TORONTO — Between the half dozen Budweisers he stuffed into his shirt and the bottle of Veuve Clicquot Brut he was pouring on his teammates heads, it was difficult to pin down Ezequiel Carrera after the Toronto Blue Jays swept the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series.
It was the third champagne spraying celebration for the Blue Jays this October — just 10 days from clinching a spot in the AL wild card to earning their second straight appearance in the ALCS. The 29-year-old Venezuelan journeyman had earned his hangover in each of them.
Fans have noticed. Chants of “ZEKE! ZEKE! ZEKE!” reign down from the Rogers Centre every time Carrera steps to the plate. Heading into Sunday’s game, Carrera had an OPS of 1.159 in the ALDS.
“It feels great,” Carrera says, when finally pulled aside in the Blue Jays clubhouse. He wore his ALDS champions shirt with the word RESPECT written across it, and ski goggles on his head while clutching a near empty bottle of champagne in the Blue Jays locker room. “Because all of the hard work I’ve put in all year and now to everybody (is) cheering my name.”
With all of the huge moments so far in the Blue Jays post-season, Carrera has been there contributing the small ones that set up the thrills. As long he’s clutching the champagne he intends to stick in the role that’s getting him there. “I just try to do my job and get on base for the next guys,” he says.
In Sunday’s thrilling 7-6 walk-off win over the Rangers in 10 innings, Carrera continued to come up huge in the leadoff position. He opened the bottom of the first with a single to centre field, setting up a two-run shot from Edwin Encarnacion. Then he led off the third with another single, and stole second base to put himself in position to score when Josh Donaldson followed up with a ground rule double. He was at bat when Rangers pitcher Keone Kela threw a wild pitch that allowed Troy Tulowitzki to rush home from third and tie the game at six in the bottom of the sixth.
“He’s been outstanding,” says Jose Bautista. “To come from a part-time role and take over like he’s been doing. To consistently have good at-bats and play hard — it’s outstanding. Everybody knows what he can do on defence and running the bases, but he’s been able to contribute a lot.”
Carrera made his first ever start in the playoffs in the wild-card game against the Baltimore Orioles. In that game he hit a single that drove in the tying run in the fifth, which would eventually allow Encarnacion to hit his game-winning three-run blast in the bottom of the 11th.
He opened the ALDS with a couple of walks, going 1-for-3, and scoring a run. The second game against Texas he hit a solo home run batting in the leadoff spot, with Devon Travis out with a knee injury.
“We don’t win these games without him,” says Travis, who gave Carrera a hug after the game. “That’s what I told him — without him we’re not here. Anytime he gets called upon he’s always there.”
Carrera has quietly been an important part of the Blue Jays success throughout the season, stepping in as a utility outfielder when needed and being a consistent presence at the plate.
“He’s the unheralded hero,” says Michael Saunders, who played the DH role on Sunday night while Carrera played left field. “He’s a spark plug at the top of our lineup. It’s not just his hits, he’s had good at-bats. That stolen base there as well. This team is notorious for hitting home runs. It’s nice to have a little speed at the top.”
While big moments belong to Encarnacion, Donaldson and Bautista, it’s players like Carrera that quietly give a franchise what it needs to be a champion, said Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins. It’s what he thinks could carry them through the ALCS.
“I think it’s what separates a team,” he said. “If you have individual performances, that can carry you to a certain point. But you’re going to need a collective to win a championship.”
