Five numbers that showcase the Blue Jays' historic dominance over the Rockies

New York Times

12 hours ago

DENVER — It took 27 whole innings for the home crowd to finally boo. Even then, the Coors Field groans were filled with a sort of amusement, laced with an appreciation of just how much things had gotten out of hand.
The Toronto Blue Jays made history in the final frame of a 20-1 victory on Wednesday, tacking on the last few runs of a third consecutive blowout. With Toronto now sporting a 68-48 record, best in the American League, here are five numbers that distill the Jays' three-game dominance in Denver.
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The Jays found seemingly every inch of outfield grass across three games in Colorado. As position player Austin Nola lobbed in pitches to mercifully end Wednesday's finale, the Jays surpassed the 1950 St. Louis Browns for most hits in a three-game series by any squad in the modern era (since 1901).
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. recorded eight hits in the series. Ernie Clement notched five in the first game and four in the finale. Newly-acquired infielder Ty France, who also reached base with two hit-by-pitches on Wednesday, collected more hits in Colorado (five) than in his previous seven games combined. France's big day was one thing Jays manager John Schneider said he will remember most about the series.
'It was everyone, literally, on the roster, doing something,' he said.
The Jays surpassed the franchise's previous record for hits in a three-game series by 12, set in July 2022 at Fenway Park.
Coors Field is often a launching pad for opposing lineups. Colorado entered Wednesday's finale with a 6.44 ERA at home, more than a half-run higher than the second-worst squad. But perhaps more than any other team, the 2025 Blue Jays were built for the Rockies' home park.
Per Baseball Savant park factors, Coors Field produces 16 percent more hits than the league average. The outfield is massive and the thin air adds additional flight to line drives. For a Toronto team that entered the series with baseball's best batting average (.264) and lowest strikeout rate (17.3 percent), Coors was a run-scoring haven.
'It's a big outfield,' Bo Bichette said. 'Just put the ball in play, give yourself a chance. Obviously, we did that.'
Despite ranking around the league average in home runs, Toronto's contact-dominant offence ranks fifth in baseball with 576 runs. At Coors, that contact ability helped them set another record. With at least 10 runs across all three games and 45 runs total, the Jays set a franchise benchmark for most runs in a three-game series.
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For the first time since April, Bichette's batting average pushed over .300. The shortstop tallied seven hits, three homers and 10 RBI across the three games in Colorado. It was his first time playing at Coors Field, where his father, Dante, hit 111 homers.
Everything about Bichette is consistent. Each at-bat features the same calculated aggression. Every batting practice showcases the same sprayed line drives. Every word he speaks slowly trickles out in the same calm, quiet tone.
In 2024, hamstring strains and a finger fracture halted that consistency. But this year, with Bichette in what could be his final season with the Jays, the dependability returned. He once again owns the most hits in the league (145) and his .815 OPS is above his career average. Bichette is now on pace to lead his league in hits for a third time, surpassing his father, who led the National League in hits twice.
'I just feel like I have a pretty good understanding of who I want to be as a hitter right now,' Bichette said.
The Blue Jays' early offensive success came on the back of endless contributions across the lineup. But when Bichette and Guerrero Jr. are in peak form, as they were in Colorado, the offence can hang with the best in baseball.
Guerrero Jr. met a fastball at the top of the zone, launching the 99 mph pitch deep to right field in Wednesday's eighth inning. As he connected, the franchise first baseman started into a certain slow trot.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. makes it 11 runs on the day for the @BlueJays! pic.twitter.com/F6M5wQchnU
— MLB (@MLB) August 6, 2025
That deep drive was Guerrero's second opposite-field homer of the series — and just his second on the season. Those power drives to the opposite power alley are the hits that tell Guerrero that his swing is truly locked in. In the first half of the season, Toronto's offence performed just fine without a truly dominant stretch from Guerrero. But if it wasn't already clear, the Colorado homers prove that Toronto's franchise player has found his hot streak.
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'It feels good,' Guerrero said of his swing, through team interpreter Hector Lebron. 'Things, I know, are going to happen. Good things are going to happen.'
In 20 games since the All-Star break, Guerrero is hitting .378 with six homers and 16 RBI. He's now on pace for 25 homers and rides a 23-game on-base streak to Los Angeles, with matchups set against the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Lost in Toronto's endless offence was surprisingly stable starting pitching. Battling the altered environment of Coors Field, Eric Lauer, José Berríos and Kevin Gausman each adjusted their usual plans to quell the Rockies' lineup.
All three starters allowed early hits and made quick arsenal tweaks. After allowing a first-inning run, Gausman spent the rest of Wednesday's contest attempting to bounce his signature splitter to avoid hanging pitches. Lauer and Berríos stayed away from their breaking balls. All three starters mentioned an added focus on pitching down in the zone as the game went on.
With the Rockies on pace for fewer than 50 wins, the Jays won't have to face the Colorado conditions again this season. But this series tested the starters' ability to make rapid, in-game adjustments — and they passed.
Even if Toronto's pitching stumbled at Coors Field, the lineup could've won the series all on its own. But in a high-stakes environment like the postseason, with opposing lineups concocting ultra-focused game plans, those quick shifts on the mound can be the difference between crucial wins and brutal losses.
(Top photo of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.:)
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