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Inside The Blue Jays

Blue Jays Latest Loss Highlights One Key Issue Propelling Six-Game Losing Streak

It isn't the pitching staff right now that is holding back the Blue Jays, but their offense, and one aspect of their game in particular.
Maddy Dickens|
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider (14) during the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at TD Ballpark.
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider (14) during the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at TD Ballpark. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

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Toronto Blue Jays

It is becoming more and more painful to watch the Toronto Blue Jays right now, and it isn't because they are losing, but because they are squandering opportunities to close out games.

The pitching staff is absolutely bleeding, and that has definitely cost them games, but the six-game losing streak they are on right now is largely due to how they are hitting with runners in scoring position. In a word - horribly.

For example, in their rematch against the reigning world champs, they had ample opportunities to take that game, specifically in the seventh inning. The score was 3-1 after the team finally started to find some momentum against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the previous inning.

Leadoff man Kazuma Okamoto found his first hit of the game, a beautiful double after working a seven-pitch at-bat in his favor. Then, Ernie Clement executes a near-perfect bunt to move Okamoto to third as well as get on first.

At this point, Yamamoto was pulled from the game, and the next batter Davis Schneider would face Alex Vesia. Six pitches later, Schneider had drawn the walk. Bases loaded. No outs.

Well, easy to guess what happens. Nine pitches later, and the inning was over. Not a single runner was brought in as Vesia got the Dodgers out of a massive jam, and if the Jays couldn't get one measly run out of that situation, they didn't deserve to win the game, which they didn't.

It is a cop-out right now to make excuses for Toronto, because the opportunities have been there. Yes, they are now without Alejandro Kirk and Addison Barger as well. But when Kevin Gausman or any starter gives a great performance, the team has to find a way to get a W.

Struggles as a Whole With Runners Ready to Score

Kazuma Okamoto in a blue Blue Jays ha
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto (7) before a game against the Colorado Rockies at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

It is easy to point the finger at George Springer, who is hitting under .200 at this point in the year and had only made contact once going into the second game against the Dodgers, when his teammates were ready to come home.

But he isn't the only one who is coming up short right now. As a team, with runners in scoring position, this is what their stat line looks like:

  • .213 Batting Average
  • .327 On-Base Percentage
  • .266 Slugging Percentage
  • .593 OPS
  • 22 Strikeouts
  • 0 Home Runs

The Jays are still at home to close out this series against the Dodgers before taking on the Minnesota Twins. Then it will be a brutal stretch on the road. The time to buckle down is now, before the hole they have dug themselves in buries the season.

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Maddy Dickens
MADDY DICKENS

Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.

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