The Toronto Blue Jays are experiencing their first real downtime of the season and will get a chance to get back on track in an important three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.
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Manager Charlie Montoyo’s side have suffered four straight losses, including the last two against the New York Yankees on Tuesday and Wednesday. With a record of 17-15, they are third in the American League East Division, two games behind their closest opponents.
Certainly, the euphoria of the first days of the regular schedule has evaporated. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his teammates have more trouble batting: In fact, the Jays left no fewer than 11 runners to rot on the trails in a 5-3 loss on Wednesday, a problem that needs to be solved quickly to allow for an even bigger league drop avoid.
And in the eyes of outfielder George Springer, it doesn’t take much for his people to regain their funds.
“It’s a tough sport,” he said, as reported by the Toronto Sun. When you’re not doing what you’d like to do as a team, especially on offense, you tend to rush things. However, I think if we can slow down some things a little bit and go back to the little things to just take a breather… we’ll end up where everyone wants to be.
Montoyo expects much better
When asked by journalists about his men’s fifth loss in six games, Montoyo said his sluggers needed to be a lot more opportunistic.
“We’re better than what we’re presenting now,” he said bluntly. We’ll be consistent, but we have to start scoring with players in goal position. That’s been the key lately. Everyone forces things more because nobody succeeds in doing what is necessary. Hopefully a guy has a good streak.”
Looking ahead to the Rays, the Toronto team will face a group of pitchers who amassed the 17th-highest earning running average in the major leagues, or 3.75, ahead of Thursday’s duels.