Game 22 - Blue Jays @ Padres April 21st Game Recap

The Problem with Zero Margin for Error

When the starter doesn’t have a quality start and the offense gets five hits and zero walks, you’re going to lose more often than not. The Jays won the series so you just off your pants and get the next one. However, this is the lurking storm that hangs around this team. Winning series will keep the storm away but when the other teams play better, the offensive issues take a front row seat for the conversation. I don’t have much more to say. This game never felt like the Jays were going to win. The lack of base runners and the iffy start from Bassitt never gave me any confidence.

Keep working on it boys. The series win is what we needed, on to Kansas City.

Season (12-10) Player of the Game: Daulton Varsho (6)

Season PotG: WINS: Varsho (2), Berrios (2), Bassitt (2), Biggio (1), Schneider (1), Turner (1), Kikuchi (1), Guerrero (1), Kiermaier (1) LOSSES: Varsho (3), Springer (2), Kiermaier (1), Schneider (1), Bichette (1), Garcia (1)

Their series record in the young season is 4-2-1.

The Rest of the East

Tampa Bay (12-11) - Tried to make the comeback but were unable to finish the job. A 4-5 loss was a lot better looking that the 0-5 deficit when we left this game. The Rays, with this lineup, are the bottom of the division and I’m not sure where the offensive help is coming from.

Baltimore (14-7) - Shutout the Royals who only had 5 hits and 4 walks. The Orioles conveyor belt worked long enough to score 5 runs and give them the win.

New York (15-7) - Felt like it was going to be another low event game in favor of the Rays but the Yankees string together some base runners in the bottom of the 5th inning to get what feels like an insurmountable lead. In the Rays’ last ten games they have scored 5+ runs twice. I know I left the Orioles 7-run lead early yesterday, the Rays’ bats don’t feel dangerous right now.

Boston (13-10) - A gateway team victory. The pitching is too good for a mid-tier team like the Pirates. At what point does the lineup for the Red Sox become a full lineup and not just the top half. That top half is a monster right now but the bottom half is so bad right now, it’s holding the team back from making the leap to be a division threat. I am very interested to see what the Red Sox do against the Guardians in their next series. Win 2 of 3 on the road against the second best team in baseball and the current narrative gets erased in preparation for a narrative upgrade.

Thanks for reading.