When they most recently played at Rogers Centre, the Blue Jays wrapped up a 3-5 homestand with a 5-3 loss to the Houston Astros for Toronto’s 12th defeat in its previous 14 games.
The setback dropped the Jays nine games under .500, a season-worst for a club that has experienced far more lows than highs.
“We all know and understand that we should be better and we can be better,” George Springer remarked following the loss to the Astros, his former team. “But you don’t want to try to get it all back at once.
“You’ve got to keep going and see what happens. Our team has a job to do and that’s to play to the best of our abilities and not really be concerned about what lies ahead.
“The best thing for me, for us, for everybody, is to concentrate on the day, hopefully learn something, whether it’s good, bad or indifferent and when it comes to the future and next year, hopefully we’re in a much better position.”
The Jays are now home following baseball’s all-streak break and not much, in plain terms, has changed.
Following the loss to Houston, the Jays flew out west to begin a nine-game stretch.
It would begin with a 2-1 loss in Seattle as the Jays fell 10 games under .500.
The trip would end with an 8-7 win in Arizona to cap off a respectable 5-4 sojourn that could have been better had Toronto’s bullpen pitched well and had the team’s offence scored more runs.
Home, as they say, is where the heart is, but in the case of the Jays this homestand, is an occasion for fans to witness in person the end of the road for a handful of players in a Blue Jays uniform.
Baseball’s unofficial second half begins as the Jays will be home for a nine-game stretch against the Tigers, Tampa and Texas. When the Jays visit Baltimore following the homestand, it will coincide with baseball’s July 30 trade deadline.
Once the clock ticks at 6 p.m. ET that day, trades no longer will be permitted, though players may still be placed and claimed on waivers.
Springer has had a resurgence following a prolonged stretch of futility and frustration, a run of quality at-bats befitting of a leadoff hitter.
His continued play in right field speaks to his ability, while his unwavering work ethic underscores his professionalism.
Spencer Horwitz has flourished in his expanded role and it’s clear the Jays must have him in the everyday lineup, regardless of what moves are made in the weeks leading up to trade deadline day.
Playing out the string is one thing, but the Jays are in a position where they have to audition as many players as they can as they look to next season knowing this campaign is over — even if the math says there’s the slimmest of chances.
At 44-52, the Jays sit 9.5 games back of the third and final wild-card slot, in which 53-42 Boston resides.
The post-mortem on the 2024 Blue Jays began months ago, when everyone with even the slightest of baseball acumen knew this lineup was simply not good enough, compounded by a bullpen that has been depleted in the wake of injuries or poor performances.
Starting pitching has shown signs of regression after too much was being asked to compensate for a lacklustre offence.
In his final start before the break, Jose Berrios failed to strike out a single batter. As such, he is one pitcher worth monitoring as the unofficial second half begins.
Yariel Rodriguez is another worth following, one of the potential building blocks moving forward if he’s able to build on his past few starts when the Cuban right-hander looked the part of a big-league pitcher.
Veterans such as Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman are under team control beyond this season, but each would make a contending team look even better if the right trade package is presented to the Blue Jays — who should be and must be open for business.
Pending free agent Yusei Kikuchi didn’t look good in his final start before the all-star break.
Kevin Kiermaier, in contrast, did look like his former self by hitting a grand slam against the Diamondbacks, while recording the game’s final out.
It wouldn’t surprise anyone if the veteran gets dealt during the Jays’ homestand after the club placed Kiermaier on revocable waivers when the team was in San Francisco.
Another veteran potentially on the move is Justin Turner. Like Turner, Danny Jansen was on the paternity list and, also like Turner, Jansen is a pending free agent.
With so many moving pieces, the atmosphere surrounding the Jays’ nine-game homestand may at times be unsettling, perhaps nostalgic with fans aware of the team’s predicament amid the uncertainty associated with a looming trade deadline.
At this stage, wins and losses become inconsequential.
Of consequence is Horwitz’s continued evaluation, allowing Steward Berroa (who made his MLB debut in Arizona) to get an extended run, getting as many at-bats as possible for Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement, and allowing Leo Jimenez to play as often as he can.
Addison Barger, who has been called up twice this season, may even be given a third shot.
Trades await with the hope of acquiring prospects to bolster a thin farm system.
Maybe Orelvis Martinez gets a look once his 80-game suspension is lifted. Technically, the team’s No. 1 hitting prospect, who violated MLB’s PED policy, is eligible to return in late September.
For now, it’s not clear if the Jays would even want to bring him back for the final six games of the season when the Jays will be home against Boston and Miami.
Clearly, the Jays need to know what they have in Brendon Little and Ryan Burr, who have acquitted themselves well when summoned from the pen. There’s also the ongoing assessment of Nate Pearson and Zach Pop.
No one expects Jordan Romano (elbow) to return this year while everyone is expecting Yimi Garcia and Trevor Richards to be traded.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, one of, if not the biggest first-half surprises, isn’t expected to return from his knee setback during the team’s coming homestand.
Bo Bichette’s calf issue should be cleared up, but his long-term future in Toronto is very much clouded in uncertainty.
The same could be said about Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the team’s lone representative at all-star weekend, who once again expressed his desire to stay in Toronto.
At the same time, he acknowledged the business of baseball, a basic reality in pro sports Bichette also fully grasps.
While baseball is back in town, several players will be heading out of town in the next few weeks.