The Toronto Blue Jays continue their preparations for the 2023 season and appear to be in good shape, especially after beating the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 on Wednesday and earning a second straight win in exhibition games.
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Manager John Schneider’s roster is 15-11 on the MLB preseason roster and his pitchers are looking good. Even if Kevin Gausman, who was persistent against the Detroit Tigers on Monday, hasn’t conceded a single deserved run so far, his teammate Jose Berrios is also solid. Against the Orioles, he allowed one run in five innings and picked up a second win in as many decisions; his ERA in camp is 2.70.
Bo Bichette is also ready to start hostilities because he slammed a homer for his team on the first round of batting. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a single in three record appearances. Quebec’s Otto Lopez made a brief cameo appearance replacing Cavan Biggio at second base in the upper range of the ninth inning.
Jordan Romano also made his first save of the preseason phase.
On Thursday, the Jays travel to the Minnesota Twins’ practice complex for another Grapefruit League matchup.
A game without points
In Jupiter, the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins have shared Roger Dean Stadium for their spring prep for two decades. No bickering among the fans on Wednesday as the two sides parted ways in a 0-0 duel.
In the enclosure that also served as a training ground for the Montreal Expos, the pitchers were solid on each side. Trevor Rogers ended his five-inning start for the Marlins with four strikeouts and three hits allowed. His opposite number Jordan Montgomery also gave six strikes for safety in five innings.
It was the defensive plays that enlivened this encounter. Cardinals third baseman Taylor Motter stood out late in the first inning with a spectacular fly ball catch from Luis Arraez. The veteran with long blond hair shot over the protective cover near the line to take out his opponent. Some fans saw the player up close.
In the Grapefruit League, the Cards (14-6) have the best record while the Marlins (6-15) are dead last.