The Reunion
It hasn’t been the fairytale many Jays fans -and even more bandwagon patrons- expected. Low batting averages are tough to see any time of year but are particularly tough to miss when four starting pitchers are injured and the bullpen is wobbly, to say the least. To top it all off the Jays were just swept by the Chicago White Sox, now on a 4 game losing skid.
What better time for a World Series rematch against the repeat champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Expectations were low coming into the three game series.
Mad Max Scherzer got the start for the Blue Jays, Justin Wrobleski for the Dodgers.
Ohtani was the first Dodger in the batters box and he was greeted with boos from the Toronto crowd. He was out in 3 pitches, put out on a ball hit short to right centre. Fourth batter of the inning, Teoscar Hernández, sent it yard, bringing home Kyle Tucker on a 2 RBI homerun.
George Springer walked in his first at-bat. With Kazuma Okamoto on first Ernie Clement, facing two outs, brought Springer home with a base hit. Dalton Varsho was walked, loading the bases. Miles Straw, 5 for 9 batting this season, grounded to second for the third out.
The Jays managed a single run in the first inning, 3 stranded. Failing to capitalize with runners in scoring position has been a struggle for the Jays, and was a factor in losing the World Series in October.
Scherzer was seen early in the second nodding to the dug out, seeming to say “I’m okay.” Shortly after there was movement in the bullpen. He got through the inning giving up only a single hit. Pitching coach Pete Walker and Manager John Schneider were seen talking to Scherzer after the inning. Walker shook Scherzer’s hand and Josh Fleming was out to face Ohtani to start the 3rd.
Ohtani chopped a single that Fleming threw off the mark at first base, upgrading Ohtani to a double. Two batters later Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers. 4-0 at the end of the 3rd.
As anyone who watched can attest, it didn’t get better.
It is safe to say the month of April promises to be a long one for Blue Jays fans. But this team still feels capable, still feels like a good collection of batters and pitchers who will be able to kick into the next gear once key guys start coming back from injuries.
The question until then is how bad will it get in the meantime.
Dodgers (8-2): 14
Blue Jays (4-6): 2
