Blue Jays Starting Pitchers Have to Fix Negative Trend to Contend

The Toronto Blue Jays entered a pivotal four-game series against a struggling Texas Rangers offense. The Rangers hadn't been able to capitalize with runners in scoring position, and the Blue Jays had some of their best arms lined up for this series.

However, the starting pitchers have not been sharp. Toronto has turned to Kevin Gausman, Patrick Corbin, and Dylan Cease in the first three games, and each has resulted in a loss.

It's unrealistic to expect a quality start each time out, but the Blue Jays' pitching staff has cost their team multiple games as of late.

How Toronto's Starters Have Struggled Against Texas

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman pitches. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Gausman got the ball for the first game of the series, and it started poorly on the first at-bat of the game. Joc Pederson worked an 11-pitch at-bat, and he hit a solo home run to get Texas on the board. The Rangers offense wouldn't stop there as Wyatt Langford and Jake Burger hit homers and led 6-0.

The righty was tagged for six runs on 10 hits. Unfortunately, it's been a common theme for Gausman in the month of June. His ERA for the month went up to 7.62 as he's allowed eight long balls. His pitch location hasn't been as sharp.

Corbin also ran into trouble in the first inning and eventually allowed five runs over 4.1 innings, which resulted in a 5-4 defeat on Friday. Then Cease got off to a solid start on Saturday, but five free passes hurt him, and the Rangers scored four runs in the fifth inning. His day ended suddenly, and the Blue Jays lost 7-4.

This week, Toronto's starting pitchers have allowed 22 earned runs with a 1-5 record. Even dating back to the series against the Chicago Cubs, Gausman and Corbin struggled. The Blue Jays' offense hasn't backed down against the Rangers, but the hole was too steep to climb out of.

Blue Jays Could Get Some Pitching Help

Toronto's inability to consistently fire on all cylinders has been frustrating. At times, the pitching staff looks terrific while the offense struggles and vice versa. They're finally getting healthy, but everything hasn't quite clicked yet.

General manager Ross Atkins hinted that starting pitching would be at the top of Toronto's wish list at the trade deadline. They could certainly use some help as they try to make a postseason push.

On the surface, a trio of Gausman, Cease, and Yesavage should be enough, but Gausman's poor performances are worrying. Shane Bieber is back in the fold, but if this trend continues, they may have to look for external options to patch up some of the holes in the staff.

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