Ernie Clement and the Blue Jays beat up on Athletics again
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Addison Barger also went deep in Friday's victory while Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes also had two hits apiece as the bottom four in the order went a combined 9-for-16 with nine runs scored, two homers and five RBIs.
The following are three takeaways on a night the Blue Jays would score three runs in three different innings to win their third in a row.
1. Run of the mill
The Rogers Centre roof was half-open or half-closed, depending on one's perspective.
One could draw a similar comparison to the Blue Jays. It's hard to judge this lineup when the opposition is as poor as the A's. Still, the bottom line is the Jays' bats have flourished in two games, beginning with Thursday night's win when 18 hits produced 12 runs.
The hitting frenzy carried over into Friday when 15 hits were recorded and every starter in the lineup produced at least one.
2. Canada Day
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Toronto Star
11 hours ago
- Toronto Star
The A's have been good for what was ailing the Blue Jays offence, but it might take more to heal Daulton Varsho
Grazing on the A's. Regurgitating that cud. A performance-enhancing supplement for what had been, until this weekend, largely an anemic offence, especially mordant with runners in scoring position. But the Blue Jays have erupted — albeit off the sketchy moundsmen of the Vagabond Athletics — for 10 home runs over the last three days. Four of them came Saturday afternoon, half of those from George Springer. Take three A's games and call me in the morning was exactly the corrective the Jays needed. On this day, with an 8-7 win under the closed dome at Rogers Centre, the Jays are coming out of May with a 16-12 record after a flaccid 11-14 April. Although the final score was closer than it should have been, with another troubling close-out teeter by Jeff Hoffman, who gave up a two-run shot in the ninth and left the tying run on second when a brilliant stabbing catch by Ernie Clement preserved the win. Blue Jays Opinion Mike Wilner: Blue Jays lose sparkplug Dalton Varsho to hamstring injury Centre-fielder grabs his left leg as he tries to stretch a double into a triple. The (non-Oakland) A's had sent a couple of balls screeching out of the ballpark in the first and second innings on what was a spot-start day for the Jays. Braydon Fisher was punched up as the opener but it was Easton Lucas, resurrected from Triple-A, as the bulk guy who ultimately claimed the win. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The Jays got bombs from Addison Barger and Bo Bichette — the 100th of his career — ahead of the brace of four-baggers from Springer, who is heating up again after cooling down after charging out of the gate altogether unexpectedly. Springer was handling the big bat business until Daulton Varsho was reactivated following shoulder surgery rehab and started blasting them into the seats. I'm backing into what was the most significant event in Saturday's encounter: Varsho clutching at his left hamstring as he rounded second trying to stretch a double into a triple. Out at third was the least of it as he lay curled on the ground, visibly and audibly in pain. 'Your heart hurts for him,'' said Springer, probably Varsho's closest buddy. 'He never really shows pain. The way he went down … it was tough.'' Blue Jays Opinion Gregor Chisholm: How the Blue Jays rotation plays with fire but rarely gets burned While the wait continues for Max Scherzer, the No. 5 spot hasn't been a black hole as feared. It was on everybody's mind post-game as Varsho was undergoing an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, which might be as bad as a torn hamstring and four to six weeks sidelined. But I'm not going to put the hearse before the horse and will wait for more definitive news Sunday. As I said, it was a bullpen day for the Jays as they continue to bob and weave their way through a season without a fifth starter. They dropped Fisher, who hadn't allowed a run through his first seven career appearances, into the opener blocks for his first MLB start. And before you could say Bob's-your-uncle, the A's had three runs on the board, two singles brought home on Tyler Soderstrom's long ball, then up 5-3 when Pickering's Denzel Clarke went yard. The A's don't actually lack for offence; it's everything else that's a mess. As planned, Fisher disappeared from the fray, replaced by Lucas with one out in the second Sorta planned. 'Pitching plans sometimes don't go to plan,'' observed manager John Schneider, Zen-like. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Summoned on Thursday from Buffalo, Lucas was once-upon-a-time perceived as that fifth starter — in lieu of Max Scherzer, a fleeting thumb-stricken spectre since the three innings he threw for Toronto on March 29. Lucas posted two fine starts in April, two crummy starts in April, and was dispatched to the Bisons to work particularly on the hard slider that Jays wanted to see more of. He brought along a more polished cutter as well. 'It's kind of a pitch that I can throw in or around the zone and get guys off the fastball. I used it up until the end of spring training and then kind of went away from it.'' Lucas got himself into immediate trouble by loading the bases on a trio of cheesy singles. But out of trouble too, with some nifty defensive work, including an inning-ending splay of limbs to deny Shea Langeliers. 'OK, it's three soft singles,'' Lucas told himself. 'Not my best locations. Had to calm down a little bit, get down in the zone. Yeah, it was a struggle. I had to make that crazy tough play off Langeliers to get him out. But after that I was able to settle down.'' Blue Jays Watch: Young Blue Jays fan gets rare double chance at home run catch It was an inning to remember at Thursday's game after Clement and Guerrero Jr. both homered to He limited the A's to no runs on four hits with three strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings before handing off to his bullpen brethren. Lucas assessed what has changed between his first stint with Toronto and this one. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'Just kind of regaining confidence. Knowing what I need to do to get guys out. Went down, working on getting the cutter back, figuring out the changeup. Being able to throw it to better locations. And then just throwing the fastball harder.'' Meanwhile, Toronto hitters were cooking, with Springer at full boil. He turned on the first pitch he saw in the third and fifth innings, fastball and slider respectively. 'I felt like I was in a good count. Well, obviously, 0 and 0. I don't know, just wanted to hit something hard. 'Just get ready to hit and hit it.''
Toronto Star
12 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Springer hits two homers as Blue Jays top Athletics but lose Varsho to leg injury
TORONTO - George Springer hit two of Toronto's four home runs in an 8-7 victory over the Athletics on Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre. The designated hitter had a solo shot in the third inning off right-hander Gunnar Hoglund and added another in the fifth. Addison Barger hit a two-run blast in Toronto's four-run first inning and Bo Bichette added a solo shot in the second to help the Blue Jays (30-28) win their fourth game in a row. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman gave up a two-run homer to Brent Rooker in the ninth inning before nailing down his 13th save. With a runner in scoring position, second baseman Ernie Clement made a diving catch to preserve the win. Nathan Lukes had two RBIs for Toronto and Clement chipped in with two hits and a run. Blue Jays centre-fielder Daulton Varsho left the game in the third inning due to left hamstring discomfort. Tyler Soderstrom hit a three-run homer off Toronto opener Braydon Fisher in the first inning and Canadian Denzel Clarke added a two-run shot in the second. The Blue Jays extended their home winning streak to six games and have won eight of their last 12 games overall. Toronto has scored 31 runs over the first three games of the four-game series. The Athletics (23-36) have dropped five in a row, 16 of their last 17, and 10 straight road games. Clarke, a Toronto native, knocked Fisher out of the game with his first career homer. Easton Lucas came on in relief and threw 4 2/3 shutout innings. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Announced attendance was 38,017 and the game took two hours 36 minutes to play. VLAD STREAK Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled in the first inning to extend his career-high on-base streak to 31 games. It's the longest active streak in the major leagues. ROSTER MOVES The Blue Jays recalled Lucas from Triple-A Buffalo before the game and designated right-hander Jose Urena for assignment. CRICKET DAY Members of the Canadian cricket team were on hand at Rogers Centre for the third annual Cricket Day at the Park. COMING UP Right-hander Kevin Gausman (5-4, 3.68) was scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Sunday. The Athletics will send left-hander JP Sears (4-5, 5.18) to the mound. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2025.
CTV News
14 hours ago
- CTV News
Springer hits two homers as Blue Jays top Athletics but lose Varsho to leg injury
Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Athletics in third inning MLB action in Toronto on Saturday, May 31, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker TORONTO — George Springer hit two of Toronto's four home runs in an 8-7 victory over the Athletics on Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre. The designated hitter had a solo shot in the third inning off right-hander Gunnar Hoglund and added another in the fifth. Addison Barger hit a two-run blast in Toronto's four-run first inning and Bo Bichette added a solo shot in the second to help the Blue Jays (30-28) win their fourth game in a row. Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman gave up a two-run homer to Brent Rooker in the ninth inning before nailing down his 13th save. With a runner in scoring position, second baseman Ernie Clement made a diving catch to preserve the win. Nathan Lukes had two RBIs for Toronto and Clement chipped in with two hits and a run. Blue Jays centre-fielder Daulton Varsho left the game in the third inning due to left hamstring discomfort. Tyler Soderstrom hit a three-run homer off Toronto opener Braydon Fisher in the first inning and Canadian Denzel Clarke added a two-run shot in the second. The Blue Jays extended their home winning streak to six games and have won eight of their last 12 games overall. Toronto has scored 31 runs over the first three games of the four-game series. The Athletics (23-36) have dropped five in a row, 16 of their last 17, and 10 straight road games. Clarke, a Toronto native, knocked Fisher out of the game with his first career homer. Easton Lucas came on in relief and threw 4 2/3 shutout innings. Announced attendance was 38,017 and the game took two hours 36 minutes to play. VLAD STREAK Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled in the first inning to extend his career-high on-base streak to 31 games. It's the longest active streak in the major leagues. ROSTER MOVES The Blue Jays recalled Lucas from Triple-A Buffalo before the game and designated right-hander Jose Urena for assignment. CRICKET DAY Members of the Canadian cricket team were on hand at Rogers Centre for the third annual Cricket Day at the Park. COMING UP Right-hander Kevin Gausman (5-4, 3.68) was scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Sunday. The Athletics will send left-hander JP Sears (4-5, 5.18) to the mound. Article by Gregory Strong.
