Chapter 1: What happened in the Blue Jays vs. Twins game?
Well, Jesse, this one got exciting in a real hurry. It was somewhat uneven for most of the game, I'd say, but the Jays managing a mini comeback in the top of the ninth inning. Cosmo Okamoto blasting a two-run shot off Justin Topa, his third straight game with a home run. Jays putting runners on first and second with one out to show some life right at the end of the game.
Lenin Sosa grounds into a double play to end things. As a result, the Jays leaving Minneapolis. They series split following a 4-3 loss today. They fall to 16-18 on the season with three against the Rays looming down a Tropicana field.
Yeah, kind of a disappointing outcome when you consider some of the things that happened in this game. And when Joe Ryan, we knew he was going to be starting, we knew it was going to be a difficult task because Joe Ryan is the best starting pitcher the Minnesota Twins have.
But of course, he lasted all of one third of an inning and left the game with a right elbow issue, which is never what you want to hear when it's a... a starting pitcher or any pitcher for that matter. But when Joe Ryan exits the game after just a third of an inning, that kind of raises your eyebrow a little bit.
It's like, hey, this is the one we got to kind of take advantage and let's go win the series. And Andrew Morris came in and he's a young guy and he's trying to prove himself in the big leagues and he was excellent in this game. But it's one of those situations where...
you have to sort of look at it and say like, are we just going to tip our caps to the pitchers that rolled out here and, and congratulate them? Or are we going to kind of look inward here and say like, that's one that maybe got away from us, especially when you Savage didn't have his best stuff either, but he was able to battle through four innings only allowed one earned run.
Didn't go so well for Brayden Fisher, but this felt like one that the blue Jays could have had given what happened to Joe Ryan. And unfortunately they were unable to get it done.
That is Jesse Rubinoff. I'm Sho Ali. You're listening to Jace Talk here on the Sportsnet Radio Network. We're also streaming on sportsnet.ca and on the Sportsnet app. You can give us a call, 416-870-0590, 1-888-666-0590, star 590 on your cell. You can text us as well. See a bunch here already, Jesse. 590-590, name and location. The People's Text Line always open.
Standard messaging and data rates may apply. This is crazy, but that double play ball from Sosa that ended the game had an expected batting average of 620. I mean, I suppose that's just baseball and how this sport shakes out often, but I don't think splitting a four-game series is the end of the world.
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Chapter 2: Why was Tyler Heinemann not pinch hit for with bases loaded?
I mean, Morris had three and two thirds. He allowed two hits, one walks. He'll have three base runners total in three and two thirds. Yeah. He was keeping them off balance. Taylor Rogers allowed one earned run four hits over two and a third. I mean, they covered essentially a starts worth of innings out of the pen, which turned into an impromptu bullpen day for the twins.
But that is disappointing, no doubt, on a day where Trey Yassavage, who had, and we'll get to him too, really had to grind, right? I mean, that was also quite uneven for Yassavage. And I think you see the bright spot in there that even when he had a not so great start, he only allowed one earned run. There was some luck involved, no question.
But with that being a huge part of the Jays side of things, it does feel somewhat disappointing that you couldn't really scratch a lot across the plate today.
Yeah, it's one of those things where had Joe Ryan gone out there and done what he does best and limited the Blue Jays and the Blue Jays lose and they split the series, you're kind of like, well, that's the way it goes when you have a really good pitcher on the mound. But when you're kind of handed this wild card And you are unable to take advantage of that.
I think that's where some of the disappointment creeps in, but you're a hundred percent right. When you're on a road trip that Chris was talking about, it feels like it's getting pretty lengthy, a little long in the tooth here. Maybe they're getting a little bit weary and you end up with a split on the road in a four game series. It's not, it's not the end of the world.
Like you said, it just feels a little bit more like a missed opportunity than how they lost and everything went the twins way today.
Before we get to the text line and to the calls as well, again, 416-870-0590, 1-888-666-0590, star 590 on yourself, 590-590 name and location. Let's get to the player of the game, brought to you by Capital One. Capital One, giving Canadians credit for 30 years. So again, as we usually do, Jesse, you can pick anyone you like, and it doesn't have to be a Blue Jay.
So who are you going with today when it comes to the player of the game?
Yeah, well, if it's not going to be a Blue Jay, it has to be Andrew Morris thrown into that situation when Joe Ryan left the game after just nine pitches. He twirls three and two-thirds, only allows two hits, three strikeouts, and did an excellent job, really.
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Chapter 3: How did Trey Yesavage perform in his start?
That was easily the biggest part of the game, right? In that top six, Vladdy gets on via a hit to snap that, you know, mini rut he had been in during this twin series. So he would score to make it 4-1, and then they would load the bases with two outs after Jimenez is hit by a pitch, and they let Heinemann hit. I just...
I have to admit, given that Heinemann had had two total hits over his last 28 plate appearances going into the game today, and then you got what you got from Heinemann in today's game. I mean, maybe Schneider, I'm just speculating here. We'll have to hear what Schneider says postgame.
But I mean, maybe Schneider was just trying to show some confidence in Heinemann by letting him hit with the bases loaded. But that is a tough time to try and show it in the highest leverage moment in this game when you have a switch hitting catcher. I don't know. who just hit a three-run bomb the other night sitting on the bench.
I will say, to the texture's point, no Valenzuela for Heinemann in top six, only for him to have to come out anyway, even if it is injury-related for bottom six. That's a real tough look for John Schneider.
Yeah, I mean, we're going to have to find out if it's injury-related because that feels like the only way that it would make any kind of sense. There's really no explanation for it. The only plausible thing is what you just said, that it's confidence-related, but... Like, are you not showing confidence in Heinemann by just having him play as much as he's playing anyway?
If you had lost confidence in him, he wouldn't be playing because you have a very serviceable catcher in Brandon Valenzuela. Like, I just... I don't have an explanation for this one, and I'm going to need to hear what John Schneider had to say, because it felt like the most obvious opportunity to get your better offensive weapon in the box.
A guy who's swinging a hot bat, a guy who hit a home run as recently as yesterday in a what wasn't as big of a spot, but a big moment for him hitting a three run home run. And I don't know, sometimes these moves, they leave you scratching your head a little bit. And that's just the way baseball tends to go.
But that was one that I think the fans and everyone who just texted in, I'm sure we'll receive some calls about it later. Oh, yeah. I think they're justified in having some gripes on that one.
I guess here's the thing. Like, if Schneider says either, yeah, we wanted to show confidence in Heinemann, I don't think anyone's going to feel great about it, given how he'd been hitting. If Schneider says, we like the matchup for Heinemann, I'm not sure you believe in it, because, again, he has not been hitting particularly well over the last couple of weeks.
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Chapter 4: What are the latest updates from the Blue Jays' minor league players?
Hey, guys. Early start here on the West Coast, but I stayed locked in for the boys, but a bit of an uninspiring performance today. I do think that decision in the sixth, the base of the load, was a big miss from John Schneider today. My first thought wasn't going to Valenzuela, but going to George Springer there.
And I know, you know, he had that foul ball off his toe yesterday, and, you know, John mentioned giving him a day off. But, you know, if he's going to stay on your active roster when you're so depleted already, I feel like asking for one at bat from him is not – out of the realm of possibility in that big spot there. I thought, you know, I think George would have been fine doing that.
And, you know, worst case, if he gets on, you pinch run for him if you have to. But that's where my mind was going originally in that at-bat. And overall, I would have liked to have seen anyone else instead of find him in there. Ernie Clement, I called him out for not walking very much a few days ago, and it seems like he's been a lot more patient at the plate recently, which –
I really love from him, especially when you're mixing the fact that he has elite bat-to-ball skills. He has the luxury of being able to be patient at the plate because he doesn't strike out. So I really like that approach from him, and I think if he can keep that up, I'll stay with the fact that I think he should be the number two hitter in the Jays' lineup.
And lastly, I called in a few days ago and asked if If the season, if the Blue Jays season is riding on a healthy and effective Burrios, but after that outing today in AAA, I'm going to ask a new question. And the question is, is Burrios cooked? You know, 90, I think his fastball averaged 90 miles an hour today. And do you even bring him up at this stage if he's struggling so much at AAA?
I mean, you have to rely on Corbin a lot now. And if you don't bring him up, you're relying on a Lauer-Scherzer combo until... Shane Bieber comes back, which, you know, is still a ways away. So to me, this sounds crazy coming into the season with all the depth we had.
But I think getting another starter with hopefully, you know, a couple years of control might be the Jays' top deadline need this year. based on how things have gone. So I'll leave that with you guys, and I appreciate the conversation as always.
Yeah, Justin, appreciate the call. I was going to get to Barrios a little later in the show, but we can certainly do it now. If this was your first check-in on Barrios, avert your ears, but today was his line for the Bisons, Jesse. Three and two-thirds, six hits, seven runs, all of which were earned. four walks.
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Chapter 5: What are the implications of Joe Ryan's early exit for the Twins?
He had one strikeout on 70 pitches, 39 of which were strikes. He gave up three home runs to, to Yankees, a top prospect, Spencer Jones, one of which was a grand slam that Jones hit 117 miles an hour. Uh, Maria was a sinker to Justin's points at 90.1 miles an hour. It topped out at 90 point, uh, 90 point 92.1 miles an hour. Pardon me. Uh, Apparently, it was called out in Scranton, 10 degrees.
But even so, I don't think that can be an excuse every single... I think it can be an excuse to a certain extent. It can be an excuse every single time out. And as you heard me read his line there, he got absolutely tagged. I don't really think with Barrios it's... Because I think the last time we'd heard... after his last poor start for the Bisons, you'd heard that, Oh, you know what?
He, you know, one more to get a pitch count up, pitch count, have elevated. I don't really think that's an issue anymore, right? It's not really a workload thing. I just think he's, he's not throwing the ball. Well, right now, Velo did look good.
And again, maybe the stress fracture is a worse issue than you think, but it's, you know, I was kind of waiting to see what this start would look like for him. And as much as I was in favor of him coming out to relieve Lauer of his, of his duties, I mean, Eric Lauer, you will remain in the rotation at least for now. I got to imagine.
I think he has to at least have one good start because a lot of the time when guys are pitching in the minors, it's hard to totally evaluate what they're doing because they don't have the same level of game plan. A lot of times they're just throwing, just pitching without really game planning the same way as they would in the majors with that same kind of scouting report.
But you go back to his first couple starts in Dunedin.
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Chapter 6: How did the bullpen affect the game outcome for the Blue Jays?
His first start, he allowed five earned runs. His second start was a little bit better. He went four innings, no earned runs. But then you mentioned his first start in Buffalo was five earned runs, five hits, four innings, only struck out two. And...
it's palatable if a guy's on a rehab stint and he has one bad start where he gives up a lot of runs and you can kind of chalk that up to just not executing the game plan the same way. But when it's four at different levels of the minors, that's a little bit more of a track record.
And you would think at some point having the major league stuff that can be dominant at times would be overbearing for the minor leaguers. And he would mix in a couple of good starts, but he's, he literally hasn't had that whether it's at class a or in triple a. So he's got to show at least something more than what he's shown to this point or else he's not going to be in the majors anytime soon.
Yeah, that's a tough spot, right? And, you know, how the rotation shakes out going forward will be really interesting because, again, Corbin on merit has pitched really well. I think even if Berrios had come back, I don't think he was taking Corbin's spot, right? He was going to take Lauer's spot.
But Lauer, maybe they feel better about rolling the dice on him if he's past the sickness, the illness, right?
I mean, he looked kind of fine the last three starts.
Yeah, he looked better the last even the last start individually. I thought he looked pretty decent all things considered. You want to see him go a little deeper, of course, because you know, how much are you because this is the question, right? Like how much do you want to tax the bullpen on a game by game basis?
How much can you because they have been I would argue one of the best parts in a brain Fisher ran into some trouble today. I'll excuse him because he's been so good for most of the season. It's a tough game for us to be like, we really love Braden Fisher in the pregame show. And then for him to get kind of hit around a little bit, but Braden Fisher has been on balance. So good.
I'm not going to blame him too, too much, but how much can you expect? Fisher flew Hardy Hoffman Rogers, Varland, And to a lesser degree, Tommy Nance to cover if guys are only going four and two thirds, five innings, five and a third, which is not bad. I mean, five and a third, five and two thirds, not terrible, but you can't have that happen all the time.
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