Latest news with #JohnSchneider
CTV News
11 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Bats deliver again as Blue Jays use 15-hit attack in 11-7 win over Athletics
Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement (22) hits a single against the Athletics in the seventh inning of a Major League Baseball game in Toronto on Friday, May 30, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays' offence was in desperate need of a kick-start at the start of the team's seven-game homestand. A visit by the reeling Athletics appears to be just what the squad was looking for. Toronto reached a double-digit run total for a second straight night in an 11-7 victory on Friday night. 'Right now is the time to try to put your best foot forward and get a little bit better at the things we need to get a bit better at,' said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. 'And I think they're doing that.' Addison Barger and Ernie Clement hit solo homers for the Blue Jays, who outhit the Athletics 15-10. Barger and Myles Straw scored three runs apiece as Toronto won its fifth straight home game in front of an announced crowd of 36,951. 'Contributions from everyone tonight,' Schneider said. 'It was nice the way we responded (almost) every time they scored. Big hits, and I think we ran the bases really well.' A night after pounding the visitors 12-0 in the series opener, the 29-28 Blue Jays picked up where they left off to move over the .500 mark for the first time since April 21. Toronto scored 10-plus runs while recording 10-plus hits and 10-plus walks in a single game for the first time in almost nine years. The bottom four hitters in the order — Clement, Barger, Straw and Nathan Lukes — combined for nine hits and nine runs. After scoring six total runs over their recent six-game road trip, the Blue Jays have been scoring in bunches. Toronto took a 3-1 lead in the second inning and Clement, who had four hits, led off the Blue Jays' three-run third with a homer. Toronto put up three more runs in the fifth and Barger went deep in the two-run sixth inning to help Toronto pull away. 'I think we're just being aggressive and swinging a lot,' Barger said. 'In Tampa and Texas we put a lot of good swings on balls that just got (hit) to guys. So balls are starting to drop and go over the wall. 'I think that's really the big thing.' Chris Bassitt (5-3) worked five innings for the victory. He had six strikeouts and allowed five earned runs, seven hits and two walks. The veteran right-hander was left frustrated with his performance. 'It's been too, way too inconsistent of a year,' Bassitt said. 'When I'm on, I'm really good, but half the time I'm off. I'm not eating any innings and not having quality starts.' Jeffrey Springs (5-4) lasted two frames for the Athletics, who have lost 15 of their last 16 games. He gave up six earned runs, six hits and six walks. Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers hit solo homers for the Athletics (23-35). After the game, Schneider confirmed that Braydon Fisher would serve as Toronto's opener on Saturday afternoon. The Athletics will counter with Gunnar Hoglund. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025. Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
National Post
a day ago
- Business
- National Post
Five things to watch as Blue Jays enter middle third of season
As his team was grinding through the first five dates of a six-game road trip that wasn't exactly a treat to be participating in, Blue Jays manager John Schneider suggested a five-game sample size wasn't worthy of analysis. Article content Article content And with 30 and change of those segments in a season, he's not wrong. Article content 'If we're looking at 55 games, yeah for sure,' Schneider said in Texas, suggesting a more realistic time frame to begin your grading. Article content Article content So let's make it 56, the point in the sprawling MLB schedule that the Jays arrived at with what felt like an outlier of a 12-0 shellacking of the Athletics at the Rogers Centre on Thursday night. Article content As a loose opener for what in many ways is the critical middle third of the season, it was an impressive launching point. That said, after what could best be described as an uneven first 55, Schneider is a realist regarding what needs to happen for his team. Article content 'You definitely want to put your best foot forward right here for the next month, really and see (where you are),' Schneider said on Thursday, prior to his team moving to 28-28 and hitting the .500 mark for what felt like the umpteenth time this season. 'I know everyone kind of looks at the (trade) deadline as a go or no. You've got to play pretty well right now.' Article content In other words, the manager is well aware of the stakes in what sure feels like a critical point of the campaign, even if there a whopping 106 games remaining. Article content But the second 55 concludes the day after the July 30 MLB trade deadline so Schneider, and presumably his players, are well aware of what's at stake over the next two months. If the team remains in touch with the post season, it's a 'go' for general manager Ross Atkins to shop. If they drift towards the basement, it's likely a hard 'no' and that means a selloff and major retooling of the core. Article content In evaluating the first third, Schneider steadfastly maintains that the offence has potential while acknowledging the flaws. Article content 'The fact that we're getting guys on is good, and I feel like we're trending in the right direction from a hitting standpoint,' Schneider said. 'But … then there's runners in scoring position, there's damage (hitting for power), there's extra-base hits that we can continue to get better at.' Article content That's a mouthful, of course, but even with a blip or two in the bullpen and the ongoing concern regarding depth in the rotation, for this team to become some semblance of consistency it needs to hit and do so in critical situations. To his credit, Schneider wasn't pulling any punches in that regard either, as he spoke before Thursday's breakout, a smashing start to the middle 55 of a season that could still go in multiple directions. Article content 'The first 55, it's been up and down,' Schneider said acknowledging both the painful and the obvious. 'I think that we can definitely play a little bit better for a consistent period of time. It seems to me that it comes down to (the fact) that performance of the starters, performances with runners in scoring position, base running … has been a little up and down.
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Blue Jays belt four homers in 12-0 rout of Athletics
Any lingering thoughts of the offensive woes that hampered the Toronto Blue Jays on their recent six-game road trip vanished over an inning to remember on Thursday night. Ernie Clement and Vladimir Guerrero homered and the Blue Jays batted around in an eight-run second frame en route to a 12-0 romp over the Athletics at Rogers Centre. Bo Bichette and George Springer added homers in the third inning as Toronto won its fourth straight home game and returned to the .500 mark at 28-28. 'It was a little bit contagious today in that second inning,' said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. 'That's about as best as you can draw it up.' The 12 runs scored doubled the team's six-run total output from a 2-4 road trip that saw the Blue Jays go 4-for-45 with runners in scoring position. In the opener of a seven-game homestand, Toronto seemed to hammer the ball at will against a struggling Athletics side (23-34) that extended its road losing skid to eight games. Clement smacked a three-run shot and added a two-run double later in the second inning. Guerrero's two-run rainbow blast left him tied for the team lead with eight homers this season. 'It's just nice to take a deep breath and not [be] fighting [in] a 0-0 game like we were all series [in] the last week or so,' Clement said. 'But I just think we've got to use it as momentum and keep doing it.' It was the most runs Toronto has scored in an inning since a nine-run frame against Tampa Bay nearly two years ago. It was also the 14th time in franchise history that the Blue Jays scored 11 runs over the first three innings. 'What I really liked is not taking your foot off the gas after you score eight, and you continue to add on,' Schneider said. Athletics starter Jacob Lopez (0-3) was chased after recording just five outs. He gave up six hits, a walk and seven earned runs. Bichette scored twice and drove in three runs. Clement and Alejandro Kirk had three hits apiece as Toronto pumped out 18 hits in all. Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios (2-2) was in full control over his six-inning appearance. He allowed two hits, two walks and had nine strikeouts. 'Nothing was bothering me out there,' Berrios said. 'So [I was] just competing, having fun and executing my pitches.' Mason Fluharty and Jose Urena completed the four-hit shutout. Announced attendance was 23,853 and the game took two hours 31 minutes to play. Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer is scheduled to throw a live batting practice session on Friday. The 40-year-old starter, who has been limited to one appearance this season due to a thumb injury, plans to throw 20-25 pitches. Reliever Erik Swanson (forearm) pitched a scoreless inning for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Thursday. After the game, the Blue Jays traded left-hander Josh Walker to the Philadelphia Phillies for cash considerations. He did not record a decision over three relief appearances for Toronto this season. Right-hander Chris Bassitt (4-3, 3.38) is tabbed to start for Toronto on Friday against left-hander Jeffrey Springs (5-3, 3.97). The Blue Jays have yet to confirm their starter for Saturday. Right-hander Kevin Gausman (5-4, 3.68) will get the nod for Sunday's series finale.
National Post
2 days ago
- General
- National Post
Blue Jays 'embrace the crap' after long flight home following ugly road trip
As if the recently completed six-game road trip wasn't enough of a nightmare for the Blue Jays, there wasn't nearly enough sleep when it ended, either. Article content Let's just say Bo Bichette's two-run homer to give the Jays a 2-0 win over the Rangers late on Wednesday night, deep in the heart of Texas, had to feel massive for a team on the brink of going 1-5 on a truly ugly stretch of games. Article content Piling on to make the results of the trip worse, the Jays had to take a late night charter flight from Dallas to Toronto, lose an hour in time zone and get ready to play again on Thursday. Sure, the opponent is the struggling Athletics, but the Jays have been grinding, which only furthered the exhaustion. Article content 'That's a lot,' said Jays manager John Schneider, who said his head hit the pillow at his downtown residence at around 5:15 a.m. 'We talked about it with the guys (prior to Thursday's game.) Article content 'You've got to kind embrace the (crap) on this one and then just go out and play. It's not ideal.' Article content To be clear, Schneider wasn't tolerating — or making — excuses, even if the four-game series against the Athletics will finish off a gruelling stretch of 13 games in 13 days. Article content 'I mean, we signed up for this, but it's not ideal,' Schneider said. 'Today's the toughest day. You've got to kind of grind through it.' Article content To help lighten the load some, players weren't required to show up to the Rogers Centre until later than usual on Thursday and the Jays scrapped batting practice. As well, Jose Berrios, the starting pitcher for the Blue Jays on Thursday, flew to Toronto ahead of the team and was well-rested to face the Athletics. Article content Major League Baseball has regulations governing the playing of games on consecutive days in different cities, but Schneider said the charter home — a flying time of two hours and 20 minutes — was just under the cutoff.
New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Blue Jays' quest for cohesion thwarted with offensive skid on the road
ARLINGTON, Texas — Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider has likened his team to a four-wheeled cart many times this season. When Schneider pulls out the metaphor, he mentions the cart's three round wheels before describing the fourth — a square. It's that one wheel that holds the entire operation back from really rolling. Advertisement On the Blue Jays' six-game trip to Tampa Bay and Texas, the square wheel was obvious. As Toronto's pitching flourished, the Jays scored four total runs in five games before Wednesday's series finale against the Rangers, the team's fewest in a five-game stretch since 1990. The Blue Jays went 22 consecutive innings without pushing a runner across home and stranded 28-consecutive runners on base. Bo Bichette found a way to push Toronto's cart to a victory in the Texas finale, launching a ninth-inning, pinch hit homer to lift the Jays to a 2-0 victory. It earned Toronto a series win, ending a trip that encapsulated the team's search for cohesion. Separately, the Blue Jays have flashed every piece of the winning puzzle. But if they really want to roll, it'll take all four wheels. The Jays waited all month for the type of pitching they got in Tampa Bay and Texas. In five of the trip's six games, Blue Jays pitchers allowed three or fewer runs. Despite an evaporated offence, Toronto remained in every game late, except a scorching Sunday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. 'You give up two,' Schneider said. 'You got a chance to win, most nights.' Kevin Gausman had his best start of the season in Monday's win in Texas and Bowden Francis followed it with his top outing a day later. With Paxton Schultz and Eric Lauer manning most of a bullpen game on Wednesday, the Blue Jays allowed just one hit. The collective brilliance came against a struggling Rangers lineup, but it was still the Blue Jays' best three-game pitching stretch all year. In early May, Toronto's rotation insisted it must be better. The pitchers were the square wheel. Before the trip, the Blue Jays' 4.11 rotation ERA ranked 20th in baseball. Against the Rangers, Toronto's starters posted a 0.57 ERA. 'We have the ability to do that,' Schneider said. 'I think it's just a matter of putting it together a couple times through the rotation to kind of get them going a little bit.' Advertisement But the Blue Jays' square wheel didn't go away with improved pitching. It just altered form. Toronto's offence averaged just one run a game on the trip. The Blue Jays went 4-of-45 with runners in scoring position across the six games. They left 48 runners on base. For a team that ranks 26th in homers, scratching those runs across is a prerequisite for sustained offence. If timely hits don't fall — and you're not hitting homers — teams get lengthy scoreless stretches. 'When teams are not scoring runs, it becomes a thing,' Bichette said. 'It's a thing, trying to get runs across, and the more you don't, it becomes bigger.' In the Blue Jays' final three games before the trip south, they outscored the San Diego Padres 24 to 6 in a sweep. It was a brief look at the cohesion Toronto lacked — for a series, all four wheels were circles. Then, the square anchor reappeared. At different times, even just this month, the Blue Jays have had every element of a real postseason contender. In the first two weeks of May, the Blue Jays scored the eighth-most runs in baseball with the fifth-best OPS. In the last two weeks, Toronto has had the league's fourth-best ERA. It just hasn't come at the same time. It'll probably take a belt sander, but if the Blue Jays want to rattle off wins, they have to find a way to circle that square wheel. (Photo of Bo Bichette hitting a two-run pinch hit home run in the ninth inning against the Rangers: Kevin Jairaj / Imagn Images)
