As July 30 trade deadline approaches, Blue Jays' urgency to win intensifies
Back to reality for the Blue Jays following their surreal stay in Seattle
Article content
They revelled in an atmosphere that felt as if they were playing at home, rejoiced in a series win for the first time since mid-June and showed resiliency when many counted them out.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
As July 30 trade deadline approaches, Blue Jays' urgency to win intensifies Back to video
tap here to see other videos from our team.
For one weekend, at least, all was right for the Blue Jays, who began their much-anticipated stay in Seattle by dropping a 2-1 decision to the host Mariners Friday night before winning two games in a row by identical 5-4 scores, including an epic 10-inning affair in the rubber match on Sunday.
In the five preceding series, the Jays lost three of four to Houston, split a four-game set to the New York Yankees, went 1-1 in Boston before the series finale was suspended because of rain, got swept in Cleveland and were swept by the Red Sox at the Rogers Centre.
With the Jays enjoying an off-day Monday as they get set for a three-game series against the Giants in San Francisco, the echoes of the team’s visit to Seattle continued to resonate.
“This is not your average road trip,” manager John Schneider told reporters in Seattle following Sunday’s win. “It’s so cool to see the fans, even before the game, and the fact they’re all shoved in behind our dugout is great. You kind of get to know them a little bit over the course of the weekend. The support has just been phenomenal every time we come here. It’s just a cool weekend of baseball.”
Turns out the weekend set was the closest the Blue Jays will come to experiencing the emotions of an actual playoff series. Barring a complete and improbable change in fortunes, the Jays aren’t going to make the playoffs. In fact, no one can predict what this roster will even look like as the July 30 trade deadline draws closer.
It’s why moments such as Sunday’s win must be embraced, knowing reality will soon kick in.
On Saturday, Yariel Rodriguez earned his first big-league win, putting together two successive outings that inspired optimism as the righty from Cuba evolves.
It was George Springer’s turn to shine in the finale. With the Jays trailing 4-1 in the seventh inning, Springer went deep for a three-run blast to tie the game.
“I kind of blacked out a little bit,” said Springer afterward. ��I know I was excited. It was a big moment for us as a team and I’m just happy to help.”
It was Springer’s 25th career-homer against the M’s and his 15th at T-Mobile Park. The only opposing park where he’s hit more homers is Angel Stadium (17).
Springer was written off by many, but the Jays kept insisting the veteran would rebound from an extended stretch of futility at the plate.
Even though his struggles were well-documented and debated, Springer kept playing at a high level defensively in right field and never quit.
He effectively hit rock bottom on June 24 when he went 0-for-4 against the Red Sox, his batting average sinking to an unsightly .188. But in the past 12 games, Springer played like an all-star, evoking memories of his days in Houston when he was named World Series MVP. He is 17-for-39 in that span with five home runs and 16 RBIs pulling his average back up to .221.
The margins for error now are rather small — razor thin, in fact — for a Blue Jays team that improved to 41-49 on the season following Sunday’s win.
The gravity of the Jays’ situation has not changed. Entering play on Monday, Toronto is 8.5 games back of the third wild card spot in the AL. Boston (49-40) holds the final slot, but there are many teams the Jays must overcome to even get a sniff of the playoffs.
The good vibes and good times in Seattle represented a welcome relief for the Jays and for their fans. But a weekend in the Pacific northwest isn’t about to wipe away all the lost games and moments of futility.
What it did underscore was the urgency to score runs. When the Jays score five or more runs, they are virtually unbeatable. But no one can say how long Springer can sustain his current level. The same holds true for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who will be the team’s lone representative at the coming all-star game in Texas. Bo Bichette, of course, needs to re-emerge but Spencer Horwitz has been a revelation.
Unless the Jays can somehow string together a bunch of series wins, their weekend in Seattle will be remembered as a much-needed distraction. That’s the reality of their lot in baseball, a position that can only be strengthened if more weekends such as what they produced in Seattle can be replicated.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.