Latest news with #AndrésGiménez
4 days ago
- Sport
Barger hits 2-run HR, Bichette has go-ahead 2-run single as Blue Jays beat Twins 6-4
MINNEAPOLIS -- Addison Barger hit a two-run home run, Bo Bichette had a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4 on Friday night for their fifth straight victory. Trevor Larnach homered two batters into the first off rookie Paxton Schultz to give the Twins the lead and tie him for the team lead with 10. Kody Clemens had a run-scoring ground out and Christian Vázquez hit a two-out RBI double to make it 3-0 in the second. Bailey Ober hit Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with a pitch to begin the fourth and then gave up his first hit when Barger homered to right field to get Toronto to 3-2. Five of Barger's seven homers have come in his last seven games. Ernie Clement singled leading off the fifth and Andrés Giménez doubled before Bichette blooped a single to center for a 4-3 lead. George Springer hit his ninth home run — a solo shot off Mason Fluharty to make it 5-3 in the sixth. Guerrero doubled leading off the eighth and scored on Alejandro Kirk's single for a 6-3 lead. Ober (4-2) retired the first eight Blue Jays before walking Andrés Giménez on a full count. He allowed five runs and five hits in seven innings. Eric Lauer (2-1) replaced Schultz to begin the third and allowed a hit in 2 1/3 scoreless innings to get the win. Fluharty and Yariel Rodríguez both got four outs, and Jeff Hoffman pitched the ninth for his 14th save in 17 opportunities. Royce Lewis went 3 for 3 for Minnesota, which was coming off a 5-5 road trip. Lewis had a two-out RBI single in the home eighth off Brendan Little to get the Twins within two runs, but Little left the tying runs stranded when Clemens grounded out. Toronto is 236-193 all time against Minnesota, but the Twins have won the season series in six of the last seven years. Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (5-4, 3.82 ERA) starts Saturday against Twins RHP Chris Paddack (2-5, 3.58).
New York Times
30-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Anthony Santander becomes latest Blue Jays offseason addition to hit the IL
TORONTO — Anthony Santander was brought to Toronto to hit homers. Instead, 50 games into his time with the Blue Jays, the 30-year-old slugger has mainly hit roadblocks. After a cold start to his Blue Jays tenure, Santander tweaked his hip in early May and injured his left shoulder in the same week. Both ailments followed the outfielder for the entire month before Toronto finally placed Santander on the injured list Friday with left shoulder impingement. Santander became the Jays' fifth offseason addition to hit the injured list. Advertisement The IL stint is an opportunity for Santander to get right and come back as the slugger Toronto needs. But his temporary loss is another test for the Blue Jays' internal depth. After a 74-88 season, the Blue Jays made plenty of offseason moves looking for needed change. They signed veteran starter Max Scherzer, inked Santander, added Yimi García and Jeff Hoffman to a needy bullpen, and traded for Andrés Giménez, Nick Sandlin and Myles Straw. Two months into the 2025 campaign, Hoffman and Straw are the only major additions not on the injured list. Those seven acquisitions have brought the Jays just 0.8 WAR, so far, per Baseball Reference. Despite missing Toronto's last 20 games, Giménez is the leader of the offseason additions, at 0.9 bWAR. It's almost impressive the Blue Jays find themselves sitting at .500 (28-28) entering Friday's contest against the Athletics. Every team faces injuries, but not to nearly every player who recently joined the club. Toronto's lift has come, instead, from its depth. Nathan Lukes has been 21 percent better than the league-average hitter. Addison Barger has 13 extra-base hits in 35 games. Mason Fluharty and Braydon Fisher have admirably replaced García and Sandlin in the big-league bullpen. 'It says a lot about the guys that you didn't really think you were going to get contributions from right out of the gate,' manager John Schneider said. 'What they're doing, whether that's Fluharty or Nate Lukes, everyone's kind of stepped up a little bit.' The breakouts have been great, holding Toronto's ship upright as it weathers the storm of injuries. But if the Blue Jays are going to find a path above .500, the ailing offseason acquisitions must return. And perform. Scherzer threw another live bullpen on Friday as he nears rehab games, but his absence has put pressure on the rotation. The Blue Jays have used 10 pitchers to start games this year. Due to the scarcity of innings from Scherzer's fifth rotation spot, Toronto shuffled the starting staff against the A's. Another bullpen day or spot start has been added on Saturday to insulate the fifth spot with reliable starts from Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman. Advertisement Santander's battle with his hip and shoulder has impacted the lineup, too. Last year, the switch hitter bashed 44 homers for the Baltimore Orioles before signing a $92.5 million contract in Toronto. Right now, he's on pace for just 17 — a pace that'll only drop as his IL stint begins. Santander is a historically cold starter, but the shoulder and hip ailments robbed him of his annual May hot streak. In 2024, the Blue Jays ranked 26th in homers. They entered Friday's contest sitting 23rd, on pace for nine fewer than last year. Injuries happen and, in most cases, they're entirely unpredictable. Eventually, Toronto's offseason adds will return to the roster. Giménez is already on a rehab assignment, Sandlin and Scherzer are throwing regularly, and García should join them next week. The Blue Jays' depth has kept the team afloat as the offseason acquisitions leave the field. But, when the additions come back, it's on them to bring the significant improvement Toronto sought in the winter. Until that happens, the test will continue to fall on the Blue Jays' depth. 'You got to kind of hold the fort down,' Schneider said.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Blue Jays Announce Anthony Santander News Before Mariners Game
The Toronto Blue Jays have experienced a season of fluctuating fortunes in 2025. Currently holding an 18-20 record, they sit third in the American League East, trailing the division-leading New York Yankees and second place Boston Red Sox. Their recent performance has been a mix of highs and lows, including a 6-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday. Injuries have further complicated Toronto's season. Key players like second baseman Andrés Giménez have been sidelined, with Giménez placed on the 10-day injured list due to a right quadriceps strain. The pitching staff has also faced challenges, with starters like Kevin Gausman having a subpar campaign and emergency additions like José Urena highlighting the team's depth concerns. Advertisement Adding to their woes, outfielder Anthony Santander sustained an injury during a game against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday. Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander (25).Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images While chasing a foul ball, Santander crashed into the stands, leading to his removal from the game. As a result, he was not included in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Mariners. The team officially announced he is also out for Saturday, and a subsequent update was provided by manager John Schneider. Speaking with reporters pregame, Schneider revealed Santander's injured left shoulder is "a little cranky" after taking things easy on Saturday. Santander's absence is significant for Toronto. Acquired in the offseason to bolster the lineup, he has contributed five home runs and 16 RBIs this season, despite a .196 batting average. His production is something the Blue Jays are reliant on, especially during a period marked by injuries and underperformance. Advertisement The Blue Jays aim to capitalize on their current series against the Mariners to regain footing in the AL East. Related: Blue Jays' John Schneider Had Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Words After Mariners Game Related: Blue Jays Announce Exciting Max Scherzer Injury Update
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Blue Jays' John Schneider Announces Injury News After Loss to Angels
The Toronto Blue Jays' recent struggles continued Wednesday night in Anaheim, as they suffered a 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, marking their fourth consecutive defeat. Despite holding a 4-2 lead entering the bottom of the ninth, the bullpen faltered, with closer Jeff Hoffman surrendering a bases-clearing double to Jorge Soler. This loss dropped the Blue Jays to 16-20 on the season, 4.5 games behind the New York Yankees. Starting pitcher José Berríos delivered a commendable performance, striking out nine over six innings. The offense, although sluggish for much of the contest, delivered in the seventh inning, sparked by a bunt single from second baseman Andrés Giménez, which ignited a three-run rally. Advertisement However, the momentum was short-lived, as the bullpen couldn't preserve the lead. Toronto Blue Jays second base Andres Gimenez (0)© Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images During the seventh inning, Giménez appeared to suffer a right quad injury while hustling to first base on his bunt single. Although he remained in the game briefly and scored a run, he was later removed as a precaution (via Blue Jays). Manager John Schneider confirmed postgame that Giménez experienced quad tightness and is considered day-to-day. Giménez, acquired in the offseason from the Cleveland Guardians, has had a challenging start to his tenure with Toronto, batting .195 with a .575 OPS and three home runs. Despite his offensive struggles, his defensive contributions at second base has been a valuable asset. His potential absence adds to the Blue Jays' mounting injury concerns. Advertisement As the Blue Jays prepare for the series finale against the Angels, they aim to avoid a sweep and halt their losing streak. With Giménez's status uncertain, the team will need contributions from other infielders and a more reliable bullpen performance to secure a much-needed victory. Related: Blue Jays' John Schneider Sends Clear Message After 4th Straight Loss Related: Blue Jays Star Max Scherzer Announces Major News Before Angels Game
New York Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Blue Jays place Andrés Giménez on IL with quad strain
The Toronto Blue Jays' infield lost a defensive centrepiece as Andrés Giménez was placed on the injured list with a right quad strain. Giménez was removed from Wednesday's game in Anaheim after running out a bunt single in the seventh inning. The team recalled infielder Michael Stefanic on Friday in his place and designated Dillon Tate for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. Advertisement Giménez's fielding has been as advertised since the Blue Jays acquired him in a winter trade with the Guardians that sent Spencer Horwitz to Cleveland. The second baseman has been worth two outs above average, per Baseball Savant, ranking in the 90th percentile at his position. Replacing that defence at second base, in the short term, will be impossible. But Giménez's IL stint is an opportunity for Toronto to get more at the plate from the position. The Blue Jays hoped Giménez's bat would rebound after declining offensive seasons in 2023 and 2024. The infielder's OPS dropped from .837 to .638 from 2022 to 2024, and that fall continued into this season, as Giménez hit just .195 with a .577 OPS before his injury. While Stefanic has an OPS under .600 in 90 MLB games, he was the Buffalo Bisons' leader in batting average (.315) before his promotion. The 29-year-old also walked more than he struck out in Triple A this year. Giménez's injury should also open up more regular time for Addison Barger, who has a high offensive ceiling with the fastest bat speed on the roster. Ultimately, Toronto's second base job belongs to Giménez if healthy. When the second baseman rejoins the Blue Jays, his elite defence earns him everyday playing time as Toronto attempts to get more out of his bat.
