Toronto Blue Jays suffer another bullpen collapse, allowing Angels to clinch win in the 8th inning
Rowdy Rant: 💣 Hey there, baseball fans! It's your boy, Mike Wilner, here to dissect another nail-biting game. This time, the Blue Jays found themselves in hot water against the LA Angels, dropping a heart-wrenching 5-3 cheater in Anaheim.
Anthony Santander thundered his fifth home run of the season in the top of the 8th, breaking a tense 2-2 stalemate, giving our boys hope for a victory. The Jays turned to their crackerjack bullpen aces, Yimi Garcia and Jeff Hoffman, for the last six outs.
Garcia started the bottom of the 8th by walking Zach Neto, who swiped second so fast, he'd already be sipping a brew at the bar by the time you'd finish boiling water. Schanuel followed with a lazy bunt, and ol' Ernie Clement couldn't corral the ball in the hot corner—a fielding mishap that allowed the equalizer to trot home.
Hoffman took over with two on and one out and gave up a go-ahead RBI single to Logan O'Hoppe, a three-run dinger to Yoan Moncada, and a solo shot to Jo Adell. The Angels capitalized on the opportunity, taking a decisive 8-3 lead, sending the Jays packing in dismay.
🌪️ Ferocious Finish: When the dust settled, the LA Angels had put up half a dozen in the final inning, and our Canadian heroes were left licking their wounds.
🧹 Cleaning Up
Each team's cleanup hitter did their part in the first inning, with George Springer and Taylor Ward belting a pair of two-run homers apiece.
Springer's homer was his fourth of the season, momentarily placing him alongside Santander and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the team's home run leaderboard. Ward's round-tripper marked his seventh of the campaign.
🥱 No Foolin' 'Round
With runners at first and second and two outs in the 6th, talented rookie Mason Fluharty entered the fray to face Yoan Moncada, getting the switch-hitter to hit a loopy fly toward center to quash the threat.
Fluharty kept on rolling, retiring Luis Rengifo and Jo Adell in the 7th before passing the torch to Dillon Tate.
The 23-year-old Tate has faced 25 right-handed hitters in his big-league career, and not one of them has managed to snag a hit off him.
🎉 Meet the New Guy
Jose Urena, who recently joined our squad as a free agent, made his Jays debut as the starting pitcher on Tuesday.
Although Urena let a home run slip by him in the opening frame, courtesy of Taylor Ward, he retired the Angels from there, pitching through the 5th and allowing only a couple of singles to mar his outing.
📝 Mailbag: Over on Bluesky, I came across a curiosity from lagolfer112 who posed the question: 'How do the Jays expect guys like Barger and Roden to make it at the MLB level if they don't get regular playing time?'
I don't take issue with leaving Barger and Roden out of the batting order against lefty Tyler Anderson on Tuesday. However, the Jays might want to reconsider their approach towards Addison Barger, who's demonstrated a tantalizing power potential. Despite showing hardly any signs of life or reaching base during his last five game starts, Barger's potential power output is attractive for a team that's bottom of the barrel in home runs.
Alan Roden, on the other hand, finds himself in a slump, batting 0-for-27 over the past few games, and the Jays aren't doing him any favors sitting him on the bench. If they can't find a way to get him into the lineup and turn his fortunes around, perhaps it's time to consider sending him back to Buffalo.
[1] Toronto Blue Jays lose to Los Angeles Angels despite Anthony Santander's homer[2] Blue Jays Prospect Rankings: Top 100[3] Toronto Blue Jays: 5 Astros Trade Targets (Updated)[4] Blue Jays' baseball report card: Josh Konecky
- The media is focusing on the Toronto Blue Jays' lackluster performance in baseball, particularly their heartbreaking loss to the LA Angels.
- Despite Anthony Santander's impressive home run, the Blue Jays struggled with their bullpen, leading to a decisive 8-3 defeat.
- In a surprising move, media outlets are discussing the performance of newcomer Jose Urena, who made his debut as the Jays' starting pitcher.
- As the Blue Jays continue to struggle with home runs, some critics are questioning the team's approach towards players like Addison Barger, who shows promise in terms of power potential.
