The worst is not
So long as we can say 'This is the worst.'
The reeling Blue Jays stagger into the Unfriendly Confines of old Fenway Park carrying a six-game losing streak. Do you remember the last time they lost six in a row?
That's what I'm here for!
It was just over three years ago, towards the end of May 2021, when the bullpen.... went bad. Very, very bad. The Blue Jays had just opened a seven game home stand with an outstanding performance by Hyun-Jin Ryu - his seven shutout innings led the Jays to an 8-0 victory over those same Red Sox. The Jays were now sitting in second place, just half a game behind the Bostonians. With a chance to take over first place against those Red Sox, the Jays didn't. First Boston kicked Ross Stripling around something awful to even the series. And then... things got weird. In the rubber match, the Jays spotted the Red Sox an early 5-2 lead, but fought their way back. Steven Matz held the fort through six, Chatwood and Romano each worked a scoreless inning, and Toronto took a 7-5 lead into the ninth. Rafael Dolis came on to close it out and didn't. A couple of hits and a ground out scored one run; a J.D. Martinez homer scored a couple more, and the Red Sox won 8-7.
And then the Rays came to town (that town being Dunedin, of course) for four games. On the Friday, the Jays took an early lead but Tampa Bay tied the game at 5-5 in the sixth. And nothing happened for the longest while. Bergen had given up two runs, Cole another, but the bullpen rallied after that. The Jays got scoreless innings from Romano, Mayza, Chatwood. They got two from Payamps. In the twelfth inning, Jeremy Beasley became the seventh Jays reliever to enter the contest. The zombie runner took third on a ground out, so Montoyo had Beasley issue an IBB to Brandon Lowe. Lowe stole second while Beasley was striking out Margot. Montoyo had another IBB issued, this one to Joey Wendle. This loaded the bases for Francisco Mejia, who cleared them with a grand slam to right. Final score was 9-7 after Guerrero homered in the bottom half.
On Saturday afternoon, Shane McClanahan and Robbie Ray matched up in tight pitcher's duel. The score was 1-1 after seven, and both starters were gone. The Rays scored once against Castro in the eighth and added another against Thornton in the ninth, for the 3-1 victory.
On Sunday afternoon, Randal Grichuk broke up a 2-2 tie with a two run homer in the bottom of the eighth. Chatwood came on to close it out. He walked Choi, gave up a single to Lowe, and then got Walls on a groundout. Phillips singled in a run, making the score 4-3, but Arozarena lined out. Chatwood then walked Diaz to load the bases, and Montoyo called on Bergen to face Meadows and get the third out. Bergen walked Meadows to tie the game. Then he walked Margot to give Tampa the lead. Then he walked Brosseau to give them some insurance.
It was the Victoria Day weekend, even if they were in Florida, so they had at it one more time on the Monday afternoon. Tampa jumped out to a 5-0 lead, thanks mainly to a Joey Wendle's first inning grand slam off Trent Thornton. Ross Stripling held them right there, with seven innings of shutout relief, and the Jays eventually tied the game on Guerrero's two run homer in the eighth. Tampa scored twice in the tenth off Anthony Castro; the Jays fought back one more time in their half, with a game tying homer from Marcus Semien. Enough of this, someone said - the Rays scored seven times against Payamps and Mayza in the eleventh, and there was no coming back from that.
Matchups
Mon 24 June - Bassitt (6-6, 3.52) vs Houck (7-5, 2.14)
Tue 25 June - Gausman (5-6, 4.24) vs Bello (7-4, 4.83)
Wed 26 June - Rodriguez (0-2, 5.94) vs Crawford (3-7, 3.59)
So long as we can say 'This is the worst.'
-- Shakespeare, King Lear, IV.i
How bad can it get? Tune in and find out!
The reeling Blue Jays stagger into the Unfriendly Confines of old Fenway Park carrying a six-game losing streak. Do you remember the last time they lost six in a row?
That's what I'm here for!
It was just over three years ago, towards the end of May 2021, when the bullpen.... went bad. Very, very bad. The Blue Jays had just opened a seven game home stand with an outstanding performance by Hyun-Jin Ryu - his seven shutout innings led the Jays to an 8-0 victory over those same Red Sox. The Jays were now sitting in second place, just half a game behind the Bostonians. With a chance to take over first place against those Red Sox, the Jays didn't. First Boston kicked Ross Stripling around something awful to even the series. And then... things got weird. In the rubber match, the Jays spotted the Red Sox an early 5-2 lead, but fought their way back. Steven Matz held the fort through six, Chatwood and Romano each worked a scoreless inning, and Toronto took a 7-5 lead into the ninth. Rafael Dolis came on to close it out and didn't. A couple of hits and a ground out scored one run; a J.D. Martinez homer scored a couple more, and the Red Sox won 8-7.
And then the Rays came to town (that town being Dunedin, of course) for four games. On the Friday, the Jays took an early lead but Tampa Bay tied the game at 5-5 in the sixth. And nothing happened for the longest while. Bergen had given up two runs, Cole another, but the bullpen rallied after that. The Jays got scoreless innings from Romano, Mayza, Chatwood. They got two from Payamps. In the twelfth inning, Jeremy Beasley became the seventh Jays reliever to enter the contest. The zombie runner took third on a ground out, so Montoyo had Beasley issue an IBB to Brandon Lowe. Lowe stole second while Beasley was striking out Margot. Montoyo had another IBB issued, this one to Joey Wendle. This loaded the bases for Francisco Mejia, who cleared them with a grand slam to right. Final score was 9-7 after Guerrero homered in the bottom half.
On Saturday afternoon, Shane McClanahan and Robbie Ray matched up in tight pitcher's duel. The score was 1-1 after seven, and both starters were gone. The Rays scored once against Castro in the eighth and added another against Thornton in the ninth, for the 3-1 victory.
On Sunday afternoon, Randal Grichuk broke up a 2-2 tie with a two run homer in the bottom of the eighth. Chatwood came on to close it out. He walked Choi, gave up a single to Lowe, and then got Walls on a groundout. Phillips singled in a run, making the score 4-3, but Arozarena lined out. Chatwood then walked Diaz to load the bases, and Montoyo called on Bergen to face Meadows and get the third out. Bergen walked Meadows to tie the game. Then he walked Margot to give Tampa the lead. Then he walked Brosseau to give them some insurance.
It was the Victoria Day weekend, even if they were in Florida, so they had at it one more time on the Monday afternoon. Tampa jumped out to a 5-0 lead, thanks mainly to a Joey Wendle's first inning grand slam off Trent Thornton. Ross Stripling held them right there, with seven innings of shutout relief, and the Jays eventually tied the game on Guerrero's two run homer in the eighth. Tampa scored twice in the tenth off Anthony Castro; the Jays fought back one more time in their half, with a game tying homer from Marcus Semien. Enough of this, someone said - the Rays scored seven times against Payamps and Mayza in the eleventh, and there was no coming back from that.
Now, the last time they lost seven in a row... We'll have to go back another couple of years.
It all began with Justin Verlander. Pitching a no-hitter, as he is wont to do....
Matchups
Mon 24 June - Bassitt (6-6, 3.52) vs Houck (7-5, 2.14)
Tue 25 June - Gausman (5-6, 4.24) vs Bello (7-4, 4.83)
Wed 26 June - Rodriguez (0-2, 5.94) vs Crawford (3-7, 3.59)
