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Still the trailer? No, Blue Jays season is now the movie – MLB.com

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2 years ago

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TORONTO — These are the Blue Jays you were waiting for.

Even as they dragged a winning record through April and May, the endless stream of close games brought a slow-burn anxiety along with them. Those were chess matches and photo finishes, but the 2022 Blue Jays are built to be a rock concert inside a carnival. 

That’s what Thursday afternoon’s 8-3 win over the White Sox at Rogers Centre looked more like. Make it eight in a row for the Blue Jays with back-to-back series sweeps, and finally, the stars are playing the hits.

It all started with Alek Manoah, who’s no longer just a hotshot right-hander making his name in the big leagues. With 7 2/3 innings of three-run ball, none of which should have scored after Manoah forced a ground ball that should have ended the eighth, his ERA sits at 1.98. This is one of the best pitchers in baseball right now, emerging as a franchise cornerstone.

“We’re showing a lot of heart,” Manoah said after the win. “There was a lot of chatter early on when the offense was struggling, but that was the game plan. Keep trusting and keep going forward. Now, we’re seeing how good they can be.”

Thursday was vintage Manoah, and it’s a compliment to the 24-year-old that he already has his own “vintage” one year in. After the first two batters he faced reached on plays that could have been made, Manoah buckled down and escaped the jam, freezing Yasmani Grandal with a breaking ball on the inside corner for the final out of the first inning before skipping off the mound and charging toward the dugout. He only got better from there.

Bo Bichette pitched in with one of the best defensive plays of his career, ranging all the way behind third baseman Matt Chapman to field a Josh Harrison grounder before firing across the diamond — somehow — for the out to end the top of the fifth inning.

In the next frame, as Manoah chewed through another section of the White Sox lineup, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was playing mini golf in the dugout, using trainer Voon Chong’s feet as the cup.

Meanwhile, Raimel Tapia was wreaking havoc on the bases, braids bouncing in a blur behind him as he helped manufacture the first two runs of the game. On the second run, he came around from first on a Santiago Espinal double and slid across home plate, stopping to do two pushups in the dirt before he popped up. Later, Teoscar Hernández homered, and came up to bat twice in the eighth inning as the Blue Jays batted around for four insurance runs. 

“Everybody started to feel good, and then I started to feel good,” Hernández said. “My swing is getting back together and we’re having good at-bats. That’s the biggest thing for us right now. We’re developing everything that we want to do during the games, and the results are going to be there.”

These are the scenes that have been missing from Toronto’s games, even the wins. This roster spills over with talent, style and personality, but those don’t all show in 2-1 bullpen battles.

Now, we’re seeing the Blue Jays win in the Blue Jays’ way.

“Before this, we were winning two out of three and hanging in there,” said manager Charlie Montoyo. “It’s tough to beat people by one run all the time. I’ve always said that the moment we started swinging the bats, if we keep pitching and catching the ball like we have been, we’ll start winning some games in a row. That’s what’s happening right now.”

This recent run has shot the Blue Jays from 22-20 to 30-20, still comfortably behind the Yankees in the American League East but in a far better spot as they enter the heart of the season.

April and May were grueling in terms of opponents, too. The Blue Jays saw plenty of the Yankees with a pair of series against the Astros mixed in, and even lesser teams with losing records managed to play them close. Now, Toronto can look ahead to a road trip next week against the Tigers and Royals, both of whom sit well below .500.

From here, the trick is sustaining it all. This is the first time that the Blue Jays have looked like they’re fully and completely on the right path, though, so it looks like the search for a ‘22 identity is over.

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PWHL MVP Spooner set to miss start of season for Toronto Sceptres due to knee injury

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November 12, 2024

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TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.

The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.

She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.

Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.

Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.

The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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6 days ago

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November 8, 2024

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LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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6 days ago

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November 8, 2024

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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