Blue Jays Manager John Schneider Sends Clear Message After Loss To Athletics
In this story:
After taking two of three to open a nine-game road trip against the Cleveland Guardians and Kansas City Royals, the Toronto Blue Jays have worked themselves back into the race for the third and final American League wild-card spot. The final leg of their trip began on Monday night in West Sacramento against the Athletics.
Before taking the field late Monday night, John Schneider and his club knew that a win over the 57-win Athletics would put them in the third AL wild-card spot after the Guardians dropped a 6-4 decision to the Baltimore Orioles earlier in the day.
Toronto had to feel good with Dylan Cease taking the ball in the series opener. However, the right-hander struggled and lasted just five innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs in turned into a 6-5 walk-off loss that Toronto can't really afford at this time of the year. After the game, Schneider didn't mince words about putting this loss behind them and looking ahead to the final two games of the series.
John Schneider Has Blunt Answer After Loss to Athletics
At this point in the season, it's about moving on quickly and looking ahead to the next game. That is the case for Toronto after blowing a huge opportunity to make a move into the final playoff spot in the American League with their loss to the Athletics.
“We’ve got to shake this one off and come back tomorrow,” said Schneider, per Theo DaRosa of MLB.com.
Cease's struggles came early and often on Monday night. He allowed two first-inning runs, two more in the third inning and one more in the fifth before exiting with his club down 5-1. Toronto rallied with three runs in the top of the seventh and tied the game in the top of the ninth on an Andrés Giménez solo home run, but a Jeff McNeil infield single in the bottom of the ninth inning off Blue Jays closer Louie Varland, who has been very good lately, walked it off for the Athletics.
Newly acquired right-hander José Soriano will take the ball late Tuesday night, looking to even the series. Still, Toronto let a golden opportunity slip through its hands hours after Cleveland dropped their series opener to the Orioles. If the Blue Jays are going to make the postseason as the final AL wild-card team, they need to win games like Monday night's in September. Schneider is right; they have to shake that loss off and come back Tuesday night looking to even the series. It's all you can do at this point in the year.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Scott Roche has covered both college and professional sports for nearly three decades for various outlets. Scott has covered the MLB, NHL, and college sports and he is someone always looking for a good rumor, no matter which sport it is.