Blue Jays Manager John Schneider Sends Message After Series Win Over Red Sox
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As the trade deadline inched closer and closer on Aug. 3, it became increasingly clear that the Toronto Blue Jays were likely to become sellers. That's what happened when they sent pitcher Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs and center fielder Dalton Varsho to the Houston Astros.
However, the Blue Jays pivoted to acquiring right-hander Jose Soriano from the Los Angeles Angels to replace Gausman in the starting rotation and manager John Schneider inserted Brett Bateman into the starting lineup after being acquired from the Cubs. All of a sudden, things are beginning to click.
Toronto won its fifth straight series on Wednesday night with a 6-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox and will go for a sweep on Thursday afternoon. How have the Blue Jays done it? After Wednesday night's win, Schneider explained how things have turned around.
Blue Jays Manager John Schneider Explains Toronto's Recent Turnaround
Since the end of July, Toronto has won series against the Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies and now the Red Sox. That recent run has moved the Blue Jays within 1.5 games of the third and final American League wild-card spot. So what changed?
“There are some young guys bringing some energy and some guys who have some things to prove,” Schneider said, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. “That rubs off on everyone. It’s a good feeling right now.”
There is nothing like injecting some youth into a lineup and seeing the results pay off, as it has for Schneider and Toronto. For instance, Bateman was given a shot after coming over from Chicago and is making the most of his opportunity. He had two hits and two RBIs on Tuesday night in the Blue Jays' 5-3 win. He had a hit in Wednesday's win, but he's quickly earning the trust of Schneider by being put in the lineup against Ranger Suárez one night after facing left-hander Patrick Sandoval.
When there are roster changes, it can have an effect on the lineup and roster, both good and bad. For Toronto, it's been for the better and they are facing one last effort to climb back into the postseason race. There are four teams they have to leapfrog to get into a playoff spot in the AL, but for now, they have given themselves a chance.
The schedule is a tough one, with the New York Yankees visiting this weekend before another road trip begins next week against the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, then a trip to Yankee Stadium. After the season the Blue Jays have had, following a devastating loss in the World Series last season, at this point in the season, all you ask for is a chance. Toronto is giving itself that chance right now, after some changes.
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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.