4 New York
1 Boston
3 Seattle
1 Cleveland

4 games remaining.
[ Reply to This ]
Ryan Day - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 10:03 AM EDT (#468900) #
In retrospect, obviously, but the idea that in the moment, Bo should have been held because he had some tiny chance of suffering a major injury seems silly to me.

Yeah, by that logic Bo shouldn't be playing the infield, either, because there's always a chance of a runner taking him out on a close play. I'd say you could stick him in left field and hope he doesn't hurt himself, but his aggressive style means he'd probably be crashing into walls, too.

Anyway, losing Bo hurts, but it hurts even more that Vlad, Kirk, Barger, and basically everyone but Springer has entered a miserable hitting funk. Would it matter if Bo were back and they lost last night 7-3 instead?
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 10:05 AM EDT (#468901) #
Katie I agree on that send obviously (and tbh I think most everyone does)....but greenfrog really really wants this one so i'll let him have it.

For me, the actual turning point was the curse of tampa. Everything was hunky dory until we went down there again. We had won 5 of 6, and scored 22 runs in the previous 3gm series, and then we get to Tampa and......the hitting just stops. Thankfully our pitching let us squeeze out wins in the first couple games but the offense stopped dead as soon as we went down there. God I hate that place.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 10:07 AM EDT (#468902) #
And for the record, after Bo's injury, we went on a 7-2 run scoring 5 runs per game.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 10:14 AM EDT (#468903) #
5 series before TB (MIL, CIN, NYY, HOU, BAL): 15gms, 9-6, 5.67 runs/gm

3 series since TB (TB, KCR, BOS): 9gms, 3-6, 2.33 runs/gm

[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 10:17 AM EDT (#468904) #
I’m good. Fair points about the Bo send, and I know most people feel like it was a valid decision. The decision felt like a mistake to me, but that’s just a hunch and hunches are often wrong. The decision was logically defensible and maybe even inevitable in that situation.
[ Reply to This ]
electric carrot - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 11:14 AM EDT (#468905) #
"3 series since TB (TB, KCR, BOS): 9gms, 3-6, 2.33 runs/gm"

I think there were multiple turning points.

The first I think is that Barger hasn't hit well since being accused of using steroids in Oakland.

Alejandro hasn't hit well since coming back from injury.

Bo was hitting great and is suddenly out of the picture.

With Vladdy I think he's streaky and he's in a lull.

My hope is the ejections and some of the spirit shown last night lifts the team a bit and they get out of the funk.

[ Reply to This ]
ISLAND BOY - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 11:32 AM EDT (#468906) #
One final thing on thee play that injured Bo is that Bellinger through an absolute bullet that was right on target and the catcher was able to receive it in time to block the plate. So many outfield throws tail off one way or another, or bounce in a way that handcuffs the catcher, or even sail high past the catcher. If any of these things had occurred instead of a perfect throw, then Bo wouldn't have had to slide into the catcher's shin pads.

The Jays have lost momentum and really need a big offensive game from somebody. I would bet, ( and I never do), my life savings that it won't be Santander. The heat of the pennant race is no place for someone who is in spring training form.
[ Reply to This ]
vw_fan17 - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 11:33 AM EDT (#468907) #
I'm not saying you don't send the runner because he may get hurt. But on that play, as soon as the ball left the infield, I had a worried feeling that Bo would be out by a mile if they were dumb enough to send him.
[ Reply to This ]
BlueJayWay - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 11:42 AM EDT (#468908) #
Yeah I can't believe we're still talking about that Bichette send. I've seen it other places too, like reddit. I don't get it. It's one thing to say he probably would've been out so they shouldn't have sent him because of *that*, but the rain was coming and it was an official game and the Jays were down so I get the risk there. It took a really good play from the RFer. But to say the send was dumb because he happened to get injured...I mean, that's the most egregious 'hindsight is 20/20' example I've ever seen. You don't not send a guy because maybe he suffers an injury on a particular play. Injuries can happen doing anything on a baseball field. Remember Bichette was out for the Canada Day series because he stepped on a ball and tweaked something before a game.

Hell, look at Yordan Alvarez the other day, scoring on a routine play and sprained an ankle. 

[ Reply to This ]
BlueJayWay - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 11:45 AM EDT (#468909) #
For me, the actual turning point was the curse of tampa. Everything was hunky dory until we went down there again. We had won 5 of 6, and scored 22 runs in the previous 3gm series, and then we get to Tampa and......the hitting just stops. Thankfully our pitching let us squeeze out wins in the first couple games but the offense stopped dead as soon as we went down there. God I hate that place.

Agreed with that. Nothing good ever happens there. Even though they won the first two games the offense died there and hasn't come back. In fact I'm surprised the Bichette injury didn't happen there, just because.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 12:22 PM EDT (#468910) #
Things happen - like star shortstops getting injured on hard slides into 2B:(
[ Reply to This ]
Ryan Day - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 01:02 PM EDT (#468911) #
One final thing on thee play that injured Bo is that Bellinger through an absolute bullet that was right on target and the catcher was able to receive it in time to block the plate.

My general rule of thumb is that if the defence has to make a perfect play to get the out, it was probably a reasonable gamble to send the runner. We've seen the Yankees have plenty of trouble making routine outs, so testing their execution was a reasonable bet.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 01:18 PM EDT (#468912) #
Except that Bellinger has been very good on defense this year. 90th percentile fielding value, with 92nd percentile arm value and 83rd percentile arm strength. He is not representative of the team’s defense as a whole.

And Bo is a 20th percentile runner this year.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 02:21 PM EDT (#468913) #
The Bo send stuff is silly to me. It was the right move. You can't not send someone in case a 0.01% outcome happens. Anyway, Bo isn't the reason the Jays aren't hitting. He'd help of course but one hitter doesn't make the lineup hit or something. Since September 10th, Vladdy has a 43 WRC+. Kirk has a 0 WRC+. Barger-58,, They have as many guys with 0 or negative WRC+ than they do with guys who are league average or better in that period. That isn't on Bo being hurt.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 03:12 PM EDT (#468914) #

DH Springer
RF Lukes
1B Guerrero
3B Barger
LF Santander
CF Varsho
2B Clement
SS Gimenez
C Heineman
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 03:21 PM EDT (#468915) #
VGJ, Springer and Barger all have good career numbers against Bello.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 03:31 PM EDT (#468916) #
Crochet has a 99th percentile pitching run value on Savant. By comparison, Bello has a 58th percentile pitching run value (with below-average breaking and offspeed pitches).

So a bit more of an opening to get something going offensively.
[ Reply to This ]
dalimon5 - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 03:43 PM EDT (#468917) #
I maintain my view that the Blue Jays are focusing on the playoffs and optimizing their roster more than anything. If they fall into 2nd or stay in first it's secondary to maximizing their performance once in the playoffs.

They are hiding Bieber

They are deciding on Scherzer

They are deciding on where to bat Barger vs Santander (if Santander even makes playoff roster)

They are resting (I think?) Hoffman

They could have used Bieber, kept Santander down, etc to try to increase chances of finishing ahead of the Yankees.

Will it be easier to do better in the playoffs if getting a bye. Yes. BUT you might just end up in 2nd place anyways and now have to play BOS who just saw Bieber and now carry Santander without testing him first, etc. I can see the merits to what they are doing.

For the offense, KC is never a good play to hit and Boston is a good team. They need to win today and take 2/3 from TB and hope the Yankees lose 1 of their next 4 games. That's it and then they win the division.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 04:09 PM EDT (#468918) #
My issue with that logic is the overwhelming importance of having Bo in the lineup in the postseason. If the ALDS is the earliest series he’s likely to play in, then securing a bye to that series has a lot of value. The bye would presumably help a lot of other players recharge for the postseason as well (including Santander, Clement, others). Also Bassitt is unavailable until the ALDS.

I also think the Blue Jays have a better shot in the DS than in a WC series, as their depth-over-ace-SP roster has a better chance to prevail there.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 04:10 PM EDT (#468919) #
I think the brass thought they had the division wrapped up tbh.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 04:18 PM EDT (#468920) #
Shi Davidi
@ShiDavidi
·
25s
Jose Berrios is heading to IL with right elbow inflammation and is on his way to get an MRI right now.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider says it’s something Berrios has been “dealing with for a while.”

Paxton Schultz is on his way up.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 04:18 PM EDT (#468921) #
dalimon - you might be right, but, if so, then the FO is nuts. More likely is uo's suggestion that they thought this was in the bag.

I'm very optimistic about today's game. I think Ernie is going to find a way to get this done tonight.
[ Reply to This ]
Mike Green - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 05:09 PM EDT (#468922) #
I support the likely plan to have Heineman start tonight and Saturday, giving Kirk a day off between games.  He's started more games than ever this year and it might be starting to show.

Not so fond of Santander over Schneider in LF.
[ Reply to This ]
dalimon5 - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 05:17 PM EDT (#468923) #
It makes sense Berrios was injured and not "done," since he's young and jacked. Well, kind of young-ish.

I think Bo would be ready for WC series.

Brass is playing it the way I would. Let the NYY go 6-1 or whatever to win the division. Odds are against it happening even though they're now tied.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 06:19 PM EDT (#468924) #
Not so fond of Santander over Schneider in LF."

Schneider should be at 2B and Clement/Gimenez on bench. The Jays are in an insane offensive slump. Get some more offense in lineup.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 06:50 PM EDT (#468925) #
"Not so fond of Santander over Schneider in "

you mean Gimenez over Schneider at 2B.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:03 PM EDT (#468926) #
i have cracked the glass for this emergency:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myyWXKeBsNk


let's get this done boys. come on.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:03 PM EDT (#468927) #
Agreed. Its Gimenez and the giant vortex where offence goes to die that needs to be on the bench.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:05 PM EDT (#468928) #
Bello's 2025 pitch usage:

FB 15.6%
Cutter 15.3%
Sinker 34.4%
Slider 19.1%
Changeup 15.6%

Looks like LHB are somewhat more successful than RHB against him, but it's not a huge split.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:12 PM EDT (#468929) #
Agreed. Its Gimenez and the giant vortex where offence goes to die that needs to be on the bench."

Gimenez has an 80 WRC+ against RHP. Clement is 73.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:13 PM EDT (#468930) #
make Varland a starter!
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:13 PM EDT (#468931) #
Gimenez has a 46wrc+ vRHP in the 2nd half, Clement 100wrc+.

for the last 3yrs they're both at 90wrc+.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:20 PM EDT (#468932) #
vladdy is a mess.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:21 PM EDT (#468933) #
Oh, Vladdy.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:22 PM EDT (#468934) #
After two good ABs to start the game those ABs by Vladdy and Barger are just inexcusable.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:23 PM EDT (#468935) #
Clement also has 1/3 of his HR's off RHP off of a position player in Colorado. I'm not saying that Gimenez shouldn't sit but Clement should be sitting more against RHP.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:26 PM EDT (#468936) #
Varland starts game 1!
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:27 PM EDT (#468937) #
Definitely intrigued by Varland's starting potential.
[ Reply to This ]
Michael - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:28 PM EDT (#468938) #
Following up a 1 out triple with your 3 and 4 hitters both first pitch ground outs is not a happy outcome.
[ Reply to This ]
SK in NJ - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:30 PM EDT (#468939) #
It was said that Atkins wanted Varland a couple of years ago when he was a starter. Wouldn't surprise me if that's his role next season. The two innings tonight were the best he's looked since the trade.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:31 PM EDT (#468940) #
attaboy Santander. nice at bat and solid contact. they did say his lefty swing was ahead of his right swing.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:41 PM EDT (#468941) #
yanks take the lead but the chisox tie it up.

ok bats please get this pumpkin the 2nd time through.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:51 PM EDT (#468942) #
Chisox put Judge on with 2 outs to load the bases and get a Bellinger grounder to get out of it. still 1-1.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:52 PM EDT (#468943) #
ok Santander this is your moment.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 07:53 PM EDT (#468944) #
oh man baseball gods give us a fricken break already.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:02 PM EDT (#468945) #
oh come on don't pull Lauer for Yariel already. he's only at 25 pitches. give him another inning - at LEAST.
[ Reply to This ]
BlueJayWay - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:02 PM EDT (#468946) #
I am becoming the joker
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:11 PM EDT (#468947) #
Santander at least looks good. Good swings, hitting the ball hard. Vlad, in the other hand, just continues to look awful. Maybe the worst I've ever seen him. Horrible swing decisions awful swings. Need to get him back on track quickly.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:13 PM EDT (#468948) #
Chisox up 3-1 on the taylor HR.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:13 PM EDT (#468949) #
A bullpen day was just what the Dr ordered.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:15 PM EDT (#468950) #
ok just let Lauer keep going.

and keep him in the rotation. forget you ever took him out.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:27 PM EDT (#468951) #
why are they pulling Lauer. he's at 44 pitches. against the bottom of the order. are they really that scared of Refsnyder.
[ Reply to This ]
electric carrot - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:34 PM EDT (#468952) #
bunt?
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:34 PM EDT (#468953) #
great hustle by vladdy gets the error and the leadoff baserunner.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:36 PM EDT (#468954) #
they can't mess this up.

they just can't.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:40 PM EDT (#468955) #
Stanton clears the bases with a double. 4-3 yanks.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:43 PM EDT (#468956) #
This might be the last best chance for the Blue Jays this series.

Also, you just can’t count on anything from the CWS.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:44 PM EDT (#468957) #
please baby jesus.

just one hit.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:45 PM EDT (#468958) #
Baby! Grand Slam!
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:45 PM EDT (#468959) #
THANK YOU BABY JESUS
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:46 PM EDT (#468960) #
Final-freaking-lutly!!!! Love Varsho - sign that guy for 5 more years!
[ Reply to This ]
lexomatic - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:46 PM EDT (#468961) #
Finally
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:46 PM EDT (#468962) #
Huuuuuuge. Now put them away.
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:48 PM EDT (#468963) #
Boy the Red Sox manager sure looks bad tonight - LH-Switch who has trouble vs LHP-LH and he waits until the 3rd guy to bring in the LHP.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 08:54 PM EDT (#468964) #
Springer of George
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:10 PM EDT (#468965) #
What a year for George. Can't recall anyone predicting a career year for him this year. 162 wRC+ after that HR - best he ever had before was a 155 in 2019. His 4.7 fWAR is 2nd best in his career to that 2019 season (he was a CF then vs DH mostly now). His peak is 39 HR, not going to reach that (31 now), 82 RBI is his 3rd best (unlikely to reach 96, his peak in 2019). His 16 SB is 2nd best in his career (20 in '23 was his peak).

Rare, but not impossible to do this at 35. Hopefully he has another year like this next year. Then the tough choice hits of resign or not. Along with do you sign Varsho long term this winter or wait and see?
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:31 PM EDT (#468966) #
Did Santander get injured during the HBP? Looked like the pitch dinged his ankle or lower leg pretty good.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:36 PM EDT (#468967) #
The Yankees are scheduled to face Trevor Rogers tomorrow. That could be a chance for the Blue Jays to move a game ahead of New York or at least maintain their current position in the standings.
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:41 PM EDT (#468968) #
I strongly dislike Hoffman being in this game, and don’t care that he hasn’t pitched since Sunday. This will have an effect on the weekend’s series.
[ Reply to This ]
jjdynomite - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:46 PM EDT (#468969) #
... maybe it's a good thing Hoffman is being used up in a low leverage situation, however.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:47 PM EDT (#468970) #
Hoffman is unplayable.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:48 PM EDT (#468971) #
"This will have an effect on the weekend’s series."

Hopefully it means he can't be used this weekend.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:49 PM EDT (#468972) #
Phew. Hoffman can really unravel. But this time he kept it together and closed it out.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:50 PM EDT (#468973) #
Yuge yuge win.

And even if the yanks hold on tonight the jays have no excuses - BAL is every bit as good as TB on paper and in the standings, and BAL is on a 15-9 run while the rays are on a 6-13 run.

No excuses not to hold onto the division.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:51 PM EDT (#468974) #
Who is the Sunday SP for the O’s? Looks like Rogers and Sugano for Friday and Saturday.
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:52 PM EDT (#468975) #
Well, Hoffman has had trouble on long rest - with 6+ days rest he has an opponents sOPS+ of 114, with 0 days rest (tomorrow) he has a sOPS+ of 127, but 1 day rest (Saturday) it drops to 7. IE: he is best with 1 day off, so this sets him up to be at his best on Saturday when we have the biggest probable need for relief.
[ Reply to This ]
Nigel - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:52 PM EDT (#468976) #
Felt good about this game all day. A bullpen day was a great choice. Lauer was fantastic. He’s got to feature in some form in the playoffs.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:52 PM EDT (#468977) #
And thank god we didn't let the fricken red sox clinch in our house.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:53 PM EDT (#468978) #
Sweep the Rays and get the bye.
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:53 PM EDT (#468979) #
Funny, but you guys are kidding yourselves if you think Hoffman isn’t being brought into a tight game this weekend, probably for the third time in four days.

I guess we just need seven strong from Bieber.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:55 PM EDT (#468980) #
YES broadcast says Bradish starting for the O’s on Sunday. That’s good.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:57 PM EDT (#468981) #
I don’t know how hoffman can be anywhwere near the top of the manager's list when the manager has the pressure on him to make those decisions. It's pure panic every time he's on the mound.
[ Reply to This ]
greenfrog - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 09:57 PM EDT (#468982) #
And the Blue Jays have Bieber, Yesavage, Gausman slated to start this weekend, which is encouraging.

Hard to predict how the next three games are going to go.

“One game at a time.”
[ Reply to This ]
BlueJayWay - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 10:02 PM EDT (#468983) #
If only the white sox had gotten that last strike on Tuesday. The magic number would be 2. Would  just need any 2  wins against Tampa or 1 win and 1 Yankee loss against Baltimore.
[ Reply to This ]
SK in NJ - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 10:02 PM EDT (#468984) #
Hoffman will definitely pitch tomorrow if the game is close, but the Jays have yet to let him throw 3 days in a row, so Saturday is likely out if he pitches Friday.

Don't depend on other teams to help out. Sweep the Rays, or at least win the first 2 and hope the Yankees split the first 2 against the O's. Then Sunday can be a stress-free exhibition game. Either way, this is your season now. No margin for error and no excuses.
[ Reply to This ]
John Northey - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 10:05 PM EDT (#468985) #
Agreed 92-93 (say if they win it all would you become 92-93-25?).

We need a good Bieber start tomorrow and for the offense to be alive again - ideally for more than 1 inning.
[ Reply to This ]
uglyone - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 10:19 PM EDT (#468986) #
i was with you guys when all the RP were struggling, but with Varland, Dominguez, Rodriguez, Fisher, Fluharty, Lauer, Little all dialing it in lately i don't know that they'll be as addicted to Hoffman as you guys think.

This was his first outing in ages and it came with a 5 run lead. And his scattered last few outings have all been panic time too.

The jays haven't hesitated to ditch ineffective expensive RP this year and i just have a hard time seeing the manager look down to his bullpen and feel in his gut that hoffman is the guy he wants in there with the game on the line.
[ Reply to This ]
Glevin - Thursday, September 25 2025 @ 10:33 PM EDT (#468987) #
Hoffman isn't exactly inspiring confidence right now but he's also only give up one run in his last 11 appearances. I don't mind going to him if Jays see his stuff is OK and have quick hook. Far more worried about the offense right now.
[ Reply to This ]
Jonny German - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 06:38 AM EDT (#468988) #
Thursday September 25: One huge win for the Blue Jays. It officially knocks off the Red Sox and Guardians as far as Toronto is concerned, and secures home field advantage should they play a Wild Card series. And the strength of schedule advantage the Yankees held is now in the past.

Magic numbers for the Jays to finish ahead of the other top AL teams:

3 New York
2 Seattle

3 games remaining.
[ Reply to This ]
Marc Hulet - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 11:36 AM EDT (#468989) #
Berrios going to IL with an elbow issue which "hes been dealing with for some time."

Which seems to be added on to the injury update every time the Jaya announce an injury.

Why do they always let player play (poorly) hurt?
[ Reply to This ]
Mike Green - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 12:42 PM EDT (#468990) #
As Nigel said, Lauer was excellent and he really has been very good all year in both starting and relief roles.  I did not realize how good he had been in high leverage situations- opponents hitting .195/.244/.268, compared with good numbers in medium leverage situations and .249/.302/.456.  

Maybe he gets used in the Andrew Miller role in the playoffs.
[ Reply to This ]
Mike Green - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 12:43 PM EDT (#468991) #
Ack.  Opponents have hit .249/.302/.456 in low leverage situations against Lauer.  He's risen to the occasion this year.
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 01:00 PM EDT (#468992) #
It's entirely possible that Berrios isn't actually hurt and was just merely not in the plan for the next 15 days.
[ Reply to This ]
Katie - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 01:42 PM EDT (#468993) #
Fangraphs predicts the Jays and Yankees to both finish 93-69 (with rounding).

Yankees have slightly higher chance of finishing with that record than the Jays, but the Jays have higher odds at the bye, since it's slightly more likely than not that they reach magic number of three.

Seems about right.
[ Reply to This ]
dalimon5 - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 01:51 PM EDT (#468994) #
Possible yes. Likely no. Anything is possible really but you should ask yourself why the Jays would be okay with announcing he is removed from the starting rotation but then must pretend he is injured to leave him off the playoff roster. When I do this exercise it reasons that he is injured. Then there's also the fact he's declined too much in my mind and he's been the Cal Ripken of modern day pitchers and yeah, it's more likely he's injured.
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 02:12 PM EDT (#468995) #
The pretend injury would be to add another reliever for the final 4 games of the season, the first of which was a bullpen game that Berrios would not have been available in.
[ Reply to This ]
Marc Hulet - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 02:44 PM EDT (#468996) #
After already possibly bungling the Bassitt injury, I highly doubt they would put another veteran starter on the IL needlessly with Gausman possibly going Sunday unless/when Toronto loses both Friday and Saturday (with New York winning both games, of course).
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 02:52 PM EDT (#468997) #
I don't see the relevance there, seeing as they have Bieber-Yesavage-Scherzer ahead of Berrios on their SP chart (for better or worse), and Lauer stretched back out somewhat. Anyway, twas just a theory.
[ Reply to This ]
blu-j - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 09:27 PM EDT (#469025) #
Don’t get me wrong, I want the Jays to be leading going into the ninth inning, but the prospect of Hoffman is already making me nervous here in the eighth.

More runs, please.
[ Reply to This ]
92-93 - Friday, September 26 2025 @ 10:51 PM EDT (#469051) #
On the bright side, the Jays now have Varland, Rodriguez, Fisher, and Dominguez fresh for tomorrow, with lefties available too. Just keep em in the game, Trey.

Boyle has normal career splits too, so same lineup tomorrow, or will Kirk sit for the crucial day game? Perhaps Loperfido will get a start.
[ Reply to This ]
Boston at Toronto, September 23-25 | 270 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.