BALTIMORE — The Blue Jays continue to look for their first win against the Baltimore Orioles.
The Blue Jays fell behind early and while they got the potential tying run to the on-deck circle in a near-rally in the ninth inning, they ultimately lost 11-6 on Tuesday at Camden Yards. Toronto is now 0-4 against its division rival and has been outscored 31-16 in the four contests thus far.
This latest loss also means the Blue Jays are now 6-16 against the American League East. With fewer games within the division this season, the Blue Jays are steadily running out of runway to just draw even with the rest of their AL East rivals. In a stark contrast, the Blue Jays are 31-15 against non-divisional opponents — which helps illustrate how challenging the AL East has been for Toronto, by comparison.
It doesn’t feel that long ago that the Blue Jays would routinely use Camden Yards as a launching pad, but on Tuesday, it was the home team that was mashing the ball. While the Blue Jays registered 15 hits against the Orioles’ 17, the Orioles out-homered the Blue Jays 4-1, which was the difference in this one.
“They hit a lot of homers, a lot of lefties,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “They’re playing to the short part of the field here with left field being where it is and you give credit (to) them. You’re hitting grand slams and you’re hitting multiple-run homers. I said it on Sunday, it’s tough to defend. That’s kind of how they’re built. And tonight they didn’t miss.”
Three of the Orioles’ home runs came against Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt, who had an “uncharacteristic” outing, Schneider said.
“I think it was just pitches that were in the middle of plate which is out of character for him,” the Blue Jays manager said.
Things unravelled in a big way in the third inning when the Orioles plated six runs against Bassitt. After already giving up a two-run home run to Orioles first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, Bassitt had the chance to escape the inning with limited damage, but he walked No. 9 hitter Jorge Mateo to load the bases. The big knock, then, came from rookie Gunnar Henderson, who hit a grand slam that made it 8-1 for Baltimore.
In all, Bassitt pitched just three innings, while allowing eight earned runs on 11 hits with a walk and five strikeouts. He allowed three home runs, making this his third start in the last five where he’s given up multiple home runs in a game. Asked what he thought the Orioles did well against him, he said, “just hit the ball hard.”
“I haven’t been able to break down the film or anything like that, so I really can’t tell you anything besides that,” he continued. “Thought I made a couple of really good pitches and they ended up being homers. Again, I’m not sure other than that. I’ll have a better answer tomorrow, but overall not sure.”
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays’ offence continues to struggle to score runs. Over their last eight games, they’ve averaged just 4.25 runs per game. At that offensive clip, they’re rather lucky to be 4-4 during that span.
Against the Orioles, the Blue Jays went 5-for-16 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base. Baltimore starter Dean Kremer held the Blue Jays to two runs on eight hits over six innings with six strikeouts.
Toronto’s only home run came from Cavan Biggio, who hit a solo shot in the eighth inning when he came in to pinch-hit for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. While Schneider said he liked his club’s battle late in the game, he noted that those tough at-bats had to come earlier.
“If you’re not going to be clipping three-run homers or two-run homers consistently, you got to string together quality at-bats and get those hits, especially with guys on,” Schneider said. “Overall, you can’t really say anything bad about our offence. These guys, they prepare, they grind and it hasn’t quite been working out with guys on base, but total confidence that it’ll turn, but I think while you’re kind of in survival mode, you got to clip a couple that go over the fence.”
Four days after the Blue Jays made the radical decision to option Alek Manoah to the Florida Complex League amid his pitching troubles, the 25-year-old right-hander was on the mound again.
Manoah essentially pitched a simulated game last Saturday at the team’s player development complex in Dunedin, Fla. He threw 72 pitches over five simulated innings. According to the manager, Manoah started the outing in the pitching lab before moving outside onto a mound. “He’s working his a— off down there,” Schneider said.
Manaoh had a 6.36 ERA in 13 starts when he was sent down to the lowest level of the minor leagues last week. The Blue Jays have not put a timetable on his return, but Schneider and Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker have remained in regular contact with the pitcher. In Dunedin, Manoah has also reunited with Hyun Jin Ryu, who is rehabbing from last year’s Tommy John surgery. Ryu has been a mentor to Manoah since he debuted during the 2021 season.
“I actually talked to both of them via FaceTime on Sunday night when we landed here, they were together,” Schneider said. “I think it is good to have a buddy that you can confide in a little bit. (Ryu’s) been through his own ups and downs over the course of his career. It’s good that they’re both kind of down there together.”
Blue Jays hope Brandon Belt is on IL for minimum
Three hours before the first pitch, Brandon Belt was out in left field at Camden Yards running while Schneider and the Blue Jays training staff looked on. The 35-year-old designated hitter was testing out his left hamstring, which he tweaked in a game last Saturday.
Only a few minutes after the physical activity occurred, the Blue Jays announced Belt would be going to the 10-day injured list with left hamstring inflammation. According to Schneider, Belt was still feeling some lingering tightness when he hit and ran, so the club erred on the side of caution with Belt, who is coming off right knee surgery last year. A previous MRI showed no structural damage to his hamstring, so the team is hopeful his IL stint, which is retroactive to June 11, will be for the minimum.
Still, it’s a bad time to lose Belt’s bat from a lineup struggling to score, considering he’s been one of the team’s most consistent hitters over the last six weeks. Since May 1, he’s hitting .323/.452/.527 with 13 extra-base hits.
“Yeah,” Schneider said when asked if it was tough to lose Belt’s bat. “But you always want the best version of that person. So, I think just being fair and being a little bit cautious with him. It’s nice to write his name in there, but you want 100 percent of that person. We’ll miss him, for sure. Hopefully, it’s pretty quick.”
In Belt’s absence, the DH spot will get cycled around the team, the manager said. If Guerrero is DHing, Biggio will play first base.
(Photo: Greg Fiume / Getty Images)