Back-to-back losses to the Dodgers raise concerns over the Blue Jays' playoff viability
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A series loss is assured following Toronto's 9-1 embarrassment at Chavez Ravine on Saturday night, but now the Jays must save face in the finale or face the realization that perhaps the perception of this team has been inflated, regardless of its 68-50 record and standing atop the AL East.
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In Shohei Ohtani, L.A. has that elusive air carrier, baseball's unicorn capable of turning a game on its head with one swing. Ohtani clubbed his 40th home run of the season on Saturday, a solo shot in off Chris Bassitt in the fifth inning that gave the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.
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One inning earlier, it was Max Muncy breaking open a scoreless game with a two-run shot.
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One inning later, the Dodgers broke it open with six runs off Yariel Rodriguez and Seranthony Dominguez, as the Jays bullpen was exposed by a lineup both deep and skilled.
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Another point to keep in mind for those taking the short view is Toronto's lack of offence, which sorely needs George Springer back in the lineup. Running roughshod over a double-A team — a charitable description by the way, in the Colorado Rockies — may have created a false sense of accomplishment from a team that had just lost six of its previous eight games.
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Add it all up and the elements that lead to playoff success have gone missing in what represented a litmus test.
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Through two games, the Jays have failed miserably and fans should be justifiably concerned. Simply put, they have been overmatched while playing an underwhelming brand of baseball.
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The following are three takeaways on a night the Jays struck out 14 times and recorded three hits through seven innings before Ernie Clement went deep in the eighth.
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1. Pound the mound
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Chris Bassitt versus Blake Snell may not have the same cache as a Max Scherzer-Clayton Kershaw matchup, but both are proven, effective veteran pitchers.
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When he faced the Jays on Saturday, Snell was making just his second start since coming off the injured list following a shoulder issue, while Bassitt's road splits have been well-documented.
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Snell, a Cy Young Award winner in both leagues, began the game with three-pitch strikeouts of Davis Schneider and Clement and though his pitch count was high (90 in all), he did give the Dodgers five shutout innings and 10 strikeouts.
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