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Inside The Blue Jays

Who Blue Jays Are Trusting To Snap Five-Game Losing Streak in Rangers Finale

Toronto finally had some momentum, but they have been kicked in the teeth this homestand. The time is now to flip the script on this one.
Maddy Dickens|
Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement (22) hits a single against the Texas Rangers
Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement (22) hits a single against the Texas Rangers | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

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Toronto Blue Jays

It sure has been a roller coaster for the Toronto Blue Jays this season. One game they look like a team that could win the World Series, then they will have one that makes it hard to believe they'll win 50 games this year.

Right now, the Blue Jays are on the skid mark as they have now lost five in a row at Rogers Centre. The pieces just cannot fit at the same time, as either the pitching staff is lights out, or the offense.

But, never both.

Now, they are in a four-game stretch with the Texas Rangers (who are also in the thick of the AL playoff race), and at this point, they are simply playing for some dignity. Their season is far from lost, but if Toronto doesn't start to find some fight, then it quickly could be.

Series Finale Starters on Sunday

Andres Gimenez throws a baseball in a blue Blue Jays jerse
Blue Jays shortstop Andres Gimenez (0) throws to first base to complete a double play to end the third inning against the Miami Marlins | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

After dropping what felt like a much-needed win with Dylan Cease on the hill, Toronto is now turning to Shane Bieber. For the most part, the pitching staff has exceeded expectations, but inconsistencies with the starters have kept the Jays always playing from behind.

More often than not, the bats have been the culprit as the offense has been stagnant for most of the season and definitely not the ballclub that everyone grew accustomed to just last season. The power hasn't been there, and that is why Sean Keys received the nod for his major league debut on Saturday.

However, Keys was left out of the lineup today despite finding his first major league hit and run scored in their loss in game 3.

  1. George Springer (R) DH
  2. Nathan Lukes (L) RF
  3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
  4. Kazuma Okamoto (R) 3B
  5. Daulton Varsho (L) CF
  6. Ernie Clement (R) 2B
  7. Alejandro Kirk (R) C
  8. Yohendrick Piñango (L) LF
  9. Andrés Giménez (L) SS

Not much was changed for these guys going into this last one, as manager John Schneider is seemingly hoping his big-name players start to step up, as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been ice-cold this season.

At some point, Guerrero Jr. needs to see the bench to get some offense going. Hoping for him to finally break free is a pipe dream. Drastic changes need to be made soon. Whether that is a move way down the order, or a few days off, something's got to give.

In the midst of this string of losses, the Jays still find themselves a measly two games out of the last wild card spot. That being said, they need to play cleaner and just better all around or this season will rapidly slip through their fingers.

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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.