Blue Jays manage just three hits, meekly drop two of three to lowly Pirates
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And if you don't, expect Toronto manager John Schneider to do it for you.
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What was anticipated (by some) to be a midweek walkover against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates turned into a meek effort by the visiting Jays, who dropped two of three to the NL Central basement dwellers in a series they best forget quickly.
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An indifferent afternoon Wednesday at PNC Park, one that resulted in a 2-1 loss, finished it off for the Jays. At least they are still comfortably atop the AL East standings, but it sure felt like they squandered an opportunity to enhance that status.
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To add a little dig to the proceedings, the main damage was done by the Pirates' Tommy Pham, who did his talking at the plate rather than chirping on the diamond and social media.
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Starting with a #SpringerDinger 😎 pic.twitter.com/M3nwGoxuvM
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 20, 2025
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A two-run double in the first inning by the Pirates outfielder gave them all the runs they would need, quickly erasing a home run by George Springer, the first batter of the game.
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The Jays were their own worst enemies, however, managing just three hits against a Pirates team that had a minus-88 run differential entering Wednesday's game.
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There will be no panic for a Jays team well versed in letting a poor effort be forgotten not long after the final out. But the three-gamer has to feel like an opportunity frittered away, despite all the good they've done, to build on a 74-54 record and what at game's end had them 4 1/2 games up on the Yankees for the division lead.
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That said, it's the fourth time the Jays have dropped a series to a last-place team this season, an annoying blip in their overall record. In July, they dropped two of three to the Athletics and three of four to the Orioles. In June, they lost two of three to the White Sox.
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None of those results — including the most recent one — are a cause for concern, of course. But they have to be at least an irritating development for a team that can smell the opportunity it has created for itself by having so much success against better teams.
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Schneider's managerial skills are being put to the test with healthy bodies coming back into the fold, the latest being Shane Bieber's scheduled Blue Jays debut on Friday in Miami.
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Not so fast. Schneider told reporters in Pittsburgh that it is a 'mostly fluid' situation, while adding that Lauer would be available out of the bullpen on the weekend. Of course, if he isn't used that also means he could slip back into the rotation as soon as the next time through if needed.
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The eyebrow-raiser would be that Jose Berrios, struggling of late, is back in for Saturday. But the Jays and Schneider have such respect for the professionalism of Berrios that they likely believe he's earned the right to work his way out of those struggles. For now, anyway.
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