
Sportsnet's Buck Martinez on Blue Jays' Bowden Francis: He can't make another start
Article content
In fact, he has a few.
Article content
First things first: Martinez, who is taking some extended scheduled time off from his regular analyst's role on the Sportsnet broadcasts, will return for a home stand against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre starting on June 30.
Article content
In the interim, studio analysts Joe Siddall and Caleb Joseph will take turns filling the air alongside play-by-play voice Dan Shulman.
Article content
'I'm taking some scheduled time off,' Martinez told the Toronto Sun on Monday. 'But I'll be back for that homestand (against the Yankees). And then I'll have a good chunk of July off for my 50th anniversary. My schedule is to do 100 games.'
Article content
And with that, the 76-year-old Martinez shifts the conversation to his favourite topic — the Jays — who were scheduled to begin a three-game series in St. Louis on Monday night, part of their current nine-game, 10-day trip.
Article content
Article content
The long-time Jays broadcaster certainly is clear in what he thinks about the Toronto rotation minus Max Scherzer and the alarming struggles of Bowden Francis.
Article content
'(The Jays) are playing pretty good, but they can't start Bowden Francis another start,' Martinez said. 'It's the one thing that's causing them so many issues. The fourth and fifth spots (in the rotation) have been the issues all season long.
Article content
'Unfortunately (Max) Scherzer can't pitch right now. It's just the way it is.
Article content
'I'd be surprised if they start (Francis) again. He's just too inconsistent. It just highlights how difficult it is to be a long-term starter in the major leagues. It's the toughest position in baseball, to be a consistent starter.
Article content
'Now hitters have made adjustments and he has to establish that he can throw on both sides of the plate.'
Article content
Martinez believes that if the struggles of Francis, combined with the bullpen days for the fifth spot in the rotation continue, the rest of the bullpen will wear down.
Article content
'It's already cost them Yimi Garcia (who is on the injured list with a shoulder issue) and it's going to cost them someone else,' Martinez said.
Article content
The former catcher has been impressed with the Jays recent surge at the plate, which largely has been the reason they've gone on a 9-1 run and sit in a three-way tie for the top AL wild-card spot prior to Monday's action.
Article content
'Everything has come together offensively,' Martinez said. 'They've cut down their strikeouts. They're more patient. And they're realizing one or two guys aren't going to carry the team. They're getting contributions from everywhere in the order.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


National Post
43 minutes ago
- National Post
Should the Toronto Blue Jays go all-in at the trade deadline?
Article content WATCH BELOW: On the latest episode of Long Ball, Postmedia's Rob Wong chats with Toronto Sun Blue Jays writer Rob Longley about what he thinks Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins could do ahead of the MLB trade deadline and what the team's biggest needs are.


Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Listen: Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay, Kevin Gausman and Edwin Encarnacion discuss the first-place Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays came out of the all-star break and picked up right where they left off, sweeping the San Francisco Giants then taking two of three from the Yankees as part of a 5-1 homestand. This week in Deep Left Field, we sit down with Kevin Gausman, who threw seven brilliant innings in Monday night's win over the Yankees, to discuss the first-place Jays, who moved into a tie with the Houston Astros for the best record in the American League with their win on Wednesday.


CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Old school baseball carries Blue Jays to top of AL East: 'I think we have a team identity'
The Toronto Blue Jays made a strong case for old school baseball in their series win over the long ball-loving New York Yankees. Bo Bichette's two-run homer capped off a wild victory as Toronto held on for an 8-4 win over the visiting Yankees on Wednesday. The Blue Jays' other six runs came from smart baserunning, heads-up plays, and forcing New York into a handful of errors. "Geez, we can score runs in so many different ways," said infielder Ernie Clement, who went 2-for-4, including a triple, scoring a run and driving in another. "Pitching has been a common theme for the last few years. Those guys just give us a chance to win every single night. "Now we're rounding it out, we've got a little offence to go along with it. I think we really have a team identity. Whether that's old school baseball or just playing the game the right way, I don't know." Toronto benefited from New York's four errors and other fielding miscues, eking out runs on walks, dropped balls, wild pitches, and overthrows. Bichette's two-run blast, his 13th home run of the year, was the Blue Jays' cleanest score of the game as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had led off the inning with a double. Clement believes Toronto's hard-nosed approach put pressure on the Yankees' fielders to play defence faster, leading to their handful of mistakes. "They know we play the game hard," said Clement. "There's no doubt that they pick their heads up [after fielding the ball] and we're halfway to first base, head down, running hard. "As a fielder, that puts all the pressure in the world on you. You've got to be clean. If you bobble the ball at all, I mean, we're safe." The Blue Jays and Yankees have played seven games at Rogers Centre in the past two weeks, with Toronto going 6-1 to take a four-game lead in the American League East, lock up the season series and therefore the tiebreaker should the two teams end the year with identical records. "In these two series, we've given them too many outs and it's cost us," said New York manager Aaron Boone. "You can't give good teams extra outs. "And, again, that's what we've done in these two series." 'Working their butts off' Chris Bassitt (11-4) was solid for 7 1/3 innings, striking out eight and allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits and no walks. Blue Jays relievers Justin Bruihl and Yariel Rodriguez preserved the win. "Every single day, they're working their absolute butts off, and then they go out there and they're giving effort," said Bassitt of Toronto's positions players. "Extremely old school, I would say. "If you know me, I'm a fan of old school. I love this team." By contrast, New York lives and dies by the long ball. All four of the Yankees runs came from homers on Wednesday. New York entered the game with a Major League Baseball-best 162 home runs, five more than the Los Angeles Dodgers. Shohei Ohtani had L.A.'s one homer in its 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins earlier Wednesday. The Blue Jays travel to Detroit for a four-game series starting Thursday. The Central-leading Tigers play a scrappier style of baseball like Toronto and it shows in their record. The Blue Jays (60-42) are tied with the West-leading Houston Astros for the best record in the American League, with Detroit a half-game behind them. "We're going to play a team that does the exact same thing in Detroit, so you have to be ready for it," said Toronto manager John Schneider. "This game is hard; you know what I mean? This game is hard. "I think that every team is built a little bit differently, so we really pride ourselves on taking care of the baseball." Eric Lauer (5-2) will take the mound for the Blue Jays in Detroit. Reese Olson (4-3) gets the start for the Tigers (60-43), who have dropped eight of their past nine games.