Immediate Response: Addison Barger smashes a grand slam during the Blue Jays’ 7-6 defeat against the Red Sox.
Thrilling matches don’t always result in victories.
Blue Jays vs Red Sox Recap
On Monday afternoon, the Toronto Blue Jays faced off against the Boston Red Sox, losing 7-6 due to a late two-run homer. Their Spring Training record now stands at 2-7-2. Let’s examine the events that unfolded in this matchup.
During the second inning, the Red Sox took an early 1-0 advantage when Max Ferguson connected for a double, bringing Allan Castro home. By the third inning, they increased their lead to 2-0 with an RBI single from Mickey Gasper, and in the fifth inning, Gasper further boosted the score to 4-0 with a two-run homer.
At last, the Blue Jays found their rhythm. With one out and the bases full, Nathan Lukes made a ground out, allowing Josh Kasevich to cross home plate for the game’s opening run. With the bases still loaded and two outs now on the board, it mirrored Game 1 of the World Series as Addison Barger launched a grand slam, propelling the Jays to a 5-4 advantage.
Key Moments in the Game
During the sixth inning, Castro launched a game-tying home run against Spencer Miles, leveling the score at 5-5. The score remained unchanged until the eighth inning, when Nathan Hickey smashed a no-doubter to right field, putting the score at 7-5. In the bottom of the ninth, Charles McAdoo hit a home run, but the Jays couldn’t bring the game-tying run home. The video below was captured by @JaysPlayerDev, a must-follow on Twitter.
Insights from Addison Barger…
Cody Ponce had his initial (televised) appearance as a Blue Jay, throwing two innings while allowing one earned run and recording two strikeouts. His control was somewhat inconsistent, and he faced some hard hits, indicating it wasn’t an ideal outing.
Spring Training Performance Analysis
Brendon Little excelled once more out of the bullpen, fanning three batters and issuing a walk during his inning on the mound. Similar to his previous performance, the left-handed reliever exceeded 97 mph with his four-seam fastball, achieving four swings and misses out of six attempts. Tyler Rogers also took the mound in this game, allowing one earned run during his inning of relief.
Currently, Angel Bastardo appears to be performing better than Spencer Miles, who allowed the game-tying home run during the sixth inning. His fastball was clocked in the mid-90s, resulting in four swings and misses out of 18 total attempts. Jorge Alcala and Devereaux Harrison also contributed to this game, with both pitchers surrendering two runs; however, Harrison managed to strike out three batters over two innings of play.
The Blue Jays’ offense had a significant outing. Both Addison Barger and Charles McAdoo recorded their inaugural home runs of Spring Training. Notably, McAdoo has stood out this spring with several impressive defensive plays.
Eloy Jiménez recorded his third double of the spring, achieving an exit velocity of 105.7 mph. So far this spring, he has put 13 balls in play, with eight of those registering an exit velocity of 100 mph or more. Only four of the hits fell below 95 mph. The raw power is undeniable.
