Latest news with #NathanLukes
National Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- National Post
Ernie Clement and the Blue Jays beat up on Athletics again
Article content Ernie Clement continues to shine, while the Blue Jays continue to soar. Article content Article content Granted, the Athletics aren't a quality major-league team and following Friday night's 11-7 defeat, they endured their 15th loss in their past 16 games. Article content Too bad the Jays can't play the A's more often. If they could, playoff tickets would be printed. Article content Clement has certainly left his imprint two games into a four-game series by going yard in back-to-back games, two nights in which he has recorded seven hits, including going 4-for-5 on Friday raising his average to .273. Article content Article content 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. Article content 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. Article content 1. Run of the mill Article content The Rogers Centre roof was half-open or half-closed, depending on one's perspective. Article content 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. Article content The hitting frenzy carried over into Friday when 15 hits were recorded and every starter in the lineup produced at least one. Article content 2. Canada Day Article content On a hockey-themed night, three members of the Toronto Sceptres took part in the ceremonial first pitch with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. serving as catcher. Article content Fans reportedly lined up as early as 8 a.m. to get their hands on the night's giveaway, a Vladdy hockey jersey. Article content To borrow a shinny metaphor, the Jays wound up skating circles around the A's. Article content Taking it all in was Pickering's Denzel Clarke, who started in centre field for the visitors. Article content When his name was introduced, Clarke was accorded a warm applause. Article content Clarke struck out swinging in the second inning, marking his 16th strikeout in 20 plate appearances. Article content No one, though, will remember the punch-out. What they will remember was the catch he made in denying Alejandro Kirk a home run to lead off the fourth inning, a majestic out at the wall that highlighted Clarke's athleticism.
Hamilton Spectator
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
How Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes earned his team's trust and finally carved a major-league role
In a league filled with fiery sluggers, big-name international free agents and hotshot upstarts, there are always names that fall under the radar. For the Blue Jays , outfielder Nathan Lukes, who has had a decidedly unglamorous road to the majors, falls into that category. The 30-year-old Lukes has long waited for the opportunity to play consistently at the big-league level. He appeared in more than 600 minor-league games between 2015 and 2022 before finally making his MLB debut at age 28 in 2023. Nathan Lukes is rewarded with the Gatorade shower after his walk-off hit. Now, he's a regular fixture in the starting lineup — and he's been making an impact. Lukes hit a walk-off single to beat the San Diego Padres on Thursday in a game where he went 3-for-4 and improved his on-base-plus-slugging percentage to .808 on the year. A day earlier, he hit a key two-run homer, his fourth of the season. In manager John Schneider's telling, Lukes is hitting his stride, showing more intent with his swings and making his at-bats more efficient and impactful. He doesn't strike out all that often, squares up balls at a respectable rate and has an above-average arm in the outfield, per Baseball Savant . 'I think that he's coming into his own as a player,' Schneider said. 'I'm happy for him. He's worked really hard to get to this point and it's paying off.' Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes makes a catch against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. Even when he reached the higher levels of minor-league ball and an MLB role felt closer, the native of Sacramento, Calif. battled injuries. He suffered a gruesome thumb injury in 2024 that kept him out for two months while in Buffalo, and spent a pair of shorter stints on the injured list in both the Blue Jays and Rays organizations. 'His career has been weird, and injuries have been a big part of it,' Schneider observed. 'I think Nate's just in a good spot and understanding what he's good at.' Now, his manager says, he's healthy and confident, which has given the Jays a lot of trust in him. They even had him lay down a bunt with two strikes against a left-handed pitcher in the seventh inning of Wednesday night's game, a gambit that ultimately paid off and ignited what would become a five-run bat-around inning . 'I trust Nate to be a baseball player,' Schneider said. 'It's not easy to bunt left-on-left like that, and he put down a perfect one. It's a credit to him, and I got a lot of trust in him.' Varsho triples in the 11th inning to bring home one run, then scores the winning run as the Jays move above .500. Varsho triples in the 11th inning to bring home one run, then scores the winning run as the Jays move above .500. Lukes echoed the importance of confidence, which has helped him get off to a solid start to the season in which he's driven in 16 runs in fewer than 100 plate appearances. 'The confidence is a big thing in baseball and right now; I'm just running with it,' Lukes said. 'I like to shoot for the moon, so hopefully (I can) just get (the ball) up even more.' His teammates have taken notice, too. Myles Straw, the gold glover who has shared outfield duties with Lukes since coming over from the Cleveland Guardians in the winter, said his strength as a hitter is his ability to hit line drives to all parts of the field. 'He's just very consistent — consistent in the field, consistent hitting,' Straw said. 'At the end of the day, he can hit a line drive to right, left or centre. So when you show signs of that, you can be a pretty good hitter.' 'If I was making the lineup, I'd have him in there every day,' said infielder Ernie Clement, who was standing on first base when Lukes hit a towering home run Wednesday night. 'It's just really, really impressive to see him put up the at-bats that he has when not playing every day.' Lukes has already suited up in a career-high 35 MLB games this season, but playing time is no guarantee with fellow outfielders Alan Roden , Jonatan Clase and Davis Schneider all in the system. For now, he's taking every opportunity in, and says it makes all those years spent in the minor leagues worth it for the chance to play at the highest level. 'Right now, I feel like it's all paying off,' Lukes said.
National Post
24-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Blue Jays' offence reverts to its inoffensive ways in loss to host Tampa Bay Rays
The Blue Jays were a hit during a 5-4 homestand on the strength of their ability to hit homers or produce in clutch moments. Article content Article content Coming off a series sweep of the San Diego Padres, one would think momentum was on the Jays' side as they began a three-game set Friday night against the host Tampa Bay Rays. Article content No timely hits would be summoned on a night featuring so few hits by the visitors, the Jays drew eight walks and yet they managed to push across only one run. Article content Both teams played well defensively. Article content Offensively, Tampa needed two swings to produce its three runs. Article content The following are three takeaways in the wake of a Jays' 3-1 loss to an AL East rival that dropped Toronto's record to 25-25, while Tampa improved to 24-26. Article content 1. BOTTOMS UP Article content One of the most understated areas involves the team's bottom of the order, a collection of utility players who have, to their credit, stepped up in big moments. Article content Nathan Lukes immediately comes to mind. Article content The fact he even reached base speaks to how well Lukes has been swinging the bat. Article content The fact he was thrown out highlighted a recurring team deficiency. Article content Of the Jays' four hits, three came from the team's bottom of the order, which consisted of Ernie Clement, Jonatan Clase, who had a double, and Lukes. Article content Following three straight walks in the seventh inning, Clase hit into a double play as the Jays finally scored. Article content Article content 2. LAUER POWER Article content Article content When seven relievers are used in an 11-inning game, the next day's starter is asked to provide some degree of length. Article content Eric Lauer's task was pretty simple, but pitching in the big leagues, even when the backdrop is a minor-league ballpark, is replete with complications.
Edmonton Journal
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Blue Jays' offence reverts to its inoffensive ways in loss to host Tampa Bay Rays
Article content Both teams played well defensively. Offensively, Tampa needed two swings to produce its three runs. The following are three takeaways in the wake of a Jays' 3-1 loss to an AL East rival that dropped Toronto's record to 25-25, while Tampa improved to 24-26. 1. BOTTOMS UP The Jays entered the night one game above .500 for the first time in a month for a variety of reasons. One of the most understated areas involves the team's bottom of the order, a collection of utility players who have, to their credit, stepped up in big moments. Nathan Lukes immediately comes to mind. A day after producing the game-winning hit, Lukes ran into an out at second base. The fact he even reached base speaks to how well Lukes has been swinging the bat. The fact he was thrown out highlighted a recurring team deficiency. Of the Jays' four hits, three came from the team's bottom of the order, which consisted of Ernie Clement, Jonatan Clase, who had a double, and Lukes.
CTV News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Varsho, Lukes help Blue Jays beat Padres 7-6 in 11 innings; Toronto completes sweep
Toronto Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho (5) safely dives back into third base during first inning MLB baseball action against the San Diego Padres in Toronto on Thursday, May 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young TORONTO — Nathan Lukes' RBI single in the bottom of the 11th gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 7-6 win over the San Diego Padres on Thursday afternoon to complete the three-game sweep. Daulton Varsho's triple to lead off the inning drove in Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who started on second base, to tie the game 6-6. Bowden Francis earned a no-decision, giving up two runs on three hits and three walks in four innings of work, striking out four. Yariel Rodriguez, Mason Fluharty, Chad Green and Yimi Garcia held the Padres scoreless through the next four innings, but titular closer Jeff Hoffman blew the save in the ninth, giving up a two-run homer to Gavin Sheets. Sheets almost single-handedly kept San Diego (27-21) in the game. He hit a two-run homer in the first and then another in the ninth, scoring Jackson Merrill both times. He added an RBI single in the 11th to give San Diego a brief 6-5 lead, but the Padres ultimately lost their sixth game in a row. Luis Arraez hit what appeared to be a game-winning RBI single for San Diego in the top of the 10th, but Jonatan Clase tied it 5-5 for the Blue Jays in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single of his own. Stephen Kolek gave up four runs, three earned, on seven hits and three walks but struck out six over six innings. Takeaways Padres: Sheets's five RBIs were the most he's had in a game all season. It nearly matched the seven he had in the entire month of April for the Padres. He has a .286 average, eight home runs and 28 RBIs on the season. Blue Jays: Francis was pulled in favour of Rodriguez despite only throwing 77 pitches. Francis's hardest pitch was a 94.4 m.p.h. four-seam fastball to Fernando Tatis Jr. in the first inning in the first at-bat of the game. He's lost 0.5 m.p.h. from that pitch compared to last season's average velocity. Key moment Varsho's run-scoring fielder's choice in the third could've been an inning-ending double play, but the chopper glanced off Sheets' glove and dribbled into shallow right, allowing Varsho to reach second and Tyler Heineman to score. Key stat Rodriguez hasn't allowed a run in eight consecutive appearances, a total of 11 scoreless innings. He struck out three consecutive batters in the fifth, including all-stars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Arraez at the top of San Diego's order. Up next Friday will be a bullpen day for the Blue Jays as they begin a series in Tampa Bay against the Rays. Toronto manager John Schneider said that long reliever Eric Lauer (1-0) would play a significant role in the game. Drew Rasmussen (2-4) will take the mound for Tampa Bay. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2025. John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
