Outfielder Daulton Varsho makes sublime defensive play for second game in a row
The story of Yariel Rodriguez is far from complete, his body of work so small that reaching any definitive conclusion would be foolish.
However, for the second straight start, the Cuban-born pitcher looked in major league form, the kind of outing that bodes well for a team that hasn’t played up to expectations and is likely to see change aplenty as the July 30 trade deadline approaches.
On Canada Day, the right-hander gave up one run on two hits in 6.2 innings against the Houston Astros.
Saturday at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, which had a Canada Day look given the amount of Blue Jays fans in attendance, Rodriguez was even better.
Rodriguez threw more four-seam fastballs, only got into some mild trouble following a balk, but overall emerged as a potential piece the Jays will be relying on as the club begins the process of turning the page, which may begin in earnest in the next few weeks.
Barring something completely out of left field, Rodriguez isn’t going anywhere.
His efforts were rewarded against the Mariners when the starter provided the Jays with six solid innings, an outing that featured only one hit and six strikeouts.
While Toronto’s bats weren’t dormant on this day, the team scored enough runs to allow Rodriguez to earn his first win in the show as he helped the Jays to a 5-4 win.
Alejandro Kirk had a three-hit game for the visitors.
He drove in two runs as did Vladimir Guerrero Jr., while George Springer reached base four times.
The story on this day was Rodriguez, though the ending wasn’t the kind fans of the Jays had in mind after Trevor Richards gave up a three-run homer to Mitch Haniger in the eighth inning to make things — dare we say — interesting.
After pitching so well in the seventh inning, Richards failed to retire a batter in the eighth and would be lifted for Brendon Little, who brought the tying run to the plate after surrendering a hit.
A wild pitch would advance the runner into scoring position.
With two outs and Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh coming up to the plate, the Jays summoned Chad Green, who was asked to record a four-out save.
Green struck out Raleigh swinging to end the threat.
One pitch into the ninth and the second out was in the books as the back-and-forth nature in the ballpark intensified, half cheering on the M’s, half in support of the Jays.
Seattle’s supporters were inspired after Luke Raley went deep to make it a one-run game.
A swing and a miss would lead to Green recording the second out of the inning.
A pop out in foul territory caught by third baseman Ernie Clement would end the game.
Two homers allowed by the pen is not exactly what the doctor had in order, but a win is a win and at least the Blue Jays were able to reward their diehard fans who made the trip across the border.
VAR-SHOW
Daulton Varsho was up to his old tricks, fresh off his memorable performance Friday night when he literally sprinted into the wall in left field to make a highlight reel catch for the out on a play that had a catch probability of 5%.
The stat geeks that dominate the sport estimated Varsho’s sprint speed on the play was 29.4 feet per second.
Then came Saturday’s defensive game from Varsho, who was back in left field.
With the Mariners threatening in the home half of the fourth inning following back-to-back one out walks, Varsho made a great read on a sinking ball and sprinted in to make a diving catch.
He then had the presence of mind to throw to the bag at second base where he doubled off the runner to end the inning.
In the top of the fourth, Varsho singled up the middle and came around to score the game’s first run.
The guy is hit and miss at the plate with more misses than hits, but when it comes to playing the outfield Varsho is a must-see.
BO’S WOES
Back on May 4, the Jays’ mounting frustration level was best summed up when Bo Bichette got tossed for the first time during his career following a called third strikeout against the host Washington Nationals.
In the intervening months, not much has gone right for Bichette or the Blue Jays for that matter.
He entered Saturday on a 1-for-14 hitting slide in his past four games.
In Bichette’s first at-bat, he was called for a time violation and ultimately struck out swinging, the 56th time Bichette has struck out this season and the sixth game in a row he’s struck out at least once.
Bichette has not hit a home run since May 27.
During that stretch, he has recorded just six extra-base hits.
He’s been moved down in the order, hit at the top of the order and batted cleanup, a role he served in Seattle on Saturday.
After Springer led off the game by stroking a double that went off the wall in left field, he would be left stranded after advancing to third on a Spencer Horwitz groundout.
In his second at-bat, Bichette popped out in foul territory down the first-base line to lead off the fourth inning.
He got his first hit of the series in the seventh as the Jays recorded their 10th hit of the game.
BRIEFLY
The Jays managed a total of two hits Friday night, including a home run by Kevin Kiermaier, in a 2-1 loss; in the top of the fourth inning Saturday, Kiermaier’s swinging strikeout ended the frame, which would see the Jays string together three successive hits with two outs to take a 1-0 lead … Mariners star outfielder Julio Rodriguez was a late scratch … Lefty reliever Tim Mayza, whom the Jays DFAed earlier in the week, has cleared waivers and is a free agent.
MOVING DAY
A couple of developments to note as the Jays were busy prior to first pitch in the second game of their three-game set in Seattle.
To no one’s surprise, veteran Justin Turner was reinstated from the paternity list after his wife delivered the couple’s first child in Toronto.
He was available Saturday after rejoining the club, but the Jays didn’t require his bat.
Some were surprised to learn Addison Barger had been optioned to Triple-A, while the Jays decided to keep outfielder Steward Berroa and infielder Leo Jimenez.
Barger has played in the infield and outfield for the Jays, but his call-up from the Buffalo Bisons — twice in fact — was intended to add offence to a lineup that has been lethargic on far too many nights.
When he was first called up in late April, Barger appeared in five games and struck out six times.
In his past nine games, the kid has recorded one hit.
In 20 combined games this season, Barger has twice as many strikeouts (18) than hits (9).