Game 13 - Mariners @ Blue Jays April 10th Game Recap
The Timely Hitting Clock Strikes Midnight
That was a tough loss. However, the series was won so the pill has a little bit of sugar coating on the outside. The part that stings was the win was 90 feet away and a timely hit would have done the job. This is a reminder that the bats are still finding their way out of the funk they are carrying around to start this season.
That said, a lot of credit has to go to Logan Gilbert for throwing one hell of a game. There were some pitches the Jays were chasing but I didn’t feel like the Blue Jays lost this game at the plate. It was lost on the mound. Between the Mariners’ starter and the Jays’ bullpen falling apart in the 10th. Honestly, the series was one and the team is going into an off day. I am at peace with this home opening series.
Changes Check In
Vladdy hits a home run, which is great, but the rest of the lineup was not in a supportive mood. Six hits and three walks but no hits through the lineup to move those runners around the bases. The positive is that Vladdy is showing some power.
Of all the star players we’ve talked about in the last week, Vladdy has a good game, then Springer has a good game but they aren’t putting them together the way they did for the two wins in Tampa Bay. To be clear, my mood about the team’s play and the improvements I wanted to see is vastly different compared to the middle of the Houston series.
The Blue Jays are setting themselves up where they have to have some winning streaks to make up for this mediocre start. However, there is still a lot of season to play and the other teams are still capable of helping out by losing games of their own. I’m looking at you Yankees, who are currently losing to the Marlins 0-4.
Season (6-7) Player of the Game: Yimi Garcia (1)
Season PotG: WINS: Biggio (1), Schneider (1), Turner (1), Kikuchi (1), Berrios (1), Bassitt (1) LOSSES: Springer (2), Varsho (1), Kiermaier (1), Schneider (1), Bichette (1)
The Rest of the East
Tampa Bay (7-6) - If you remove the two runs scored by throwing errors, this game is 2-2. The Angels are trash and the Rays played them even in terms of runs scored over three games. This is another incomplete marker for a team that seems happy to hang around and forever be in games until they get their pitching back. The problem is, how much damage can their offense do? We see they are always in a game and can get wins, but what is the sustainability of this offense that wins but doesn’t scare you?
Baltimore (7-4) - They get the comeback, and the Orioles are on a two-game win streak. These are the games that will keep them high in the standings. Playing Boston, I expect them to win the series at a minimum. If they can do it with a comeback win, a fine-run comeback win, this is a confidence builder they can take into the following series. The Yankees are one out away from losing to the Marlins, and the Orioles will be making up ground in the division today. I’m looking forward to the Orioles and Yankees series during this season.
New York (10-3) - An early big inning from the Marlins, and the Yankees could never catch up. It feels weird, which tells me this is an anomaly. Just take the loss and move on. The Yankees won the series. Chalk this up to the ebbs and flows of the season. Stanton seems to have found the bat. Judge is still in his slump. Off day tomorrow then they play a Cleveland team to get right before meeting the Blue Jays in Toronto.
Boston (7-5) - It’s two losses, another small sample size, but watching a five-run lead evaporate over two innings due to poor defense and a quick-strike offense tells me the Red Sox are probably less of a threat to the division than their record suggests. They will get their wins this season, but they don’t play a clean version of the game, nor do they have a sustained offense or bullpen to put away a lead against a team capable of making a comeback. Two games, sure, but my strong suspicions are now more robust.
