There was no roster makeover, blockbuster trade or eye-popping free-agent signing for the Toronto Blue Jays this past off-season.
The club is essentially running it back with virtually the same core as last year and hoping the bats return to form.
“The mindset is just more excitement,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “Excitement for guys to get back to their norms a little bit offensively. Excitement for the pitching staff to do what they’ve done and find out ways to get better.”
The 2023 edition of Canada’s lone big-league team snagged the last American League playoff berth but was swept in the wild-card round.
Team brass did take a run at landing two-way superstar free agent Shohei Ohtani in the off-season but missed out. The Blue Jays then shifted focus to the foundation in place while hoping a few additions and some tinkering to team approach pays dividends.
The key cogs in the starting rotation were reliable last year and team defence improved significantly. However, offensive play was mediocre and proved to be the team’s undoing in a brief two-game playoff run.
Some changes were made to the coaching structure with bench coach Don Mattingly adding offensive coordinator to his title and DeMarlo Hale returning to the club as an associate manager.
If the bats deliver and the pitching remains on point, the Blue Jays could contend in the American League East.
“It’s just a complete club,” said veteran slugger Justin Turner, who signed a one-year deal with Toronto. “I think the starting pitching, the bullpen, the defence, the potential lineup is insane.
Banged-up pitching staff
“There aren’t a lot of holes in this room. I’m excited to be a part of it.”
The pitching staff, particularly the starting rotation, was durable last season. But this year’s spring training was not as kind.
Among the starters, Kevin Gausman and Alek Manoah experienced shoulder issues. In the bullpen, closer Jordan Romano (elbow) of Markham, Ont., and Erik Swanson (forearm) are also building up after arm woes.
Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman made his first Grapefruit League start Monday against the Pirates after returning from a shoulder issue and struck out seven over three innings. (Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters)
Jose Berrios will get the opening day start Thursday at Tampa Bay. He’ll be a key cog in this season’s rotation with Gausman, Chris Bassitt and Yusei Kikuchi.
Bowden Francis will get a turn at the start of the campaign after a strong spring. Manoah, Yariel Rodriguez, top prospect Ricky Tiedemann will also be options throughout the year.
The bullpen lost Jordan Hicks to free agency but will have Chad Green for the start of the season this time around. Rodriguez, a Cuban right-hander who previously played in Japan, signed a five-year deal and could be used in a variety of roles.
Turner should provide some pop in the middle of the order behind leadoff man George Springer and homegrown stars Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
“It’s just going to be playing every game like it’s almost a playoff game,” Green said in a recent interview. “It’s just playing every game to win, not taking days off and days for granted.
Veteran major league infielder Justin Turner, who joined the Blue Jays on a one-year deal, is expected to provide some power in the middle of the batting order behind leadoff man George Springer, Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports)
Kiner-Falefa replaces Chapman at 3rd base
“As long as you can do that, that’s what sets yourself up for success.”
Third baseman Matt Chapman, a defensive whiz who was inconsistent with the bat, was lost to free agency. Infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who signed a two-year deal, will likely spend most of his time at the hot corner.
Kevin Kiermaier returned on a one-year deal to keep the outfield trio with Daulton Varsho and Springer intact. With the recent departure of Santiago Espinal via trade, Cavan Biggio and Davis Schneider should see time at second base as part of their utilityman roles.
Catcher Alejandro Kirk will have an increased workload in the early going while Danny Jansen recovers from a small bone fracture in his wrist. Brian Serven will serve as a backup behind the plate.
A Toronto team that’s in win-now mode will again have a tough task getting over the hump in a solid East division.
The Baltimore Orioles have a strong young team, the big-spending New York Yankees added superstar Juan Soto, the Tampa Bay Rays are always a challenge and the Boston Red Sox can be a handful too.
The Blue Jays, who have been swept in the wild-card round in three of the last four years, last won a playoff game in 2016.
“We know where we are,” Romano said. “We know there’s a sense of urgency.”
The Blue Jays will play their first 10 games on the road. Toronto’s home opener at the renovated Rogers Centre is April 8 against the Seattle Mariners.
“The little things are going to be important,” Schneider said. “You try to make adjustments every year with what you need to do.”
LONDON – Canada will meet three-time champion Germany in the Davis Cup quarterfinals in Malaga, Spain this November.
Canada secured a berth in the quarterfinals — also called The Final 8 Knockout Stage — with a 2-1 win over Britain last weekend in Manchester, England.
World No. 21 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal anchored a five-player squad that included Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., Gabriel Diallo of Montreal, Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que., and Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C.
The eight-team draw for the quarterfinals was completed Thursday at International Tennis Federation headquarters.
Defending champion Italy will play Argentina, the United States will meet Australia and Spain will take on the Netherlands. Schedule specifics have yet to be released but the Final 8 will be played Nov. 19-24.
Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz were unbeaten in doubles play last week to help Germany reach the quarterfinals. The country’s top singles player — second-ranked Alex Zverev — did not play.
The Canadians defeated Germany in the quarterfinals en route to their lone Davis Cup title in 2022. Germany won titles in 1988, ’89 and ’93.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Canada, fuelled by a 2-1 win over the U.S. and scoreless draw with Mexico, has jumped two places to No. 38 in the FIFA men’s world rankings released Thursday.
Of the top six CONCACAF teams, Canada was the only one to move up. Mexico was unchanged at No. 17 while the U.S. and Panama each fell two rungs to No. 18 and 37, respectively
Costa Rica slipped one spot to No. 50 and Jamaica two places to No. 61.
It marks Canada’s highest ranking under coach Jesse Marsch, who was hired in mid-May when the Canadians were ranked 50th. Since then, the team has climbed to No. 49, 48, 40 and now 38.
Canada has been as high as No. 33 in the men’s ranking, achieved in February 2022 under John Herdman with Canada, named the “Most Improved Side” in 2021 by FIFA, turning heads with an unbeaten run in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
The new rankings encompass 184 internationals involving teams from all six confederations including 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia, Oceania and South America.
The top 10 was unchanged with Argentina ahead of France, Spain, England, Brazil, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Colombia and Italy. But the gap at the top is closing with Argentina losing 2-1 away to Colombia and 3-1 at home to Italy.
Teams 10 through 15 were also unchanged. But there was movement after that in the form of Japan (, up two), Iran (No. 19, up one) and Denmark (No. 20, up one). Egypt (No. 31), Ivory Coast (No. 33), Tunisia (No. 36) and Algeria (No. 41) all jumped five places while Greece (No. 48) climbed six spots.
The biggest movers were Brunei Darussalam (No. 183) and Samoa (No. 185), who vaulted seven spots on the back of two wins apiece.
Qatar suffered the biggest drop, tumbling 10 places to No. 44.
San Marino remains at the bottom of the rankings in 210th place despite recording its first victory in more than 20 years, San Marino defeated Liechtenstein 1-0 on Sept. 5, ending a 140-game winless run since a 1-0 decision over the same opponent in April 2004.
Liechtenstein fell four places to No. 203.
Canada’s next match is an Oct. 15 friendly against Panama at Toronto’s BMO Field. The next men’s ranking will be released Oct. 24.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024
It has been a difficult start to the NFL season for quarterback Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers.
Carolina has dropped its opening two games after Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. And Young, the first player taken in the ’23 NFL draft, was 18-of-26 passing for 84 yards with an interception while being sacked twice.
As a result, veteran Andy Dalton will start Sunday when Carolina faces the Las Vegas Raiders (1-1).
According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., the Chargers’ win was the most accurately predicted moneyline selection by Proline bettors. A whopping 92 per cent of wagers were on Los Angeles beating Carolina with 92 per cent also picking the Chargers to cover -4.5.
In other action that went in favour of Proline bettors: Kansas City edged Cincinnati 26-25 (86 per cent correctly selected the Chiefs to win); Houston got past Chicago 19-13 (81 per cent); the New York Jets defeated Tennessee 24-17 (78 per cent); Pittsburgh beat Denver 13-6 (76 per cent), Washington beat the New York Giants 21-18 (73 per cent); and Seattle toppled New England 23-20 (62 per cent).
However, only five per cent of bettors had the Raiders upsetting Baltimore 26-23.
And there was one winner of Proline’s second week main NFL pool of $407,613.
In NFL futures bets after the second week of the season, the odds for offensive player of the year got shorter for running backs Breece Hall (Jets) and Bijan Robinson (Atlanta) and Detroit receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. But they got longer for running backs Kyren Williams (Rams), Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco) and Jonathan Taylor (Colts).
Quarterbacks Bo Nix (Denver), Jayden Daniels (Washington) and Caleb Williams (Chicago) all had their odds for offensive rookie of the year go up while they went down for running back Ray Davis (Buffalo), tight end Brock Bowers (Raiders) and receiver Malik Nabers (Giants).
Quarterbacks Patrick Mahones (Chiefs), Aaron Rodgers (Jets) and Jalen Hurts (Eagles) all had their odds for regular season MVP go up. But quarterbacks Jordan Love (Packers), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) and Joe Burrow (Cincinnati) all saw theirs go down.
Kansas City, Philadelphia and Houston had their Super Bowl odds increase while Green Bay, Baltimore and Cincinnati all decreased.
Not surprising, the week’s top events were all NFL games. In order, they were; Buffalo-Miami, Chicago-Houston, Cincinnati-KC, Raiders-Ravens; and Saints-Cowboys.
A Proline retail player cashed in a $26,183 winner from a $10 bet on a 12-leg major-league baseball parlay. Another won $24,602 from a $10 wager on a 12-leg NFL parlay.
A third received $1,737 from a $3 bet on a six-leg NFL parlay.
A digital bettor earned $2,927 from a $25 bet on a five-leg NFL parlay while a second had a $704.35 return from a $1 wager on a seven-leg NFL parlay.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
