Latest news with #Berrios
Edmonton Journal
4 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Blue Jays' ascent takes them to the top of MLB standings for first time since 1992
Article content 'Best in baseball' are three words no one would have dared utter when describing a Blue Jays team that ended last season dead last in the AL East. Article content But following Friday night's 6-2 win over the host Detroit Tigers, the Jays can officially lay claim to Major League Baseball's best record. Article content At 62-42, the Jays have not been atop MLB's overall standings this late into a season since 1992 — the year they won their first World Series. Article content Article content Friday's win pushed Toronto ahead of the 61-42 Milwaukee Brewers, who lost to Miami earlier in the day. It also expanded their lead atop the AL East to 51/2 games over the New York Yankees, losers again to the visiting Phillies. Article content What they don't do is beat themselves, which can't be said about their opponents. Article content The following are three takeaways from Comerica Park, where the Jays went homerless, but did record 13 hits, including four for extra bases. 1. Vlad the hit man Article content While it's true the Jays could use more thump from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and coming through in the big moment with a game at stake, it's also true that the half-billion dollar man in waiting has been swinging it well. Article content Vladdy went 2-for-5, with both hits being doubles. With the Jays down 1-0, he led off the fourth with a two-bagger and scored on Addison Barger's double. The hit extended Guerrero's streak to seven games. Article content Article content Next time up, in the fifth — yet another four-run inning for the team — his double plated Nathan Lukes and gave him 10 hits in his past four games. Article content Vlad's swing is as smooth as ever. That being said, he'll have to provide some consistent power at some point where he carries the team offensively. Article content 2. Tough act to follow Article content Following a brilliant outing by lefty Eric Lauer in the series opener, Jose Berrios was tasked with keeping the ball rolling Friday night. Article content Mission accomplished. Despite giving up the game's first run on an RBI double in the second inning, then a Spencer Torkelson homer in the sixth, Berrios looked solid, allowing just five hits and two walks in his six innings while striking out six. Article content Of note, Berrios twice faced Tigers veteran Javier Baez — his brother-in-law — and struck him out both times. Baez, who is enjoying a renaissance season for Detroit, has only one hit in his career off Berrios.
Canada Standard
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Canada Standard
Athletics seek series win over Jays heading into All-Star break
(Photo credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images) Three major league organizations parted ways with Brent Rooker before the Athletics landed him via waivers from the Kansas City Royals following the 2022 season. In 2 1/2 seasons with the Athletics, Rooker has 89 homers and just made the American League All-Star team for the second time. He also will participate in the Home Run Derby on Monday. But first, the 30-year-old Rooker will look to help the Athletics win a three-game series from the Toronto Blue Jays when the clubs conclude play before the All-Star break with a matchup Sunday afternoon at West Sacramento, Calif. 'It's going to be a big game,' Rooker said after Saturday's 4-3 win over Toronto evened the series. 'Obviously, heading into the break and building some momentum against a good team, we'll be feeling good about ourselves going into the All-Star break.' Rooker hit a two-run, tiebreaking homer and also had a run-scoring double in Saturday's victory. The blast gave him his third straight 20-homer season -- he hit 30 for the A's in 2023 and 39 last season. The homer was Rooker's 99th in the majors. The other 10 came for the Minnesota Twins, who eventually traded him to the San Diego Padres, who later gave him away to the Royals, a team that just let him go. That journey has helped Rooker relish big moments like Saturday's fifth-inning homer off Kevin Gausman. 'To impact the game is fun,' Rooker said. 'I've been looking for a big swing for a few games now, and I was finally able to get one.' Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said he was impressed with Rooker's homer. 'That at-bat by Rook, to be able to elevate that pitch and hit it out of the yard was pretty exceptional,' Kotsay said. Blue Jays manager John Schneider was not awed by the blast. 'The homer to Rooker is probably only a homer here,' said Schneider, referring to how the Triple-A ballpark being used by the A's is considered a launching pad. 'He's a good hitter.' The loss on Saturday was just the second for Toronto in the past 13 games. It also marked the first time the team lost to the Athletics in six games this season. The Blue Jays had only six hits and struck out 13 times on Saturday. Toronto was just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, including back-to-back strikeouts by Ernie Clement and George Springer to end the game. 'It didn't really bounce our way,' Schneider said. The Blue Jays will send right-hander Jose Berrios (5-3, 3.53 ERA) to the mound on Sunday. Berrios is 3-0 over his last four starts and has allowed a total of two runs (one earned) and eight hits in the three wins. Berrios, 31, defeated the Chicago White Sox on Monday when he gave up one run and two hits over six innings of an 8-4 win. Berrios tied his season high of nine strikeouts when he defeated the Athletics on May 29 in Toronto. He gave up just two hits in six shutout innings of a 12-0 rout. Overall, Berrios is 4-3 with a 3.17 ERA in 12 career starts against the A's. Gio Urshela is 6-for-11 against Berrios while Lawrence Butler (2-for-8) has homered. The Athletics will counter with left-hander Jeffrey Springs (7-6, 3.92), who has allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his last five outings. Springs defeated the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday when he allowed one run and six hits over six innings of a 10-1 A's rout. Springs lost to the Blue Jays on May 30 when he gave up six runs, six hits and a season-worst six walks in two-plus innings of an 11-7 Toronto win. The 32-year-old is 2-1 with a 4.55 ERA in 11 career appearances (four starts) against Toronto. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (3-for-13) and Clement (2-for-4) each have homered off Springs. --Field Level Media
Canada News.Net
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
Athletics seek series win over Jays heading into All-Star break
(Photo credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images) Three major league organizations parted ways with Brent Rooker before the Athletics landed him via waivers from the Kansas City Royals following the 2022 season. In 2 1/2 seasons with the Athletics, Rooker has 89 homers and just made the American League All-Star team for the second time. He also will participate in the Home Run Derby on Monday. But first, the 30-year-old Rooker will look to help the Athletics win a three-game series from the Toronto Blue Jays when the clubs conclude play before the All-Star break with a matchup Sunday afternoon at West Sacramento, Calif. 'It's going to be a big game,' Rooker said after Saturday's 4-3 win over Toronto evened the series. 'Obviously, heading into the break and building some momentum against a good team, we'll be feeling good about ourselves going into the All-Star break.' Rooker hit a two-run, tiebreaking homer and also had a run-scoring double in Saturday's victory. The blast gave him his third straight 20-homer season -- he hit 30 for the A's in 2023 and 39 last season. The homer was Rooker's 99th in the majors. The other 10 came for the Minnesota Twins, who eventually traded him to the San Diego Padres, who later gave him away to the Royals, a team that just let him go. That journey has helped Rooker relish big moments like Saturday's fifth-inning homer off Kevin Gausman. 'To impact the game is fun,' Rooker said. 'I've been looking for a big swing for a few games now, and I was finally able to get one.' Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said he was impressed with Rooker's homer. 'That at-bat by Rook, to be able to elevate that pitch and hit it out of the yard was pretty exceptional,' Kotsay said. Blue Jays manager John Schneider was not awed by the blast. 'The homer to Rooker is probably only a homer here,' said Schneider, referring to how the Triple-A ballpark being used by the A's is considered a launching pad. 'He's a good hitter.' The loss on Saturday was just the second for Toronto in the past 13 games. It also marked the first time the team lost to the Athletics in six games this season. The Blue Jays had only six hits and struck out 13 times on Saturday. Toronto was just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, including back-to-back strikeouts by Ernie Clement and George Springer to end the game. 'It didn't really bounce our way,' Schneider said. The Blue Jays will send right-hander Jose Berrios (5-3, 3.53 ERA) to the mound on Sunday. Berrios is 3-0 over his last four starts and has allowed a total of two runs (one earned) and eight hits in the three wins. Berrios, 31, defeated the Chicago White Sox on Monday when he gave up one run and two hits over six innings of an 8-4 win. Berrios tied his season high of nine strikeouts when he defeated the Athletics on May 29 in Toronto. He gave up just two hits in six shutout innings of a 12-0 rout. Overall, Berrios is 4-3 with a 3.17 ERA in 12 career starts against the A's. Gio Urshela is 6-for-11 against Berrios while Lawrence Butler (2-for-8) has homered. The Athletics will counter with left-hander Jeffrey Springs (7-6, 3.92), who has allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his last five outings. Springs defeated the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday when he allowed one run and six hits over six innings of a 10-1 A's rout. Springs lost to the Blue Jays on May 30 when he gave up six runs, six hits and a season-worst six walks in two-plus innings of an 11-7 Toronto win. The 32-year-old is 2-1 with a 4.55 ERA in 11 career appearances (four starts) against Toronto. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (3-for-13) and Clement (2-for-4) each have homered off Springs.
Canada Standard
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Canada Standard
Surging Jays look to extract payback on White Sox
(Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images) The surging Toronto Blue Jays have won eight straight and 11 of 13 as they begin a three-game series against the host Chicago White Sox on Monday. The American League East leaders will aim to keep rolling and get revenge on a White Sox team that handed Toronto its most recent series defeat two weeks ago. Bo Bichette homered Sunday to help the Blue Jays to a 3-2 win against the Los Angeles Angels to cap a sweep of a seven-game homestand that started with a four-game visit from the New York Yankees. Left fielder Davis Schneider drove home the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the sixth. 'I feel like just the vibes in the clubhouse have been really good,' Schneider said. 'We've got a lot of good guys in there. I feel like it starts in there and we bring it out on the field together.' Chicago fans are gearing up for the home debut of rookie shortstop Colson Montgomery, who helped the White Sox earn their ninth series victory this season during a three-game set at Colorado over the weekend. That matches the club's series victory total from the 2024 season. Called up Friday from Triple-A Charlotte, Montgomery went 5-for-10 with a pair of RBIs as the White Sox took two of three against the Rockies. Montgomery said he 'settled in pretty quick' after his first defensive chance during Friday's victory. Another newcomer finding his stride: Grant Taylor, who earned his third save of the season Friday on the heels of struggles against the host Los Angeles Dodgers earlier in the week. 'The phone rings, you hear your name, and it's your save opportunity -- that adrenaline rush is just insane,' Taylor said. Fellow rookie Sean Burke (4-7, 4.03 ERA) will get the call for the White Sox on Monday as Chicago aims for another series win versus the Blue Jays. The White Sox won two of three in Toronto from June 20-22. Burke has been especially sharp over his past three starts. Although he has just one victory to show for it, the rookie has scattered five runs -- two earned -- and 19 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings during that span. He took a no-decision against the Dodgers on Wednesday, spacing one run and six hits in six innings. Toronto will counter with fellow righty Jose Berrios (4-3, 3.64). A longtime nemesis of the White Sox during his five-plus seasons with the Minnesota Twins, Berrios continued his dominance against Chicago on June 21, allowing two hits and an unearned run over 7 2/3 innings of a game Toronto won 7-1. Berrios delivered seven shutout innings to defeat the Boston Red Sox in his next start but was roughed up in Wednesday's no-decision against the New York Yankees. He allowed six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. Berrios is 15-6 with a 3.01 ERA in 26 career starts versus the White Sox with 162 strikeouts over 161 1/3 innings. --Field Level Media
Canada News.Net
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
Surging Jays look to extract payback on White Sox
(Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images) The surging Toronto Blue Jays have won eight straight and 11 of 13 as they begin a three-game series against the host Chicago White Sox on Monday. The American League East leaders will aim to keep rolling and get revenge on a White Sox team that handed Toronto its most recent series defeat two weeks ago. Bo Bichette homered Sunday to help the Blue Jays to a 3-2 win against the Los Angeles Angels to cap a sweep of a seven-game homestand that started with a four-game visit from the New York Yankees. Left fielder Davis Schneider drove home the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the sixth. 'I feel like just the vibes in the clubhouse have been really good,' Schneider said. 'We've got a lot of good guys in there. I feel like it starts in there and we bring it out on the field together.' Chicago fans are gearing up for the home debut of rookie shortstop Colson Montgomery, who helped the White Sox earn their ninth series victory this season during a three-game set at Colorado over the weekend. That matches the club's series victory total from the 2024 season. Called up Friday from Triple-A Charlotte, Montgomery went 5-for-10 with a pair of RBIs as the White Sox took two of three against the Rockies. Montgomery said he 'settled in pretty quick' after his first defensive chance during Friday's victory. Another newcomer finding his stride: Grant Taylor, who earned his third save of the season Friday on the heels of struggles against the host Los Angeles Dodgers earlier in the week. 'The phone rings, you hear your name, and it's your save opportunity -- that adrenaline rush is just insane,' Taylor said. Fellow rookie Sean Burke (4-7, 4.03 ERA) will get the call for the White Sox on Monday as Chicago aims for another series win versus the Blue Jays. The White Sox won two of three in Toronto from June 20-22. Burke has been especially sharp over his past three starts. Although he has just one victory to show for it, the rookie has scattered five runs -- two earned -- and 19 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings during that span. He took a no-decision against the Dodgers on Wednesday, spacing one run and six hits in six innings. Toronto will counter with fellow righty Jose Berrios (4-3, 3.64). A longtime nemesis of the White Sox during his five-plus seasons with the Minnesota Twins, Berrios continued his dominance against Chicago on June 21, allowing two hits and an unearned run over 7 2/3 innings of a game Toronto won 7-1. Berrios delivered seven shutout innings to defeat the Boston Red Sox in his next start but was roughed up in Wednesday's no-decision against the New York Yankees. He allowed six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. Berrios is 15-6 with a 3.01 ERA in 26 career starts versus the White Sox with 162 strikeouts over 161 1/3 innings.
