Toronto Blue Jays Pitching Staff Breaks Roger Clemens' Record in Dominant Performance
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The Toronto Blue Jays stayed hot this week, taking two of three from the scuffling Atlanta Braves at Rogers Centre.
After losing Monday's series opener 8-4, the Blue Jays bounced back to win the next two games, including Wednesday's series finale in historic fashion.
Chris Bassitt took the hill for the rubber game, and he didn't disappoint. He outdueled former All-Star Spencer Strider, who was making his season debut after missing most of 2024 due to elbow surgery.
Bassitt continued his stellar start to the season by dominating the Braves, racking up 10 strikeouts over five scoreless innings. He's been lights-out over his first four starts, going 2-0 with 1.4 WAR, 31 strikeouts in 23.1 innings and an MLB-best 0.77 ERA.
With Toronto clinging to a 1-0 lead, the bullpen took it from there. Brendon Little struck out three batters in the sixth, while Nick Sandlin and Yimi Garcia handled the seventh and eighth. All four of Garcia's outs were strikeouts, while Sandlin contributed a punchout as well.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays' offense tacked on two insurance runs, including one on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s first home run of the year off Strider in the bottom of the sixth.
As usual, Jeff Hoffman closed out the ninth. While he spoiled Toronto's shutout by allowing a solo homer to Drake Baldwin, he got the final three outs to secure the 3-1 victory and earn his fourth save of the year.
Hoffman also made history along the way, whiffing Eli White to end the game. It was the Blue Jays pitching staff's 19th strikeout of the afternoon -- a new franchise record for a nine-inning game.
Our NINETEENTH strikeout today 🔥
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 16, 2025
That's a NEW Blue Jays single-game nine-inning record! #lightsupletsgo pic.twitter.com/AnrtrsaCMe
The previous club record of 18 had stood for nearly 30 years. Roger Clemens fanned 18 during a complete-game shutout of the Kansas City Royals on Aug. 25, 1998, at Rogers Centre, en route to his second straight AL Cy Young award with Toronto and fifth of his career. He ultimately finished with an MLB-record seven.
While Clemens' record was more impressive since he accomplished it solo during the height of the Steroid Era, give the Blue Jays credit for mowing down a deep, talented lineup loaded with All-Stars like Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Sean Murphy and Ozzie Albies.
Led by Bassitt, Kevin Gausman and a shutdown bullpen, Toronto's pitching staff has been one of the best in baseball to start the year. Entering play on Thursday, the Blue Jays rank fifth in ERA (3.36) and seventh in strikeout rate (9.3 K/9), as their arms have carried their sleepy offense to an 11-8 record.
As Wednesday proved, Toronto is pretty good at missing bats, which should serve the team well this year as it fights for a playoff spot in the crowded AL East.
