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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bo Bichette scores on Oswald Peraza's error
Myles Straw reaches on a throwing error by Oswald Peraza, while Bo Bichette comes home to score and extend the Blue Jays' lead to 3-1 in the 5th inning
New York Times
17-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Inside the Blue Jays' improbable revival: ‘It's a pretty cool atmosphere right now'
The visiting clubhouse brimmed with a quiet confidence. Players slid through narrow hallways with looseness, peeking at pregame scouting reports and bouncing out to the batting cage. At the centre of it all, four Toronto Blue Jays sat huddled around a wooden table. Hours before the Jays trotted onto the field to secure their 10th consecutive victory earlier this month, utilityman Davis Schneider pulled a red playing card from a central pile, tucking it into his guarded hand. Staring over from his locker, Joey Loperfido thought for a moment. The young outfielder had just been asked about the 2025 Blue Jays. How were they different? How had they surged to the top of the American League East? Advertisement As Loperfido began to speak, the group at the table laid down their hands. Someone — if you're going off the loudest cheer, it was Myles Straw — had just won. They screamed and hollered, and from across the room, Loperfido reached for his answer. 'I think you see it right there.' As Toronto rattled off victories and soared to the top of its division, everything went right. Players from Triple A notched game-saving hits the very same night they were promoted. Rookie relievers locked down games in extra innings. The group outplayed its expected record by five wins. When asked to explain the transformation, the players point to each other. The Jays didn't turn from disappointment to contender with a major winter splash. Instead, Roki Sasaki became the latest offseason disappointment for fans who clamoured for a free-agent saviour. There would be no Shohei Ohtani or Juan Soto signing to lift this team to greatness. And even the more modest offseason additions the Jays brought in haven't played a particularly prominent role in the turnaround. The difference between the failures of Toronto's turbulent 2024 season and the successes thus far of a reinvigorating 2025 campaign, they say, lies in the culture. 'Since I've been here, this is one of the best years that I've been in the clubhouse,' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said through interpreter Hector Lebron. 'Once I wake up, I just can't wait to get to the field to be with my teammates. It's been unbelievable. It's what any manager would want, a team like that, a culture like that.' The change manifests in the dugout, which is typically buzzing during close games. The Jays point to a fresh commitment to base running, improved communication, hitters accepting more specific roles and pitchers empowered to adjust, even if it means bucking industry norms. Now, they begin the second half of a season filled with promise after completing the organization's best first half since 1992 — the year Toronto won the first of two straight World Series titles. Advertisement It's a stark, almost unbelievable, contrast from Toronto's trade deadline fire sale a year ago, during a dismal season that ended in last place. That 74-win campaign opened eyes to what the Jays needed to improve, multiple players said. In a way, this year's bountiful wins are a product of those many losses. This winter began with conversations, led by Toronto's veteran core. An organizational debriefing, veteran starter Kevin Gausman called it. Players texted players, coaches held meetings and calls, scouts chimed in, and the front office listened. They established a list of issues and went about correcting them. This improbable run to the top of the AL East — this ostensibly unyielding culture — has been exactly what they imagined. 'Sometimes, you got to go through some s— to really basically get exposed and fix issues,' veteran righty Chris Bassitt said. 'I feel like last year, I never want to go through it again. It exposed a lot of things, and I never want to go through it again.' As Guerrero's groundball hit rolled inside third base, George Springer bolted. The deeper the ball dribbled into the Chicago White Sox outfield, the faster Springer ran. As he rounded second base during a game last month, Davis Schneider stood in the Jays' dugout, slapping the foam pad in front of him. As Springer passed third and slid safely home, Schneider threw his hands in the air. That effective aggressiveness on the bases is something the team has tried to instill for years. Ahead of spring training in 2023, better base running was manager John Schneider's stated goal. That year, the Jays ended up as the fifth-worst base-running team in MLB, per Baseball Savant's extra bases taken. Last year, they fell to third worst. The 2025 Jays, by average sprint speed, are slower than the previous two iterations of the team. But, in bases taken, they rank above league average. That success is meant to send a bigger message. Advertisement 'What we can control,' Schneider said, 'is effort, anticipation and aggressiveness.' It took a lot of 'direct conversations,' Schneider said, a continuation of the honest discussions started in the offseason. The coaching staff presented numbers to Toronto's roster, explaining the runs lost by being one of baseball's worst base-running teams. They'd done that before, but it takes a veteran tone to set a standard. This year, the two players who have been among Toronto's biggest risers in trying for extra bases are Guerrero, who recently signed a $500 million extension, and Springer, who previously held Toronto's largest-ever contract. In fact, Springer has entirely embraced the mentality. On days he's the team's designated hitter, Springer's listed position on the lineup card flashing on a digital screen inside Toronto's home clubhouse often reads 'OP.' It's short for offensive player, a moniker coined by associate manager DeMarlo Hale and Schneider. It's a reminder that scoring runs isn't entirely about hitting and that edges can be gained through effort. The Blue Jays didn't get faster this season, but they nevertheless got better at base running. 'For lack of a better term, s— runs downhill,' Schneider said. 'So I hear it, I say to the staff, we go to the players. Then players are going to players, and they hold each other accountable.' Of course, other changes that have led to the Blue Jays' resurgence aren't quite as quantifiable, nor have they unfolded in plain view. Some of them have taken shape in places like the manager's hotel room at 2 in the morning. That's where Schneider pulled out a whiteboard during an April trip to Houston. Hale and hitting coaches David Popkins and Lou Iannotti sat sprawled across the manager's hotel room. As the coaches tossed out lineup concepts, the manager jotted down potential batting orders with his rounded letters, erasing one idea before moving on to the next. The Jays concoct lineups days in advance. They are malleable — accounting for hot streaks, injuries or pitching changes — but a general plan exists. Advertisement This season, those concepts are being communicated to players up and down the roster. By the time players get back to the hotel after a game, they often know whether they're in the next day's lineup and what position they're playing. That ample notice, players say, has made it easier to accept their roles and made them more willing to pass the big moment to the next man. It has fostered a new day, new hero mantra around the team. One game, it's Springer driving in seven runs, the next it's Ernie Clement delivering a walk-off. The Jays' dugout sounds like a space occupied by a team on pace for 93 wins. Batters nestle beside the hitting staff, and off-day pitchers listen in on pitching plans between innings. 'I wish more people could kind of hear what it's like in our dugout,' Schneider said. 'From a variety of people. Whether it's the starting pitcher, pitchers that aren't pitching or guys that aren't starting. It's a pretty cool atmosphere right now.' It's the atmosphere of any winning team Bassitt has ever been on, he said, though for the Blue Jays, the impact reaches beyond just good vibes. Three innings into his July 3 start against the New York Yankees, Bassitt ditched his cutter. It was a key part of the attack plan against New York — 10 of the Yankees' 12 regular hitters whiff over 20 percent against the pitch, and in Bassitt's last outing against the Bronx Bombers, he threw cutters 23 percent of the time. But on this night, he couldn't locate the pitch. When Trent Grisham hammered a cutter right down the middle, sending it 409 feet to the bleachers, Bassitt altered course. The veteran starter returned to the dugout, explained the issue, and the pitching plan changed. Only five of his next 94 pitches were cutters. What happened next, Bassit said, is Toronto's 2025 difference. Bassit's decision to ditch his cutter filtered up and down the dugout. Players took note. First-base coach Mark Budzinski altered outfield alignments, and the infield shifts were tweaked to accommodate the change in plans. Pitchers feel more empowered to make those in-game adjustments this year, Bassitt said, because they know they will be supported. 'If we want to change anything at any moment, we have the ability to change things at any moment,' Bassitt said. 'I know that's not the norm around the league. Like, a lot of the time, it's 'hey, do this and just shut up and do it.' That's just not what we're doing here.' Last year, the Blue Jays entered the All-Star break seven games under .500 and 8 1/2 wins out of a postseason spot. The looming trade deadline selloff was obvious at that point. The October dream was over early. As the dreadful season wore on, Bassitt said it became 'almost impossible' not to play for individual stats and personal outcomes. Advertisement There is no team culture that can survive that level of losing — hopes dashed that early. It's a slide the 2025 Jays sought to avoid, to the point their preseason conversations focused on this goal. 'I think every player has some sort of individual agenda, or maybe not agenda, but something underlying,' said Bo Bichette, one of the faces of the franchise. 'Like maybe they're not playing as much as they want, or they're not playing the position they want. Everybody has those, it doesn't mean that they're not here trying to win. But just trying to keep those kinds of things at bay, keep the focus on winning.' Toronto entered the season knowing the first month would be tough. Six of the club's first nine series came against opponents coming off appearances in the postseason. The April goal was .500 baseball — survive the spring. They finished that month 14-16. Since then, the Blue Jays are 41-25, the best record in all of baseball over that stretch. Maybe it was a scorching-hot month and breakouts from Addison Barger and Springer that kickstarted the climb. Maybe it was a dash of the good fortune required to overperform their plus-20 run differential, and the unheralded Eric Lauer saving the rotation. Or, maybe it was a matter of culture. Whatever the reason, winning perpetuates winning, even when the possibility seems remote. The Blue Jays' first-half surge was powered in part by their 27 comeback victories. 'It's easy to buy in when there's so many people around you that are bought in,' rookie reliever Braydon Fisher said. 'It's also easy to buy in when you're winning. And it's easy to buy in when we're playing electric baseball games.' This year, the Jays entered the break with excitement. It wasn't a four-day reprieve from a dismal season, but a needed break before a second-half battle for first place. After reshaping priorities in offseason texts and phone calls, it's where they hoped to be. Now, the Blue Jays hope to stay there. 'I'm just happy that everyone has bought in,' Bassitt said. 'But now it's just continuing. Obviously, we have a lot of games left. We're probably going to go through stretches that are not that great for four or five games in a row. But don't change that thought process. This thought process is why we're really good right now.' (Top photo of Addison Barger: Cole Burston / Getty Images)
Toronto Sun
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
WORST TO FIRST: How the Blue Jays changed the narrative and are reaping the results
The surging, scintillating Jays are the latest team to hit upon the ultimate winning formula that goes above and beyond the fancy stats. Get the latest from Rob Longley straight to your inbox Ernie Clement #22 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates with Tyler Heineman #55, Myles Straw #3 and Kevin Gausman #34 after hitting a sacrifice bunt which resulted in a throwing error allowing Myles Straw #3 to score the winning run in the 10th inning of a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Centre on July 04, 2025 in Toronto. Photo by Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images The numbers drive the narrative so deeply in modern baseball that sometimes they take away from the more important story itself. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Most assuredly, more than other major professional team sport, advanced analytics rule the game and those teams that find a blend to translating the numbers into an on-field performance edge can certainly reap the rewards. But what happens when a motivated group of players worries less about the numbers and more about winning as a team? Perhaps the surging, scintillating Toronto Blue Jays are the latest to hit upon the ultimate winning formula that goes above and beyond the fancy stats. 'It's a bunch of brothers,' said George Springer, in some ways the leading man in terms of much of what is going right for this team, topping the squad in home runs with 16 and seemingly in big-game moments as well. 'It's guys who are pulling for one another. No one is above the team. It's about (the name) on the front and not the back. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Any time you have everybody going in the same direction like that, it's something special. Obviously there's still a long way to go, but to have that amongst us is an awesome feeling.' The numbers that matter the most now are bordering on staggering and, in the past week especially, have vaulted the Jays into the biggest story in baseball. That all-for-one mindset has paid massive dividends for the Jays through 91 games. The 53 wins through that portion of the season are their most in more than 30 years through that many games and have them on pace for 94. In the moment, the sizzling play has given the Jays a 3.5-game lead over the New York Yankees in the American League East heading into Tuesday's action. It has galvanized and inspired a group that frankly had been frustrated both with management and their own performance over the past couple of years. It has enraptured a strong and loyal coast-to-coast fan base. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Consider that, at their core, players aren't in love with all that goes with the modern approach. Most will understand the value of analytics, but if it sometimes bogs down the ultimate goal — winning games and chasing a World Series — it can become a burden. Cleaner lines of communication and a more pragmatic approach by manager John Schneider has helped build a foundation of trust in a clubhouse that didn't always have it. 'I would say it's the culture we've been able to build here,' starting pitcher Chris Bassitt said when asked to describe what is going on with a group that has skyrocket from last place in October to first the following July. 'It's taken a while.' Yes, it has. The lingering effects of two years ago, when starting pitcher Jose Berrios was removed from a playoff game in Minnesota after three innings despite pitching his heart out, was a flashpoint. The fallout persisted through the 2024 season and when performance turned sour, so did the mindset. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. To their credit, the Jays addressed the communications breakdowns in the off-season and, more than any other time in the era of general manager Ross Atkins, have all the key constituencies on the same page. 'I think myself and (bench coach Don Mattingly) and (associate manager DeMarlo Hale) have done a much better job of looking at objective numbers and using them and then using our baseball sense to say what's right for this guy right now,' Schneider said. 'There's times where numbers just are glaring at you, whether it's head-to-head or projected numbers, those things help. But I think we've done a much better job of being in touch with the guys and kind of feeling out when is a good time for them.' To use a buzzword propagated by the Jays, it has been a process to arrive at this point. In the messy aftermath of last year's 74-win, last-place season, there were some uncomfortable conversations needed and eventually worked through. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When the team arrived to Dunedin in February, there was a sense that the players, coaches and management were aligned and lines of communication, clogged as they were in the past, were much clearer. 'I think we kind of arrived there together,' Schneider said. 'Where the game is today, when you have a good, healthy back-and-forth, you can arrive at a place where you can ask questions. Whether its me, or the front office or back and forth everyone respects the answer. I'm fortunate to where if I disagree with them it's not 'change the lineup' it's 'okay, we're on board. Let's go.' FRESH ATTITUDE It's one thing to say things are going to be different. It's quite another to transform organically. For the Jays, in the waning days of last year's miserable 74-88 season, there was a reckoning. Players were pissed, coaches were looking for answers and management was charged with turning things around in a hurry. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Bassitt perhaps summed it up best when we spoke during spring training. 'I was mad at myself. I was mad at every veteran in this room. I was mad at every coach,' Bassitt said in March. 'I was mad at everybody because I was like: 'How did we get here? I came here to compete for a World Series and we're settling for this?' That's not why I came here. So, yeah, I would say every person was mad. 'It was not a good feeling for any of the veterans here. It was not fun.' Fast-forward to now where in less than two weeks the Jays soared from three games out of the division lead to 3.5 games in front. They're playing with enthusiasm. They're playing with contributions up and down the lineup from unheralded players and the big names alike. And they're doing it all with contributions from would-be key pieces such as Anthony Santander and Daulton Varsho. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Once I wake up, I just can't wait to get to the field with my teammates,' Vlad Guerrero Jr. told reporters in Chicago on Monday. 'It's been unbelievable. It's what any manager wants — a team like that and a culture like that.' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays gets an ice bath from Myles Straw after their MLB game against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre on Monday, June 30, 2025, in Toronto. Photo by Cole Burston / Getty Images Of course nothing can generate a winning culture faster than a prolific winning streak, but it is becoming clearer by the day that the vibes run deeper than results. So when did it take root? We asked Springer during the recent home stand after yet another of his big performances. 'I don't know if there's a certain day or time or play or game where it happened,' Springer said. 'I think it started last year at some point, then all through the spring and early in the year when we had a hard schedule. Guys understood the assignment and and understood you just keep plugging along. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'And now here we are.' 'DON'T GIVE A BLEEP' Coping mechanisms are necessary to deal with the exhausting grind of a 162-game season, a marathon schedule that almost guarantees to serve up a steady swing of highs and lows. Watching the standings on a daily basis is a fool's game, as is getting too high on a win streak and too low from the alternative. What Schneider has seen develop in his clubhouse is a resilience that is a manager's dream. 'These guys have demonstrated time after time that they really don't give a s***,' Schneider said. 'I'm proud of the way they are moving on from things, good and bad. 'They're really, really good at just moving on.' There's also a vested feeling of empowerment when players feel as though they have a say in their work. They may not control all of the decisions, but they can have a say via strong play, a good attitude and positive results. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'The players just live it and they drive it,' Schneider said. 'It has to happen organically. It's a really good feeling for me sitting here and for the coaches because that's what you try to do all the time. It doesn't always happen, but it's a cool feeling when you have a group and they all kind of say the same thing. 'You try to nudge and you try to encourage, and then when it happens, you let them do it.' As Guerrero notes, it has fostered a winning mindset. When the hero is often someone different every day, all the better. 'Just the way we're playing, holding each other accountable on the field and off the field,' Bassitt said. 'We're getting rewarded for playing the game the right way and playing the game hard. 'It's just an old-school approach of how to play the game. We have a lot of talented guys and when you have a lot of talented guys play the way we're playing, it's hard to beat.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Reaching definitive conclusions on a team 91 games into a 162-game season is risky business. But among the many benefits of a nine-game winning streak following Monday's win over the White Sox in Chicago, taking a team 15 games above .500 are many. High among them is a cushion that can help weather future dips in results that are almost inevitable. 'It gives you a little bit of a an ability to exhale and take a deep breath,' Schneider said. 'What I love about this stretch is that there's so many things we can fall back on when you do hit a rough patch to say, 'let's just get back to doing this or two out of these three things, and we'll get back on track.'' Now that the results have followed, Schneider is of the mind that the style of play and the wide range of contributors have made the success endurable. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Nathan Lukes, centre, of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off RBI single during a game against the San Diego Padres at Rogers Centre on Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Toronto. Photo by Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images On one night, it might be Springer adding to his team-leading 16 home run total. On the next it could be the sudden power of Addison Barger flashing again. Or Nathan Lukes with a big hit from the leadoff spot. Or Bo Bichette making an error one inning and bouncing back with a solo home run the next. And on it goes. 'We can do things a different way every night, you know, and I think that makes it pretty sustainable,' Schneider said. 'We need that. When we look at years past, it wasn't 26 guys doing it every day. The grind of 162, you're going to need some options.' Schneider credits the Blue Jays infrastructure below the big leagues, a shift in the player development structure that has helped players arriving in the Toronto clubhouse be ready to contribute. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'The transition they've made on the minor league side in terms of development has helped,' Schneider said. MANAGER OF THE YEAR? It's not a stretch to suggest that it was an off-season of reckoning for the Jays and it went top down from the front office, to the manager's suite, to the players. The job Schneider has done navigating those challenges — and evolving on the job — has been critical to the transformation in mindset. And for a guy who has endured more than his share of criticism since replacing Charlie Montoyo three years ago next week, has the time arrived to at least insert Schneider into the conversation for American League manager of the year? Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider. Photo by Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press Detroit skipper A.J. Hinch may be the frontrunner, but if the Jays continue on this path and go from last to first, Schneider will at least garner some consideration. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'More than anything, it takes reps from me,' Schneider said of his own evolution. 'To say this is what is right or this is what you feel is right — a lot of times it's the same thing. A couple of years into this job I've arrived at a good back-and-forth with everyone — between front office and staff and players. 'I won't say educating the players on it. But I think explaining to them the why beforehand and days beforehand and it's easier for them to be ready.' Under Schneider's stewardship, the staff has done a terrific job getting players to buy in. The idea was that if the coaches wanted the players to be better, they determined they needed to be a stronger as well. The result has been that team-first philosophy where players are motivated to be better both for themselves (and the recognition and cash that comes with it) and for the team. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I don't think you have to say much,' Schneider said. 'I think that you have to just be very aware of the mental and physical workload that goes into those games and maybe adjust the prep a little bit.' BY GEORGE To make a complete transformation from last-place misery to division contender, the Jays likely needed a breakout performance from an unlikely source. Welcome back to game-changing performance, George Springer. The rejuvenation of the former Astros star has been a massive development for the Jays. Prior to Vlad Guerrero Jr.'s mammoth $500-million US contract extension, Springer's six-year, $150-million US deal was the richest in team history. Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer celebrates after slugging a home run against the Angels on Saturday. CHRIS YOUNG/THE CANADIAN PRESS Springer was signed to help transform the team into one capable of playoff success, to lead the young guns to the post-season promised land. The way things went in Year 5 of the deal in 2024, it looked like Springer's meaningful contributions were behind him. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Instead, yet another reset with this team has been revolutionary. 'I think the biggest thing for me is I've kind of learned how to handle the failure, the ups and downs,' Springer said. 'It's not always about getting a hit, it's the process. Ultimately I believe that.' While there were surely doubts if Springer would ever return to form, Schneider vows he never dismissed the positive influence the former World Series MVP could have on the team. 'I remember a couple of years ago, George was talking to the group about September baseball, playoff baseball and the way to approach it,' Schneider said. 'I think that he's at the point where you he can do that every day. He's a big-time player. 'When you think about George being productive, this is what you envision. I remember in spring training saying 'Hey George, I don't want you to hit 40 home runs, I want you to be a productive at bat throughout this lineup.'' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Adds pitcher Kevin Gausman: 'He can completely take over a game and, when he's looked in, he'll do that for an entire series. The talent is still there.' Beyond the raw numbers, the biggest benefit may be how younger players are feeding off of Springer's performance. It's one thing to be a leader by past reputation. It's quite another to lead by performance example. 'When a guy liked that does this, it trickles down to everyone else,' Schneider said. 'It really does. We have some big name players and when they are having success, it just allows everyone else to be a little bit more free.' FANDEMONIUM The four-game sweep of the Yankees over Canada Day week was the unquestioned high point for a fan base that has stayed loyal to the Jays since the 2015 and 2016 seasons. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But it's fair to note that the vibes are the highest that they've been in almost a decade. Even with the encouragement of reaching the playoffs in 2022 and 2023, the team wasn't always easy to embrace. The defence-first emphasis, the modest run output and the playoff failures certainly bred a restlessness in the fan base. Playing with energy and enthusiasm, the 2025 version has fired-up a fan base that has longed for exactly these kind of results since the promise of Guerrero and Bichette and some of the big signings since Springer formed the blueprint. Read More And then there are the contributions from young players throughout the lineup, an injection of enthusiasm inside and outside of the clubhouse. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'You really have to commend these young guys for what they've done,' Gausman said. 'Whenever they're called upon, to play a different position … all these guys are pretty resilient guys, They kind of like being in the dirt.' The enthusiasm is contagious. 'It's kind of fun to watch them get excited,' Gausman said. 'Some of us old guys, it's a little bit different (at this point in their career.) So it's nice to just watch these guys play kind of with their their hair on fire.' As we've seen throughout the hot streak, the Jays are feeding off the frenzy of success and having fun doing it. The crowds have responded and there's almost an anticipation of who will be the next to come through for a win. 'I think it helps for sure,' Schneider said of the rocking Rogers Centre. 'Guys enjoy playing in front of crowds like that. It's been pretty cool.' Canada Canada Toronto Blue Jays Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls
Newsweek
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Blue Jays Set to Be 'Ultra Aggressive' at Trade Dealine, Per Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Toronto Blue Jays have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this season. After extending Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the team was hoping to be in this position, but there were a lot of doubts about the roster. Those doubts have been silenced, and now MLB insider Bob Nightengale highlights the team is looking to add reinforcements and be aggressive at the trade deadline. TORONTO, CANADA - JULY 5: Addison Barger #47 of the Toronto Blue Jays is swarmed by teammates as they celebrate his walk-off single to score in Myles Straw #3 of the Toronto Blue Jays in... TORONTO, CANADA - JULY 5: Addison Barger #47 of the Toronto Blue Jays is swarmed by teammates as they celebrate his walk-off single to score in Myles Straw #3 of the Toronto Blue Jays in the eleventh inning of their MLB game against the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Centre on July 5, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. More"The Toronto Blue Jays, who have won the AL East just once since 1993, has the entire country of Canada in a frenzy after finishing off a four-game sweep of the Yankees for the first time in franchise history, and moving into first place," wrote Nightengale. "Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins also boldly stated that the Blue Jays will be ultra-aggressive at the trade deadline, seeking a starter and a catcher." Toronto entered Sunday riding a seven-game win streak and three games ahead of the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. The Blue Jays should be able to have their choice of starting pitchers, with several strong options on the market such as Miami Marlins starter Edward Cabrera or Kansas City Royals hurler Seth Lugo. Adding a catcher is where things may be tough for the Blue Jays, as there are very few options available. Atkins may have to rely on internal improvement in that regard and add some pop in the lineup elsewhere, such as left field. The Blue Jays have a relatively easy schedule heading into the All-Star break which should allow them to widen the gap between them and the other teams in the division. More MLB: Red Sox Legend David Ortiz Believes Team Should Be 'Aggressive' at Deadline
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
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Bo Bichette homers and scores deciding run, Blue Jays beat Angels 3-2 for 8th straight victory
Toronto Blue Jays' Myles Straw scores on an RBI single by teammate Joey Loperfido off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson during fourth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP) Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout (27) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman during first-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP) Cleveland Guardians' Angel Martinez, left, slides safely into second base as Detroit Tigers' Colt Keith waits for the throw during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long) Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman works against the Los Angeles Angels during first-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP) Toronto Blue Jays' Myles Straw scores on an RBI single by teammate Joey Loperfido off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson during fourth -inning baseball game action in Toronto, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP) Toronto Blue Jays' Myles Straw scores on an RBI single by teammate Joey Loperfido off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson during fourth -inning baseball game action in Toronto, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP) Toronto Blue Jays' Myles Straw scores on an RBI single by teammate Joey Loperfido off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson during fourth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP) Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout (27) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman during first-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP) Cleveland Guardians' Angel Martinez, left, slides safely into second base as Detroit Tigers' Colt Keith waits for the throw during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 6, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long) Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman works against the Los Angeles Angels during first-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP) Toronto Blue Jays' Myles Straw scores on an RBI single by teammate Joey Loperfido off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson during fourth -inning baseball game action in Toronto, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP) TORONTO (AP) — Bo Bichette homered and scored the deciding run to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to their season-high eighth straight victory, 3-2 over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. The American League East-leading Blue Jays improved to 52-38, sweeping a homestand of seven of more games for the first time since 1994 and second in franchise history. Advertisement Toronto drew even on with Bichette's leadoff homer in the fourth inning. His 12th homer came after his error in the top of the inning loaded the bases for the Angels. Davis Schneider drove in Bichette in the sixth inning with a single down the left-field line. Mike Trout homered for the Angels with two out in the first. After Bichette's homer, Toronto went ahead in the fourth on a two-out single from Joey Loperfido, who made his season debut. The Angels tied it in the fifth when Taylor Ward singled over Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and three walks. Tyler Anderson (2-6) yielded three runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts in five-plus innings. Advertisement Reliever Ryan Burr (1-0) got the victory in his first outing of the season after dealing with a right-shoulder injury. Jeff Hoffman picked up his 22nd save. Key moment With the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning, Gausman coaxed Gustavo Campero into a 1-3 double play. Key stat The Blue Jays have 52 wins with six games remaining before the All-Star break. The club record for victories before the break is 53, set in 1985 and matched in 1992. Up next Yusei Kikuchi (3-6) was scheduled to start for the Angels at home Monday night against Texas. Jose Berrios (4-3) was set to start for Toronto on Monday night in Chicago against the White Sox's Sean Burke (4-7). ___ AP MLB:
