Game of the Week: June 27: TOR @ TB

[Commissioner Erick]

Toronto Blue Jays (40-31) @ Tampa Bay Rays (41-30)


TOR: Clarke Schmidt (3-7, 5.89)
TB: Brent Honeywell (6-4, 3.43)


The Blue Jays have shown that they're here to stay, as their defense-and-pitching style has them a game out of the AL East lead. However, to truly throw their name in the hat as a contender, they'll need to get better production from their fifth starter spot. Clarke Schmidt has worked to a 5.89 ERA, which isn't good enough. He'll get a chance to prove himself against a Tampa Bay team that's starting to get its act together. Tampa Bay has the second best AL OPS in June, with Patrick Leonard's eight home runs carrying the team. Toronto needs to keep Tampa Bay close, and can join them in a share of the AL East lead with a win, but they'll need Schmidt to step up.


Players to Watch:


Blue Jays


3B—Kole Enright:

Enright had a great sophomore season for the Jays last year, hitting .293 with 19 home runs and eight triples in roughly 100 games. With his average dropped to .235, he's been used as a backup this go around. Toronto has depth so they can play the hot hand, though we're still unsure if last year was a fluke, or whether Enright simply won't have the repetitions to repeat the success. He's been involved in packages with Prince Fielder and for Marcus Stroman, and may need another trade to play a full season of games.


RP—Sam Dyson:

After a blip last year, Dyson is right back to where he was as a successful reliever in Texas. He's keeping the ball in the park with one of the lowest home rate marks in the game, and he's not beating himself with walks. He hardly strikes players out, but if you're going to hit it, you're not going to hit it far. He's pitched 6 innings against the Rays this year without allowing an earned run by relying on that approach. Considering Tampa Bay is third from the bottom in the AL in BABIP, Dyson's approach of keeping things honest works against them.


2B—Cavan Biggio:

The left-handed Biggio hits righties way better than lefties, but Brent Honeywell is not like most righties. He features a screwball, leading to reverse splits. That will be tough for Biggio, who is already struggling at the plate. His Average is .240, and he has only a .365 slugging mark. He'll draw a walk and play solid defense, but he's batting fifth in the lineup. Biggio's saving grace is that he has a solid .774 OPS against righties. Hopefully for him, that number translates and not the 2-9 lifetime mark off of Honeywell.


Rays:


RP—Chance Adams:

Adams' claim to fame is a 3-38 record pitching for Boston's Triple-A affiliate in 2018. He was a replacement-caliber swingman for a few seasons, and has taken off as a long-reliever for Tampa Bay this year. He's walked only seven in 39.2 innings, striking out 44. Adams has been particularly effective with runners on, allowing only one inherited runner out of 12 to score. Should Brent Honeywell need a little help, Ryan Morneau has to feel confident that Adams can come in and hold down the fort.


RF—Jake Bauers:

Bauers still isn't hitting for power, but he's using the entire field and hitting for average. After a brutal start, he's hitting .300 in June to bring his season average up to .262. He also has a number of deep fly outs that can turn into home runs with a little luck. Clarke Schmidt has an ERA near 6, so Bauers may be able to turn some of his deep outs into home runs off him.


C—Buster Posey:

After foot and shoulder injuries ruined Buster Posey's 2020 season, he was slow to get back into the flow last year, hitting just .246 with 11 homers. Further removed from his injuries, Posey's back to his classic self, with a .275 average, 12 doubles, seven homers, and a .13.9% strikeout rate that's fifth in the American League. He's a strong offensive catcher again, but his caught stealing rate is the lowest of his career. Toronto is third in the league in stolen bases and may be aggressive running against Posey.


TRIVIA: Which Pirate has the most single-season International League wins with 17?

[Commissioner Erick]

Rays 4 - Blue Jays 3


WP: R. Martinez (2-1)
LP: C. Smith (1-2)
SV: J. Medina (2)


The Toronto Blue Jays got one of Clarke Schmidt's best performances of the season, knocked out Brent Honeywell in the fifth, and carried a lead heading into the eighth. That they couldn't pull out the win is foreboding for their AL East title hopes. The Rays got a huge RBI double from Jake Bauers to tie the game, then Willy Adames hit a fly ball deep enough to get Josh Bell home to make it 4-3 Tampa Bay. Jose Carlos Medina shut the Jays down in order in the ninth for his second save, one that extended Tampa Bay's AL East lead over Toronto to two games.


How They Played:


Blue Jays


3B—Kole Enright: DNP

Enright stayed on the bench for Cavan Biggio as Toronto struggled to score.

Enright did start the next two days, playing third base against the left-handed Sean Manaea, and starting at second against Sixto Sanchez. Enright went 2-3 off Manaea, striking out against Mychal Givens. He really struggled the next day going 1-4, but even the single was a pop-up that landed for a hit. At worst, Enright is showing an ability to club lefties so he can play as part of a strict platoon.


RP—Sam Dyson: 0 IP, 1 H

It was a strange outing for Dyson. He came on to lead off the sixth inning. Patrick Leonard grounded a ball inside of the third base line, and Dyson was pulled for another right-hander.

Dyson got into two other games during the week, coming into a bases-loaded situation in a 7-3 game in the eighth. He walked Josh Bell, gave up a sac fly, and then got a trademark double play to end the frame. On Saturday he came into another bases loaded situation with Toronto leading 2-1 with no outs in the eighth. He walked Paul Goldschmidt on four pitches to blow the save, then allowed a Kyle Seager fly ball to drop for a hit. He got another pop up and a force play at the plate on a slow grounder for two outs. However, Ryan O'Hearn's single found the outfield to knock in two runs, and Melvin Nova followed with a hit to make it 6-2, with two runs charged to Dyson. While Dyson got a few ground balls, his inability to strike people out hurt him in that situation.


2B—Cavan Biggio: 1-4, 1 RBI

Biggio started at third and went 1-4 with an RBI single off Chance Adams in the fifth. He predictably struggled off Brent Honeywell though, grounding out in the second, and hitting into a double play in the fourth. He also hit into a fielder's choice in the seventh off Adams. Defensively, he had a few easy plays early. He snagged a soft liner off Josh Bell, started a double play off a Christian Yelich grounder, and snared a rocket grounder hit right at him to retire Buster Posey. He couldn't grab a Christian Yelich grounder in his area though, leading to a single. Later on, in the sixth Patrick Leonard rocketed a double down the line, before Biggio snagged a pop up off Josh Bell, the next batter. Josh Bell ripped a single past him in the eighth, which was likely unplayable, but turned into the go-ahead run. All-in-all, it was an eventful day in the field.

Defensively Biggio committed two errors during the week, and his positive zone rating turned negative, so it wasn't a good week in the field. Toronto's offense was a far bigger problem than its run prevention during the week, but the Blue Jays went 1-4 in games he played. Offensively, Biggio didn't do much of anything, hitting .118 with a double, despite facing only one lefty pitcher. Biggio is now carrying a .351 slugging mark while playing a power position and batting fifth. That's a problem.


Rays:


RP—Chance Adams: 1.2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 4 K

Adams' inherited runners stretch came to an end, as he allowed a run-scoring single to Biggio with a runner charged to Brent Honeywell on base. Despite having his inherited runners mark increase to two of 13 allowed to score, Adams was otherwise successful. He struck out two in the fifth, allowing the one inherited runner to score, then worked around a leadoff double to pitch a scoreless sixth, striking out Yusniel Diaz and Logan Warmoth in the process. Adams continued to show great stuff, he didn't walk anybody, and he was able to go multiple innings. He's become a weapon as a long man, and showed that off tonight.

With Tampa Bay's starters having an exceptional week, Adams was able to rest his arm the remaining six days.


RF—Jake Bauers: 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 2B

While the power hasn't returned, Bauers has recovered from a rough start by using the whole field, not selling out as much for power, and getting his average up. Today felt a little bit like a return to old ways against the tantalizing pitching of Clarke Schmidt. Bauers walked leading off the second, but was stranded after Christian Yelich hit into an inning-ending double play. He struck out off Schmidt in the fourth, and struck out with a man on second and one out against Eduardo Paredes in the sixth. In the eighth, Bauers pulled a double down the line off Carson Smith that tied the game at 3. Bauers was definitely looking to pull the ball and hit for power. It hurt him early in the game, but brought in a run late. Defensively, Bauers had a nice day, coming in hard to make a catch in shallow right field on a Reese McGuire short fly with two-men on. He also couldn't come on fast enough to make a play on a fly ball single off Taylor Walls leading off the fourth, though Walls was erased on a double play. Bauers was pulled for Mageuris Sierra for defense in the ninth.

Bauers' power does appear to be returning. He had another double later in the week, plus a home run, ending with a .294 average and .588 slugging mark for the week. He only struck out three times, which is a reasonable number, and he continues to slowly creep his OPS higher. It's not a coincidence that Tampa Bay's success continues to parallel Bauers'.


C—Buster Posey: 0-3, 1 K

Posey didn't have a good day, allowing Toronto to go 2-2 on stolen base attempts, while being hitless at the plate. His first two at bats, he hit the ball hard, but each was a grounder right at an infielder. He struck out against Danny Barnes in the seventh. Defensively, each of the stolen bases contributed to a run on the board for Toronto. Posey also caught a pop up.

During the week, Posey was underwhelming. He hit .235 without a walk of extra base hit. He was better defensively later in the week, throwing out two of five base runners, but he also allowed a passed ball. Tampa Bay's pitching has been so strong though, they were able to win despite Posey's struggles.


TRIVIA: Who is the Tampa Bay All-Time Leader in Doubles?