TORONTO – What a difference there is a week for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Last Friday, when they opened their season against the Texas Rangers, their starting lineup was perhaps the deepest in the American League. Seven days later, the Blue Jays returned to Toronto in front of another large audience, but after the oblique injuries of Theoscar Hernandez and Danny Jansen, their lineup was significantly exhausted this time.
In these circumstances, it is essential that future players on the bench strengthen, and this is exactly what happened when the Blue Jays beat Athletics 4-1 on Jackie Robinson Day at Rogers Center.
First, however, there was another undisputed home run by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who led the entire baseball with five homers after his own shot in the first inning. He would later single out and paint the first of what would probably be a very deliberate walk this year. But this type of game is not uncommon for Guerrero Jr., who is next to Juan Soto and Mike Trout in every discussion of the best baseball strikers.
It was less certain what the Blue Jays could expect from their supporting cast, but Toronto couldn’t expect much more in that regard. Making his first start of the season, Ross Stripling secured four zero innings before passing the ball to the fur. This is exactly what they hoped to get the Blue Jays from the right player, who stretched as a starter in the spring training.
There will certainly be more opportunities for Stripling to start this year, whether due to injury or just to give a breath of fresh air to the other members of the starting rotation. For now, he’ll be back in the fur for a break, while the Blue Jays are determining when they’ll need him next.
The Blues’ attacking players were just as important on Friday. Starting in place of Hernandez, right-back Raimel Tapia scored twice in his first game with a few strokes with the Blue Jays. He also showed his speed in the second inning, scoring from the first goal in a double by Santiago Espinal to give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead.
Starting in Jansen’s place, cat Zack Collins scored two of his own goals. He doubled in the fourth inning, but his sixth inning on the bat may have been more impressive. In their quest to gain the platoon’s advantage, A walked along the Espinal deliberately, so the left hand hitting Collins had to face left-hander Sam Mol. But Collins ordered a quick ball across the country riding for RBI’s single, which gave the Blue Jays welcome insurance.
In the first match between the two teams after the exchange of Matt Chapman, Auckland’s side in the deal had the greatest influence. Infiltrator Kevin Smith doubled up and separated against his former team in one night when Chapman was left without a hit in two bats with two walks.
However, a third member of the trade was not visible. Kirby Snead, a left-hander who has appeared in four of Auckland’s first seven games, was placed on the pre-match restrictions list along with AJ Puk and Austin Allen. Although no further details have been released, unvaccinated players are not allowed to enter Canada, and MLB rules state that they must be placed on the restricted list when their teams visit Toronto.
As with all deals involving prospects, it will take years to evaluate this one. If all goes well, it may even be a victory for both sides. But when deals can benefit all participants, only one team can win a night. Thanks to the likes of Stripling, Tapia and Collins, the Blue Jays were the ones to come out on Friday.
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