'Just Hang in There': Blue Jays Lose 3rd Straight, Drop 2 Games Back of AL Wild Card

During a stretch of must-win baseball, the Blue Jays have now lost three straight, including two to the lowly Minnesota Twins.

George Springer turned around and started sprinting towards the Target Field wall.

But after a few strides, the Blue Jays' center fielder pulled up and watched Byron Buxton's deep fly ball clear the fence and drop onto the lawn, 416 feet from home plate.

The third-inning jack by Buxton capped off a walk-triple-home run stretch for the Twins, as Minnesota tagged its old pal José Berríos for some hard contact early in the Blue Jays' 3-1 loss.

Despite the loss, Berríos enjoyed his first return to the ballpark where he played six pro seasons before being shipped to Toronto at the trade deadline.

"Obviously [it was] different to get out from the dugout—not the third base dugout," Berríos said. "But I still enjoy pitching in this ballpark. That's the ballpark where I made my debut.

"But now, with the Toronto Blue Jays, it's amazing we can compete against the team that gave me the opportunity to be a big-leaguer."

Apart from a bumpy three-batter stretch in the third, Berríos was outstanding. The 27-year-old tossed six innings, allowed three runs on five hits, walked two and struck out 10.

"[Berríos] had his best stuff of the year, I think, tonight," Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. "He just made that mistake to Buxton. But other than that, he gave us a chance."

Berríos got 17 swings-and-misses, largely via the four-seam fastball, which stayed up in the zone, and the sinker, which painted the corners. As hitters sat fastball, the right-hander mixed in off-speeds at all the perfect times, leaving the Twins shaking their heads—especially Josh Donaldson, whom Berríos punched out three times.

But for the second evening in a row, Toronto's offense found little momentum. On September 18, Toronto knocked the soft-tossing Bailey Ober off the mound with two homers, but the bats stayed quiet in Friday's rematch.

"It was more about [the Twins'] pitching," Montoyo said. "We hit some balls hard, but right at people, some tough luck. But I will say that their pitching did a good job today."

Marcus Semien's 42nd home run of the year—a 439-foot blast that pushed him within one of MLB's all-time single-season homer record by a second baseman—gave Toronto a shot of adrenaline late, but the club couldn't build off it.

The Blue Jays had chances—Santiago Espinal doubled to begin the third inning but couldn't advance past second base—yet went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. It's a real bad time for the Jays' bats to turn cold; Toronto entered the game batting just .182 with runners in scoring position over the last seven days, good for 25th in baseball. 

"Just hang in there," Springer said. "This is obviously the point in the year where we know what we have to do, what's at stake. You've just got to flush it, and it's onto tomorrow."

With Toronto's third straight loss and a Yankees' win, the Blue Jays slide two games back for the second AL wild-card spot. Friday wasn't all doom-and-gloom, though, as some positive narratives unfolded before the game.

Springer plays center field, Espinal returns from IL

Springer started his first game in center field since August 14 and looked comfortable. 

"It was cool; It was fun," Springer said after a full game of defense. "It's a much different perspective, and that's what I like to do. I was glad I was able to do it and it felt good to be back out there [in center field]."

Springer's been bogged down by injuries in his first year with the Blue Jays—first an oblique issue, then a quad strain, and lately the knee sprain—but his return to center is encouraging, especially given the current state of Toronto's outfield. 

Red-hot left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is considered "day-to-day" after getting stitches for a freak injury that left him with a gash on his finger. He's able to bend his hand and grip a bat, Montoyo said, but throwing the baseball will be a problem. Getting Gurriel Jr. reps at designated hitter may be Toronto's only option, making Springer's defensive return more important. 

After missing just under a month with a hip flexor strain, Espinal also returned to man the hot corner. He finished 1-for-3 with a double, though Twins shortstop Andrelton Simmons stole a second hit from him in the seventh.