Blue Jays quick hits: Tampa bandbox isn't so hitter friendly for visitors at the 50-game mark
The Blue Jays might have won the Grapefruit League title earlier this spring, but wins in Florida are a lot harder to come by during the regular season.
With Tropicana Field still not operational following damage to the roof during last year's hurricane, the Jays made their first trip this season to nearby George Steinbrenner Field for a series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
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Flying High: Toronto Blue Jays on upswing entering home series against Phillies
Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement reacts after Gatorade is poured over him following his walkoff RBI single during the ninth inning of a Major League Baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Toronto on May 17, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young TORONTO — A visit by the woeful Athletics came at an ideal time for the Toronto Blue Jays. Canada's lone big-league team was in a tailspin before finding its form last week. Toronto has won five in a row and sat a half-game out of an American League wild-card spot entering Monday's games. The Blue Jays, who were idle Monday, will continue their homestand Tuesday night against the 36-23 Philadelphia Phillies, a team they will play six times over the next fortnight. Offence clicking After managing just six runs over a six-game road trip, the Blue Jays kicked off their current homestand by scoring a whopping 39 runs over a four-game sweep of the A's. Addison Barger homered in three straight games over the weekend as Toronto went deep 11 times over the series. The Blue Jays have been getting contributions up and down the lineup of late. Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer and Alejandro Kirk have anchored the top half of the batting order. Barger, Ernie Clement, Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw and Jonatan Clase -- all hitting at least .267 -- have helped turn the lineup over with timely hitting. However, two of Toronto's big-ticket acquisitions have struggled this season. Andres Gimenez and Anthony Santander, both on the injured list, have sub-.200 averages with OPS marks under .600. Bullish bullpen One of Toronto's most-improved areas is the bullpen, which is ranked ninth in the major leagues with a 3.47 earned-run average. That's down significantly from the bullpen's 4.82 ERA in 2024, the second-worst mark among the 30 teams. With setup man Yimi Garcia on the injured list, Brendon Little (3-0, 1.37), Mason Fluharty (3-1, 3.33), Chad Green (1-1, 3.91) and Yariel Rodriguez (0-0, 2.73) have stepped up in his absence. Closer Jeff Hoffman has earned 13 saves in 16 opportunities. His three blown saves have boosted his ERA to a rather bloated 5.81. So-so starters Injuries and middling performances have led to a starting rotation that has been serviceable but capable of much more. Veterans Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt have been steady with the three right-handers posting remarkably similar numbers (all between 3.80-3.90 ERA, 66-70 IP and 65-70 strikeouts). Bowden Francis (2-6, 5.04) has been unable to duplicate his strong second half from 2024, and Max Scherzer has pitched only three innings due to a thumb issue. Scherzer's absence has forced manager John Schneider to turn to spot starters and openers, often for so-called bullpen games. The good news for the Blue Jays is Scherzer is throwing live bullpen sessions now, and Alek Manoah (elbow surgery) could make his season debut this summer. Injured Varsho After missing the first few weeks of the season as he built up after shoulder surgery, Daulton Varsho delivered an immediate spark to the lineup when he returned. The Gold Glove centre-fielder provided stellar defence and hit eight homers with 20 RBIs over 24 games before landing back on the injured list. Varsho strained his left hamstring over the weekend while trying to stretch a double into a triple. He's out on a week-to-week basis. Utilityman Davis Schneider was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to fill in. Numbers game It's early days with almost two-thirds of the season still to go, but the 31-28 Blue Jays appear to be a coin flip to make the post-season. Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA standings peg Toronto's playoff chances at 48.6 per cent, slightly ahead of FanGraphs' projections at 43.1 per cent. Cleveland started the day in the American League's first wild-card spot at 32-26. Toronto was one of five teams within 2 1/2 games of the Guardians. The Blue Jays made the playoffs in three of four years before finishing last in the East Division standings in 2024. Toronto hasn't won a playoff game since 2016. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
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Wander Franco trial: Rays star faces sexual abuse, human trafficking charges in Dominican Republic
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco attends his trial on charges of sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor and human trafficking, in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez, File) Warning: This story contains graphic details and allegations of sexual assault Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco is scheduled to go to trial Monday in the Dominican Republic in a sexual abuse case involving a 14-year-old girl. Now 24, Franco was having an All-Star season in 2023 before Dominican authorities began investigating allegations he had been in a relationship with a minor and paid her mother thousands of dollars for her consent. The trial was initially scheduled for Dec. 12 but was postponed until June. Here's what to know about the trial: What are the charges against Wander Franco? Franco has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking. After an investigation that lasted over a year, judge Pascual Valenzuela of the northern province of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, ruled in September that the evidence presented by prosecutors was worthy of the case moving to trial. Documents that prosecutors presented to the judge in July and were viewed by The Associated Press alleged that Franco, through his mother Yudelka Aybar, transferred 1 million pesos or US$17,000 to the mother of the minor on Jan. 5, 2023, to consent to the abuse. The mother of the minor has been charged with money laundering and is under house arrest. Prosecutors say that the minor's mother went from being a bank employee to leading an ostentatious life and acquiring assets using the funds she received from Franco. During raids on the house of the minor's mother, prosecutors say they found $68,500 and $35,000 that they allege was delivered by Franco. After the hearing in September, Franco said 'everything is in God's hands.' He has otherwise refused to speak to the media. When is Franco's trial? The trial was set to begin June 2 at a court in the northern province of Puerto Plata. His case will be heard by either three or five judges. There are no jury trials in the Dominican Republic. The judges will hear the arguments from both sides and the witnesses' testimony, and then analyze the evidence and deliver a verdict. The trial could take up to eight months to conclude, based on the average duration of trials in the Dominican Republic. Dominican judge Yacaira Veras postponed the trial in December at the request of prosecutors because of the absence of several key witnesses in the case. Franco's lawyers asked the court to reconsider the postponement, arguing Franco needed to report to spring training in mid-February. The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment. What could be his sentence if found guilty? If convicted, Franco could face up to 20 years in prison. Is Franco being held in jail? Franco has been free on supervised release, although he had been required to make monthly control visits to the judge. He was also arrested and granted another supervised release in November for illegally carrying a gun in his vehicle. The arrest followed an argument in an apartment complex parking lot. Another man and a woman also were detained in the confrontation. Two firearms were seized, police said. Dominican judge Viamerca Ruiz said Franco needs to report to court once a month while he is being investigated for carrying the firearm that was registered under his uncle's name. One of Franco's lawyers said because the gun has a license, 'there's nothing illegal about it.' A conviction for illegally possessing a firearm could prompt a three- to five-year prison sentence. Is Franco still being paid? No, but he was for nearly a year after Dominican authorities opened their probe. Franco, who signed a $182 million, 11-year contract with the Rays in 2021, was briefly placed on the restricted list and then administrative leave in August 2023 when Dominican authorities opened their investigation. Because administrative leave is not disciplinary under the sport's joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, Franco was paid during that time. Technically, there is no leave during the offseason, and Franco was again placed on administrative leave at the start of the 2024 season until prosecutors filed the current charges on July 10. At that time, MLB placed Franco — who had a $2 million salary in 2024 — on its restricted list, cutting off the pay he had been receiving under administrative leave. He had been receiving 50 per cent of his salary on administrative leave, a person familiar with his situation told the AP, speaking on condition of anonymity because that detail had not been disclosed publicly. When he was placed on the restricted list, his pay was adjusted to $1,118,280, or salary for 104 days of the 186-day season. MLB is likely to wait until the Dominican trial is concluded before deciding whether there will be any discipline. AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report. Martín Adames, The Associated Press
