(Toronto) Among the heartbreaking losses in the playoffs, the last one hurts more than the majority of the others for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Posted yesterday at 9:01 p.m.
With a seven-point lead and the backing of a raucous sold-out crowd, the Blue Jays’ Game 2 victory over the Seattle Mariners seemed all but assured.
The Mariners had other plans. They completed an unlikely comeback with two four-run sets before taking the lead in the ninth en route to a 10-9 victory.
Rather than preparing for a third and final game at the Rogers Center on Sunday, the Blue Jays will have to reflect on this painful loss that ended their playoff run.
“We fought hard, but it wasn’t enough,” Blue Jays stopper Jordan Romano said.
Two key moments emerged from Saturday’s collapse.
Tim Mayza relieved starter Kevin Gausman in the sixth inning and allowed a three-run homer for Carlos Santana.
Two innings later, JP Crawford hit a float ball to center field against Romano. Blue Jays outfielder George Springer and shortstop Bo Bichette collided for three runs.
Springer left the field in a cart while Bichette stayed in the game. Manager John Schneider said Springer was “doing fine,” but didn’t go into details about the injury.
The Blue Jays were swept in the first round of playoffs for the second time in three years.
“It’s frustrating, but it’s going to make us better and stronger,” receiver Danny Jansen said. We will go where we want to go. »
The Torontonians have won 92 games this season and they seemed to be at the right time before the playoffs. They went 22-11 down the stretch to secure the American’s first overall draft and home-court advantage going into the first round.
The Blue Jays couldn’t do anything against starter Luis Castillo in a 4-0 loss Friday in the first game. The sticks woke up in Game 2, but the Mariners responded by taking advantage of the relief misfires.
The Seattle squad became the third team in Major League history to erase a seven-point deficit before winning a playoff game. The Blue Jays may just be trying to extract positives.
“We learned how to navigate through a full season and how to play important games in September,” third baseman Matt Chapman said. There are many things we can be proud of. I hope we will use this as motivation to keep improving. »
The Blue Jays were among the favorites to win the World Series during spring camp. A shaky first half of the season cost manager Charlie Montoyo the job and Schneider replaced him on an interim basis.
A young core of players made up of ace Alek Manoah, who suffered the loss in Game 1, Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and others gained playoff experience in a losing cause.
However, expect more in 2023 and beyond for a team that is built to win right now.
General Manager Ross Atkins made a few trades at the deadline, but he didn’t push all the chips. The Mariners traded good prospects to the Cincinnati Reds for Castillo and it paid off.
The Blue Jays have the majority of their young players under contract. Ross Stripling, who emerged as a reliable starter following Hyun-Jin Ryu’s injury, is a notorious free agent.
Atkins must also make a decision about the future of Schneider, who put his mark on the team when he was promoted. He delivered very good results in the second half of the season before coming up short in the playoffs.
“My message going into the offseason is that as hard as it is right now, it’s going to make the group better,” Schneider insisted.
Next up for the Mariners will be a best-of-five series against the Houston Astros. It will start on Tuesday.
Since winning their AL Division Series in 2016, the Blue Jays have lost eight of their last nine playoff games.