Blue Jays headed for deep trouble if long ball does not come to life

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So many tight games have left one to wonder how realistically close the Blue Jays are from being legitimate contenders in a weak American League.

Despite a flawed lineup, one that does not feature a traditional bat in the leadoff or cleanup slots, the Jays have managed to keep their heads well above water. For now.

Inevitably, this version of small ball can carry a team only so far and eventually, the Jays’ stellar pitching will take a step back.

The modern game, whether fans all of ages like or dislike it, has become homer-centric. And it’s there where the Jays have been coming up short, most recently in Saturday’s 12-inning 8-4 loss to the visiting Seattle Mariners.

Toronto outhit Seattle 12-10, but only two of the Jays hits went for extra bases. The Mariners, in contrast, had four including a solo homer by rookie Ben Williamson that tied the score 3-3 in the seventh inning, then a grand slam from ex-Jay Rowdy Tellez in the 12th that settled it.

For the Jays, a single here, a double there, a stolen base, hits strung together that lead to a run, one can argue it beats the alternative of going scoreless. But its a template that does not profile into a sustainable model.

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It was the legendary Earl Weaver, who managed the Baltimore Orioles, who penned the expression that pitching, defence and the three-run home run is a sure-fire recipe for winning.

Only once this season, however, have the Jays produced such a game-altering blast — that provided by Anthony Santander, the team’s No. 3 hitter who would slide into the cleanup spot if Toronto’s lineup were more complete.

Early on, Andres Gimenez showed he’s capable of providing some thump, but perhaps that can now be viewed as an outlier of a campaign. The Jays new second baseman ended an 0-for-16 skid Saturday with his first three-hit game of the season while recording his team-high seventh stolen base.

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After Cal Raleigh’s two-run double in the fifth gave the M’s a 2-1 lead, situational hitting and base-running allowed the Jays to draw even, as Gimenez singled, stole second and scored on Alejandro Kirk’s single to left.

It was more of the same in the sixth as the Jays went up 3-2 as Ernie Clement had an infield single, was sacrificed to second by Myles Straw and scored on Bo Bichette’s single to right.

But the Jays have to come up with some more power. The return of Daulton Varsho may help address some of thepower shortcomings. The injured centre fielder hit 18 homers last year and has a career-high of 27 with Arizona in 2022.

Rehabbing a shoulder injury that required surgery, Varsho was scheduled to be in the Jays’ class-A lineup Saturday night as the DH and could make his season debut in Toronto by the end of this month.

The Jays also need to find a third baseman with power as Clement, for all of his value as a versatile utility player, does not meet the criteria of power hitter most often associated with the hot corner.

Until the long ball becomes part of the Jays’ DNA, their long-term chances of remaining relevant appear long.

BRIEFLY

Jose Berrios lasted six innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits and four walks. He struck out three. The last of his 82 pitches was sent into the left-field stands by Williamson, leading off the seventh, his first career long ball. For Berrios, it was his sixth homer yielded in five starts … Jacob Barnes surrendered Tellez’s 12th-inning bomb … The Jays showed their feisty side when Berrios got into it with noted Jays killer Raleigh who was standing on second. Once the inning ended, the benches emptied because that’s what baseball demands. Even the respective bullpens began their march to the infield, but were waved back when saner heads prevailed … The rubber match in the three-game series goes Sunday afternoon. The 12-9 Jays will send rookie revelation Easton Lucas to the bump.

ia.com