TORONTO — By the time you read this, the Toronto Blue Jays will have surpassed the one-third mark of this completely strange shortened season.
A Wednesday matinee at Camden Yards is game No. 21, and we’ve learned a lot about the talent on the field as well as manager Charlie Montoyo in the dugout.
We think.
If there’s one thing that has defined the first third of the Jays’ season, it’s their ability to lose close games in heartbreaking fashion.
At 9-11, they may be down, but they’re certainly not out if you want to be optimistic.
The club’s hopes of getting to 30-plus wins, which would put them on the periphery of the expanded postseason race, haven’t been helped with the up-and-down start, but they’re far from completely buried.
“Because of our pitching, I believe we’ve still got a chance, and if we swing the bats like we’ve been swinging them, we’re going to be okay,” Montoyo said when asked about how he feels about where his team stands 20 games in. “Again, it’s all about playing clean games. You can only beat the good teams if you play a clean game. If you play your B or C game, you’re not going to beat them.”
Whether they’re good enough to reel off an above .500 record the rest of the way is another debate. We’ve seen a young, inconsistent ballclub with an overworked bullpen, an embattled manager because of it, and the continued insistence they’re still rebuilding.
If they’re still rebuilding, we shouldn’t waste time wondering whether they’re a contender.
Just happy to be here.
That sentiment has frustrated fans and they’re completely right to feel that way.
Tempering expectations is one thing. Publicly projecting an indifference to losing is another.
On the field, the players have shown resiliency in numerous ways, dealing with the homefield uncertainty, a ton of time on the road amidst a pandemic, as well as the ability to bounce back after losses.
They longest losing streak they’ve endured is three games, while, on the flip side of that, their longest winning streak is just two in a row.
“What I like about our team is after tough losses we come back and win games and that’s a sign of a good team,” Montoyo said.
“The things I don’t like … of course, the games that we lost is because we didn’t play clean games and we need to get there. To be one of the best teams in baseball, you have to play clean games and that cost us in the games that we lost.”
With their run differential slowly creeping towards the black – minus-4 through 20 games –the offence has slowly found its groove over the past week, going from averaging 3.1 runs per game on Aug. 12, last in baseball, to 4.5 through 20 games, good for 22nd.
FanGraphs is currently projecting the Jays to go 18-22 the rest of the way, giving them a 31.5 per cent to be one of the eight American League teams to reach the expanded postseason.
Here’s a look at who mattered during the first 20 games.
OFFENCE
MVP: SS Bo Bichette
The 22-year-old leads the team in batting average (.361), steals (4), slugging percentage (.672) and wRC+ (183), generally looking like a franchise player on a day-in, day-out basis.
The problem is he’s currently on the IL with a sprained knee and there’s really no timeline for his return. The Jays will try to survive without him but no Bichette leaves a huge hole at the top of a not-so-deep lineup.
Biggest surprise: Outfield production
They’ve taken some heat at various points, but Randal Grichuk and Teoscar Hernandez, minus one game-changing defensive miscue, have been carrying this team at times.
Grichuk is currently the team’s hottest hitter with Bichette sidelined, while Hernandez leads the team in homers through 20 games with seven.
Overall, Jays outfielders have been worth 1.3 fWAR, good for 12th in baseball.
Sandwiched between the Philadelphia Phillies (1.4 fWAR), who backed up a Brinks truck to add Bryce Harper to their outfield, and division rival Tampa (1.2 fWAR) is a pretty good spot to be considering the outfield was seen as an area of concern heading into the season.
Strictly offensively, their park adjusted wRC+ of 121 is fifth overall in baseball.
Biggest disappointment: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
He’s walked to the plate 85 times and produced a negative fWAR at minus-0.3, generating a below average 88 wRC+ with the bat alone.
Sure, he’s turned it around lately, but the overall .221/.294/.390 slash line with three home runs still doesn’t come close to meeting anyone’s expectations, including Vladdy Jr.’s.
Most underrated: 2B Cavan Biggio
The batting average might never wow you, but Biggio’s high-walk, high-power ways have continued in his sophomore season, with Montoyo even choosing to flip him with Bichette at the top of the order and insert the second baseman into the leadoff spot.
Biggio seems to like it.
Through 81 career plate appearances batting first, Biggio has a .980 OPS.
ROTATION
MVP: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu
Paid to be an ace, Ryu has come pretty close to delivering and he’s only been getting better over his past three starts with a 1.06 ERA.
He hasn’t been dominant and an overall 3.46 ERA across 26 innings looks fine on paper, but the exciting part is Ryu has been holding opponents to just a .211 batting average and .665 OPS against.
The important part?
The Jays have a 4-1 record when Ryu is on the mound.
Biggest surprise: Nate Pearson’s lack of strikeouts
Young pitchers often take time to adjust, so watching Pearson struggle in his initial foray through the majors shouldn’t shock anyone, but the real answer for the 24-year-old’s up-and-down start was revealed Wednesday when he was placed on the 10-day IL with elbow tightness.
There’s currently no timeline for a return.
It helps explain the command issues that have allowed hitters to sit back and wait for Pearson to make a mistake, leading to a 6.61 ERA through four starts, as well as the surprising lack of swing-and-miss, whiffing just 14 across 16.1 innings, a well below league average 18.9 per cent strikeout rate.
Biggest disappointment: RHP Tanner Roark
Signed in December to a two-year, $24 million deal, Roark is carrying around a 6.00 ERA, supported by a 6.95 FIP, through his first three starts in a Blue Jays uniform.
It’s a tiny sample size, but the 33-year-old right-hander’s command has been off and he’s been homer-prone — three allowed in 12 innings — which was a red flag when he signed.
Most underrated: RHP Thomas Hatch
He’s only made one short start on opening weekend, spending the rest of his time as a bullpen Swiss Army knife, but Hatch has been an early season revelation and looks to have a future in the Jays’ rotation.
His 2.70 ERA across 10 innings is a bit misleading, but the MLB-calibre stuff and delivery allows him to pitch in multiple roles for the time being.
BULLPEN
MVP: RHP Jordan Romano
It’s not a surprise that’s he’s an important bullpen piece, but no one could have possibly predicted Romano would be one of the best relievers in baseball through 20 games, generating 0.4 fWAR, a top 20 mark in the league.
The 27-year-old right-hander has only had one hiccup, but on most nights, he’s been using a 98-mph fastball and filthy slider to punch hitters out, registering 15 strikeouts across 11 innings of work.
There’s no arguing he’s the closer of the future at this point and will likely earn his first career save here in the fairly near future.
Biggest surprise: LHP Ryan Borucki
Here’s why you just never know with pitchers.
After struggling to stay healthy, Borucki finally got over that hump in March, before deciding to tweak a pitch that has completely changed his ability to strike hitters out.
Morphing his slider into more of a cutter-type pitch, Borucki has been dominant in his first-ever bullpen assignment, striking out 14 in just 6.1 innings.
He may return to the rotation at some point, but right now Borucki is showing he can be a high-leverage relief arm if that’s the way things break.
Biggest disappointment: Ken Giles’ injury
I’m not going to waste words crushing Japanese import Shun Yamaguchi, who’s been the victim of some unfortunate circumstances and assignments, actually holding a 2.48 FIP and lowering his ERA to 7.50 on Tuesday despite giving up a run in his 1.2 innings.
Nope.
It’s definitely the handling of Giles way back on July 26, a Sunday afternoon in Tampa that led to an IL stint, a PRP injection in his right elbow and an uncertain future.
Giles played catch Tuesday and felt good, according to Montoyo, but at this point they’d have to rush him back in order to trade him by Aug. 31.
Most underrated: RHP A.J. Cole
When Cole was given a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training way back in December, he immediately became a favourite to be part of the bullpen mix despite the lack of a true roster spot.
The 28-year-old has not disappointed in the least, holding a 0.84 ERA in nine appearances.
He’s given Montoyo some much-needed bullpen depth.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Lamar Jackson threw for 281 yards and five touchdowns, helping the Baltimore Ravens overcome an early double-digit deficit and extend their National Football League winning streak to five games with a 41-31 victory Monday night over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who lost their top two receivers to injuries.
The two-time NFL MVP improved to 23-1 against NFC teams, the best mark by a quarterback against an opposing conference in NFL history. He’s 3-0 against the Bucs (4-3), who faded after taking a 10-0 lead with help from the 100th TD reception of Mike Evans’ career.
Evans departed with a hamstring injury after Baker Mayfield tried to connect with him in the end zone again, and late in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach, leading Bucs receiver Chris Godwin was carted off the field with a left ankle injury. ESPN declined to show replays of Godwin’s injury, which appeared to be severe.
Jackson completed 17 of 22 passes without an interception, including TD throws of nine and four yards to Mark Andrews. He also tossed scoring passes of 49 yards to Rashod Bateman, 18 yards to Justice Hill and 11 yards to Derrick Henry, who rushed for 169 yards on 15 carries. Bateman had four catches for 121 yards.
The Ravens (5-2) rebounded from a slow start on defence, with cornerback Marlon Humphrey turning the game around with a pair of second-quarter interceptions — one of them in the Baltimore end zone. Jackson led a four-play, 80-yard TD drive after the first pick, and the second interception set up Justin Tucker’s 28-yard field goal for a 17-10 halftime lead.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
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CARDINALS 17 CHARGERS 15
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray ran for a 44-yard touchdown and led the Cardinals on a drive that set up Chad Ryland’s 32-yard field goal as time expired, and Arizona rallied for a win over Los Angeles.
Cameron Dicker kicked his fifth field goal of the night — this one from 40 yards — to give the Chargers a 15-14 lead with 1:54 left. But the Cardinals (3-4) quickly moved into field goal range, aided by an unnecessary roughness call on Cam Hart that cost Los Angeles (3-3) 15 yards.
Arizona followed that with a bruising 33-yard run by James Conner, who finished with 101 yards on the ground. That eventually set up Ryland’s short field goal and a Cardinals celebration.
It was a frustrating night for the Chargers’ offence, which gained 395 yards but couldn’t find the end zone. Justin Herbert completed 27 of 39 passes for 349 yards.
Dicker booted field goals of 59, 50, 28, 47 and 40 yards, the first of which tied a franchise record for distance.
Murray ran for a spectacular touchdown early in the fourth quarter, rolling to his left before turning on the jets, beating safety Junior Colston to the sideline and then coasting into the end zone for a 14-9 lead.
It was Murray’s second long touchdown run in three weeks after he scored on a 50-yard sprint against San Francisco. It was also Murray’s 20th career game with a touchdown pass and run.
Murray completed 14 of 26 passes for 145 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps have been here before — literally and figuratively.
With the season hanging in the balance, the ‘Caps were dealt a blow last week when the club learned it wouldn’t be able to play a post-season wild-card game in its home stadium, B.C. Place, due to a scheduling conflict.
The Whitecaps ceded home field advantage to their regional rival, the Portland Timbers. The two clubs will battle for the final playoff spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference in Oregon on Wednesday.
The winner will face No. 1-seed Los Angeles FC in a best-of-three first-round series, starting Sunday.
An unforeseen hurdle like a change of venues is nothing new for the ‘Caps, said defender Ranko Veselinovic, who was part of the team that was forced to relocate first to Portland, then Utah during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It feels that always something happens for us, but it is what it is. So far, we’ve managed to always find solutions for those situations,” said the Serbian centre back. “But I hope this team can find it one more time, because we need it this time. And it will be a really nice feeling in those circumstances to go in, win and go face L.A. in the next round.”
Vancouver (13-13-8) heads into the post-season winless in its last seven MLS games and with losses in four straight after dropping a 2-1 road decision to Real Salt Lake on Saturday.
The skid followed a run that saw the club go 4-1-3 across all competitions between late August and late September.
There’s just one way to return to that level, said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini.
“The work is the only way to do it. Try to put the work in and try to put the team in a way that they’re going to regain the form and the way that they were in the past,” he said.
Despite the final score, Sartini has seen positives in the way his team played in its two most recent losses.
“I think already we turned the corner,” he said. “And we start from there to build and build and build.”
Facing challenges together can help a team build, whether it’s a winless skid or an unexpected hurdle, said Vancouver’s captain Ryan Gauld.
“When you’re going through adversity, that’s when people start to raise their voice a little bit. You get good when the problems arise, you get a lot of people coming together to make sure we get out of it,” said the Scottish attacking midfielder.
“And we’ve had a tough time the last few games, but everyone’s aware of the fact that we’re a much better team than we’ve shown, and we need to find a way to get back to doing what we’re good at.”
The ‘Caps face a familiar foe in the Timbers (12-11-11).
The two sides have already met three times this season, with each coming out of the series with a win, a loss and a draw.
Portland has also struggled in recent weeks and are winless in their last five MLS outings (0-1-4).
The Timbers boast one of the league’s top offensive units, though, with threats such as Evander. The Brazilian midfielder notched 15 goals and 19 assists during the regular season.
To earn a win on Wednesday, the Whitecaps must be solid defensively, Gauld said.
“They must be one of the best attacks in the league. They have a lot of good players, and they can hurt you if you switch off,” he said. “So just being concentrated from the first whistle, and just being hard to beat, being stuffy. Just being on it for the full 90 minutes.”
A victory in the wild-card match would guarantee Vancouver at least one home playoff game, a factor that Sartini said would be a big reward for his group.
The entire team relished the experience of playing post-season soccer in front of more than 30,000 fans last year, the coach said, and the desire to repeat the feat is high as the club heads to Portland.
“Everyone is happy to be in the playoffs. So we don’t have to be moody to be in the playoff. And we go in there, we’re play one of our rivals. So it’s gonna be a nice game to show up and to play our best game possible.”
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (13-13-8) AT PORTLAND TIMBERS (12-11-11)
Wednesday, Providence Park
HISTORY BOOKS: This will mark the seventh all-time post-season meeting between the Timbers and ‘Caps, dating back to 1975. The last time the two clubs squared off in a playoff game was during the Western Conference semifinal in 2015. Portland won the two-game aggregate series and went on to hoist the MLS Cup.
ROAD WARRIORS: The ‘Caps boasted a 7-6-4 record on the road during regular-season play — better than the 6-7-4 showing they posted at B.C. Place.
POST-SEASON PARTY: Wednesday will mark the first time the Timbers have hosted a post-season game since 2021.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Scotland conceived rugby sevens in the 1880s yet it will not feature in the scaled-back 2026 Commonwealth Games hosted by Glasgow.
Other sports that have also been dropped include field hockey, triathlon, badminton, Twenty20 cricket, squash, and diving.
The Games will have a 10-sport program in four venues. Athletics and swimming are compulsory while there will also be track cycling, gymnastics, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and 3×3 basketball.
There will also be integrated para events in six of those sports: Athletics, swimming, track cycling, weightlifting, bowls and basketball.
The Games will take place from July 23-Aug. 2 after Glasgow stepped in when the Australian state of Victoria withdrew last year because of rising costs.
It was not easy to decide which sports to include, Commonwealth Games Scotland chairman Ian Reid told the BBC on Tuesday.
“I think everybody recognises that these events need to be more affordable, lighter and we would have loved to have all of our sports and all of our athletes competing but unfortunately it’s just not deliverable or affordable for this time frame,” Reid said.
Athletes and support staff will be housed in hotels. Around 3,000 athletes are expected to compete from up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories representing a combined total of 2.5 billion people, a third of the world’s entire population.
More than 500,000 tickets made available for spectators.
The Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Katie Sadleir said: “The 2026 Games will be a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow, an exciting first step in our journey to reset and redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs, reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact. In doing so, increasing the scope of countries capable of hosting.”
Glasgow hosted the event in 2014 at a cost of more than 540 million pounds.
