Hoffman blows late lead as Blue Jays head into all-star break with tough loss - Sportsnet.ca
San Diego — The Blue Jays concluded the first half of their season with a loss to the Padres, as a late rally by San Diego in the eighth inning secured a 5-4 victory. This result meant the Blue Jays finished their road trip, heading into the All-Star break.
The game saw Jeff Hoffman take the mound in the eighth inning with the Blue Jays holding a lead. However, Xander Bogaerts initiated the Padres‘ comeback with a leadoff single and subsequently stole second base. Manny Machado then singled, bringing Bogaerts home to tie the game. Following this, pinch runner Jase Bowen stole another base against Hoffman, setting up a sacrifice fly from former Blue Jay Ty France, which put the Padres ahead.
Manager John Schneider commented on the team’s position, stating, “It’s not where we want to be. That’s obvious. We’ve been trending in the right direction offensively the last two weeks or so, but we definitely have to be better in some areas, whether it’s on the mound or at the plate.” The loss leaves the Blue Jays with a 45-51 record, trailing the Mariners and Twins for the third American League Wild Card berth.
Gausman’s outing and offensive efforts
The Padres‘ late surge overshadowed a solid performance from starting pitcher Kevin Gausman. Despite a challenging second inning where he walked two batters, including one with the bases loaded, leading to three runs, Gausman settled into the game. He allowed just two more baserunners over the subsequent four innings, demonstrating improved control after adjusting his windup.
Gausman reflected on his outing, saying, “Delivery-wise, I just figured it out as I went. I felt like my misses, even in the second, were close, but they put the ball in play.” His fastball velocity was noted to be up, with an average of 95.1 m.p.h., and his splitter generated nine swinging strikes.
Offensively, the Blue Jays saw contributions from various players. Nathan Lukes hit a home run in the first inning. In the fourth, Andrés Giménez doubled, and Ernie Clement followed with a home run. In the eighth inning, Kazuma Okamonto led off with a single. After an intentional walk to pinch hitter Alejandro Kirk, Jonatan Clase singled, driving in a run.
Despite these efforts, the team was two for nine with runners in scoring position. Clase and Okamoto each recorded two hits in the game. Tyler Rogers pitched a quick seventh inning for the Blue Jays.
Looking ahead to the second half
The team now splits, with one group returning to Toronto and another heading to Philadelphia for the All-Star Game. The upcoming festivities will highlight players like All-Star starter Dylan Cease and Ernie Clement, who homered in the recent game.
However, with 45 wins at the break, the focus for the Blue Jays will quickly shift to improving their performance in the second half of the season. To reach 83 wins, a number often associated with Wild Card berths, the team would need to achieve a 38-28 record for the remainder of the season, while also hoping for struggles from their American League rivals.
Gausman expressed his anticipation for the break, stating, “I’m definitely looking forward to a break. It’s been a while since I had some time off, so I’m going to relish in that and take advantage of that. Then come back and get ready to go. It’s kind of make-or-break. We’ve got to start going better.” Schneider maintains optimism, citing the group’s track record and resilience, noting, “There’s a difference between panic and knowing you have pieces that can get better and make this go a little bit more smooth and a little bit more consistently.”
The Blue Jays will resume play.
Source: sportsnet.ca
