Blue Jays' winning road trip tainted by a troublesome series sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies

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There aren’t many times when a team comes home following a winning road trip and yet a sour taste lingers.

It’s not what have you done lately, but rather what have you done recently.

For the Jays, their recent stay in Philadelphia could not have gone any worse, this after a series win was produced in Minneapolis followed by a sweep in St. Louis.

Toronto’s pitching was spotty and at times downright brutal, while its offence couldn’t compensate for the team’s mound woes when facing Philadelphia, which had lost two of three in Toronto 10 days ago.

Add it up and it equated into an ugly three-game sweep by the Phillies, who won Sunday’s series finale, 11-4, at Citizens Bank Park where the homeside outscored the visitors by a combined 22-6.

The following are three takeaways from a horrific loss that dropped the Jays’ record to 38-33 as Toronto returns home after going 5-4 on the road, a stretch that saw Ernie Clement record 13 hits, a game that would also see Clement strikeout for the first time in two weeks when former teammate Jordan Romano rang him up to end the eighth inning

1. Wheeler and dealer

The Jays caught a break when Philly was in town for a three-game set by avoiding Zack Wheeler, the staff ace, because the veteran right-hander had been placed on the paternity list.

No such luck for the Blue Jays on Father’s Day.

In the opening two games of the series, the Jays were vexed by two left-handers in Ranger Suarez, who held Toronto scoreless in seven innings, and Cristopher Sanchez, who gave up two runs in seven innings.

Wheeler is in a class of his own.

The lone inning he showed any vulnerability came in the fifth when Wheeler gave up two runs.

He also committed a throwing error in the frame.

Combined, Philly’s three starters gave up three earned runs in 20.0 innings in the series.

2. An atypically bad Berrios

Speaking of quality pitching, Jose Berrios has kept the Jays in contention when he’s been on the mound.

Sunday’s outing began by giving up a run on two pitches, a leadoff double followed by an RBI single.

Four pitches later, Berrios had retired the Phillies.

It was quite the start for Berrios, who has made quality starts his calling card.

This wasn’t one of them.

With Wheeler in such control, an A-plus outing needed to be summoned.

What Berrios provided was more like a D-minus performance.

Berrios gave up a leadoff single to Max Kepler, his former teammate with the Twins, in the fourth inning, the fifth hit surrendered by Berrios and the third leadoff hit on the afternoon.

After his offence provided Berrios with two runs, he gave them right back on one pitch that left the yard.

Berrios has been good to very good in most of his past 14 starts.

In his 15th start, he looked more like Bowden Francis, which isn’t good.

Berrios was relieved with two outs in the fifth inning.

His 4.2-inning outing was the shortest for Berrios this season.

On opening day against visiting Baltimore, Berrios gave up six runs on nine hits in 5.0 innings.

Sunday against the host Phils, he gave up six runs on nine hits.

3. If there’s a Will…

The way to the majors for Will Robertson involved a stay in Buffalo where he suited up for the Triple-A Bisons.

He was a Blue Jay when he played his collegiate baseball at Creighton and is officially a Blue Jay with the major-league club.

Called up when the Jays were in St. Louis, Robertson made his much-awaited debut Sunday.

In terms of first impressions, Robertson has the look of a big leaguer.

His frame is similar to Addison Barger.

Like Barger, Robertson bats left.

Unlike Barger, Robertson throws with his left hand.

Robertson started in right field and made the final out to end the third inning.

After he made the catch, he promptly tossed the baseball into the stands.

Good on Robertson.

Toronto’s starting outfield was dotted with inexperience given Alan Roden was in left and Jonatan Clase in centre.

Entering the day, Clase had 135 at-bats in the bigs, while Roden had 86.

A sac fly by Roden would plate Toronto’s first run.

One batter later, Robertson struck out for the second time in as many at-bats.

After Alec Bohm took Berrios deep, Roden made a sensational back-handed catch by crashing, face first no less, into the wall to secure a hard-hit ball by Nick Castellanos.

What will resonate the most was Robertson’s first major-league hit, a rocket he launched off the right-field wall that also resulted in his first RBI.

Up next

The Jays will have an off day Monday before they play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks; Tuesday’s scheduled starter will be RHP Chris Bassitt, while the Jays will face RHP Brandon Pfaadt; Wednesday looms as a bullpen day with the Eric Lauer/Spencer Turnbull combo likely in effect.