TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays can breathe a little easier after beating the New York Yankees Sunday, and not only because they’re within 0.5 games of first place in the AL East.
Drew Hutchison pitched well for the second consecutive start, quieting — though certainly not eliminating — questions about his effectiveness. By holding one of baseball’s top lineups to one earned run on three hits in 6.2 innings, Hutchison turned in one of his best outings of a challenging season.
Losing a series to a division rival always hurts, but big picture the Blue Jays remain well-positioned after a 3-1 win in front of a sellout crowd of 46,792 Sunday. The AL East is within their grasp, and though we clearly underestimated the Yankees entering the season, they’re flawed, too. Even setting aside the division, the Blue Jays are now the top AL Wild Card team thanks to the 11-game win streak that ended Friday.
These days Rogers Centre has a distinctly different feel.
“It’s awesome. I’ve never experienced anything like that.” Jose Bautista said. “We really get to feel that energy from the crowd and how into the games they’ve been getting lately. I’m not going to complain about that. It’s been awesome and we feel the support.”
Still, as the Yankees series showed, the Blue Jays do have issues to address in the 43 games remaining. With Troy Tulowitzki, Ben Revere and Russell Martin all scuffling at the plate, their lineup doesn’t look quite as scary as usual.
And even though Hutchison has pitched well of late, commanding his fastball and relying heavily on an effective change-up, GM Alex Anthopoulos has monitored the trade market for rotation help and discussed bringing Marcus Stroman back as a starter. A good week doesn’t change the fact that Hutchison has struggled for much of the season, as reflected by a 5.06 ERA that ranks fourth-last among qualified MLB starters.
Then again, criticism is nothing new for Hutchison. He says he tunes it out.
“When it comes to things that are out of my control, I don’t pay any attention to that and I’m not going to talk about it. I’m focused on what I can control,” he said. “Whenever I’m given the ball I’m going to try to go out there and give an effort like I did today.”
With three of the next eight days off, the Blue Jays have the option of skipping Hutchison’s next start and resting him until Aug. 28. There’s a case to be made for relying on four starters, but if the Blue Jays have decided on a plan they aren’t sharing it just yet.
“We’re not sure how that’s going to work out,” manager John Gibbons said.
One way or another, the Blue Jays will need Hutchison down the stretch. That’s why Sunday’s start was big for the Blue Jays. If he can build on these last two outings, Toronto’s rotation will be in the best shape it’s been in all season.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays decided to take advantage of the upcoming off days and trim their bullpen from eight relievers to seven, optioning Aaron Loup to triple-A Buffalo. Pitching regularly for the Bisons will allow Loup to get work in and tune up for September, when rosters expand.
“He’s been the forgotten man down there,” Gibbons said. “That’s just the way it is. We picked up a couple guys (at the trade deadline) and he’s had his struggles this year. The tough part about it is he’s really been one of the go-to guys the last couple of years.”
The club could use an extra outfielder, so the recently-acquired Chris Heisey and prospect Dalton Pompey could earn consideration for a call-up.
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The Blue Jays got just enough offence Sunday thanks to a two-run home run from Bautista and some help from the Yankees. Carlos Beltran, who hit home runs in big spots Friday and Saturday, lost a fly ball in the sun to start a third-inning rally, and Tulowitzki got a welcome break when the play was scored a double.
“It’s one of those things that you just keep on working, showing up to work every day, putting in work and hoping that pays off,” the shortstop said Sunday morning. “These pitchers that we’ve run into have been real good and on top of their game.”
The same can now be said of the Blue Jays, whose pitchers entered play Sunday with an AL-best 2.49 ERA in the second half. They improved on that mark Sunday thanks to Hutchison’s excellent outing and some strong relief pitching from Brett Cecil, Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna.
The win capped off a day that saw the Blue Jays honour the 1985 team that won the first division title in franchise history. Seeing the likes of George Bell, Jesse Barfield and Lloyd Moseby on the field generated a strong response from fans and players alike.
“Fans love talking about a year like ’85 and the World Series years,” Bautista said. “Hopefully I can — we all can — create some memories like that for us to enjoy later on when we’re retired.”
Could Bautista’s Blue Jays be worthy of commemorating 30 years from now?
“I’m hoping,” he said. “I’m hoping 2015 will be one to remember.”
In recent weeks that possibility has become increasingly real for the Blue Jays.