TORONTO – On a day Steve Pearce got some rest, Roberto Osuna finally got some work. There isn’t a direct cause and effect there, but the experiences of both men in recent days underlines how the Toronto Blue Jays’ recent struggles can push different elements of the team out of sync.
Some relief arrived Wednesday night with a 3-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox, just their third of the young season. Osuna, who hadn’t pitched since Saturday, collected his first save during only his third appearance, the sparse usage only partly attributable to his DL stint to open the year.
Though he’s been up and warming on a regular basis due to the number of close games the Blue Jays have played, manager John Gibbons kept holding back his closer to protect leads the slumping offence usually hasn’t provided. The end result meant both Osuna and setup man Jason Grilli, who hadn’t pitched since Friday, were going to pitch Wednesday, no matter the situation.
As it turned out, the Blue Jays managed to give them a game to close out which they did, Osuna’s work between outings helping him be ready when called upon.
“I try to play catch a little more, work on things like my slider, my change-up to keep them sharp. Now, I’m working on my fastball,” he said before allowing a hit with a strikeout in a crisp ninth. “I’m working with (pitching coach) Pete Walker and (bullpen coach) Dane Johnson who are doing a great job, anytime we play catch we do it with a purpose, so it helps me a lot.”
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The lack of work comes at an inopportune time for Osuna, who missed the season’s first week with neck tightness. In a sense he’s still building up his arm strength after a spring training truncated by injury followed his trip to the World Baseball Classic, which is why “I feel like I need to throw more often right now so I can get my confidence back, something to make me feel good … to feel that emotion again.”
If the Blue Jays were scoring more often, of course, the Blue Jays might be concerned with Osuna’s overuse rather than his underuse. Instead, as the offence continues to slowly emerge from its April hibernation, slumping hitters like Pearce keep working to find their level.
His rest Wednesday was a matchup decision against Rick Porcello, but the break was also well timed. In the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 8-7 loss to Boston, Pearce ripped a line drive single that drove in his first run of the season.
Before that hit, he was mired in a 2-for-31 rut that dated back to him going 3-for-5 on opening day. Pearce joked about watching a monkey jump off his back as he reached first base with a look of relief.
“I forgot what it felt like, it’s been a while,” said Pearce. “That’s what makes this game so great, one day you can be up here, the next day you’re down there. You have to be able to wait out that storm and then ride the wave as long as possible and try to get right.”
The storm for the Blue Jays has certainly been extended one, and at 3-11 after Wednesday’s win, an arduous path back to contention lies ahead. Worth remembering is that in 1989 the Blue Jays were 12-24 on May 14 but closed out the season 77-49 to win the American League East.
“It’s going to take a hell of an effort, that’s for sure,” said Gibbons. “But I don’t see why we couldn’t do it.”
They’ll need plenty more efforts like the one they got in victory No. 3, when a two-run single by Darwin Barney and an RBI single by Ezequiel Carrera was enough for
starter Francisco Liriano and the Big 3 relief unit of Joe Biagini, Grilli and Osuna, closing out a win together for the first time this year.
And while Kevin Pillar continued to make himself at home at the leadoff spot, the Blue Jays are still waiting for Jose Bautista (now in an 0-for-12 skid), Russell Martin, Devon Travis and Pearce to get going.
“Pearcy’s going to hit. He’s going to hit some home runs, he’s going to slug it out for us pretty good,” said Gibbons. “Sometimes you get in a rut, you’ve got to swing your way out of it.”
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Pearce is certainly hoping the line drive Tuesday is a springboard to some better results at the plate, although keeping it going will be tough with Chris Sale on tap Thursday.
At least he’ll go into that outing without the agonizing navel-gazing that’s been his constant companion.
“It’s hard to place it and figure out what’s going on,” said Pearce. “There are certain tendencies that you can do right and still not get the result. I feel like I’m in a good spot but at the same time I’m not getting the results so it’s frustrating. It’s very tough to trust the process. You do everything right, you stay within yourself and then you still foul balls off, you get behind 8-ball behind in the count, trying to grind.
“It ain’t going my way right now.”
Compounding matters is that the Blue Jays have been so desperate for offence, a need that’s seeped into the batter’s box.
“Sure, I’ve definitely stepped out of my comfort zone a couple of times, just trying to do way too much,” he said. “My teammates have been great – they’re pulling for me just like I’m pulling for them. I can hear them from the dugout, pulling for me. In order to get this engine running, we need everybody firing and right now we’re not doing it.”
They fired just enough Wednesday night to give Osuna a game to close, something he did with aplomb, sitting 96 m.p.h. with his fastball and topping out at 97. One twist was that he switched up his trademark walkout song, “Don’t Panic” by French Montana, for “Bounce Back” by Big Sean.
Osuna doesn’t expect to stick with it, but for one night, both for the closer and his team, it certainly was appropriate.
