MLB Analysis: Toronto Blue Jays Offer Stiff Competition to Baseball's Top Team in September
The Toronto Blue Jays closed out their August schedule with a series win against the Milwaukee Brewers at the Rogers Centre, thanks in part to a stellar performance from their bullpen.
In the opening inning, Nathan Lukes, a Blue Jays player, hit a two-run double down the left-field line. However, the Brewers responded with a series of errors that proved costly. Christian Yelich hit a weak comebacker that was initially missed by Brendon Little, while William Contreras also hit a one-hopper back to Little, resulting in no out due to the errors.
The game took a turn in the fourth inning when the Blue Jays scored three straight two-out hits, putting them on top for good. Brendon Little made several important plays in the game, including a terrific play at home plate to record an out. Louis Varland, another member of the Blue Jays' bullpen, retired all five hitters he faced after Tommy Nance, without allowing any runs.
Jeff Hoffman pitched a shutout ninth inning, while Seranthony Domínguez pitched a perfect eighth inning. The Blue Jays' bullpen had been shaky in most of August, but they managed to improve in this game, throwing at least four shutout innings for the second time in the last four games.
The Blue Jays' offense was also on fire, scoring eight runs in their win against the Brewers, six of which were earned. Despite Ernie Clement having a hairline fracture in his left hand, he still managed to score a run.
In the 2022 season, the Blue Jays' starting pitching rotation, which includes Shane Bieber, Alek Manoah, Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, and Eric Lauer, gave them an advantage over the Milwaukee Brewers. Bieber had a strong Cy Young Award-winning season with a 2.88 ERA and 200 innings pitched, while Manoah finished third in Cy Young voting with a 2.24 ERA and 172 ERA+ before struggling in 2023 due to injuries.
Mike Wilner, a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star and host of the baseball podcast "Deep Left Field," commented on the game, "The Blue Jays' bullpen stepped up when they needed to, and that was the difference-maker in this series."
The Blue Jays lost the first two games of the series, but they showed resilience in the finale, winning the game and losing only a half-game from their division lead in August, finishing the month with a record of 15-12.
Despite the shaky performance of the bullpen in most of August, the Blue Jays were able to bounce back and secure a series win against the Brewers. This win will undoubtedly boost their confidence as they move forward in the season.
