BOSTON — Already, August has been the Blue Jays’ best month. They’ve won 14 games so far, thanks in large part to the young players now getting more prominent roles.
It’s been encouraging on many levels: winning always beats losing, it leads to better vibes and it hints at better things ahead. But as Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to the Red Sox showed, the Blue Jays still have a long way to go.
Fielding their A-lineup against Brayan Bello of the Red Sox, the Blue Jays managed only two hits all night: an Addison Barger double and a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. single. As a result, a vintage Chris Bassitt outing went to waste and the Blue Jays fell to 65-70 on the season.
Now granted, none of this is especially surprising. Games like this are an inevitability for teams that lean heavily on young players. The pain is real, but the hope is that some of the newcomers look ready to contribute on a winning team — and soon.
But while the search for upside makes sense, the team’s floor also drops when players like Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Justin Turner are traded away. On Wednesday, the Blue Jays’ lineup featured three players who debuted this season (Addison Barger, Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner) along with two others who are now completing their first full big-league season (Spencer Horwitz and Ernie Clement).
Determining which of those players lasts with the Blue Jays will take months — maybe years. Part of the advantage of having optionable players on the roster is you don’t have to rush that call. At the same time, the next month is vitally important to determining the team’s off-season plan.
For example, if Addison Barger puts it all together for a month, that might make the Blue Jays slightly less inclined to go after a third baseman. Yet if Barger’s contact issues persist and Loperfido gets white-hot, that could nudge the Blue Jays toward infielders as opposed to outfielders.
Now granted, those are two extreme examples. Knowing the Blue Jays, they’ll keep all options open entering the off-season, preferring not to box themselves in. An open DH spot only adds to their flexibility this winter. But wherever it is they decide to add, games like this are a reminder that the Blue Jays need more.
On the pitching side, however, the Blue Jays did well thanks to Bassitt. The right-hander pitched 6.2 innings while allowing just one run on five hits. After a tough first inning, he settled into peak form, keeping Red Sox hitters off-balance with a sinker that topped out at 94 m.p.h. and a curveball that hovered around 72 m.p.h.
The nine strikeouts tied a season-high for Bassitt, who recorded the 1000th strikeout of his career Wednesday.
Before the game, Bo Bichette completed some agility drills on the field at Fenway Park. Everything went well for the shortstop, who’s expected to continue his running progression with the team in Minnesota as he works his way back from a right calf strain. A rehab stint could start early next month, after which Bichette hopes to return to the majors.
