Two-trade Monday turned into a three-trade Tuesday, resulting in one of the most inferior lineups the Blue Jays have featured this season.
Get used to many more underwhelming lineups as the team picks up the pieces from a busy trade deadline that saw two trades being orchestrated when the team arrived in Baltimore for a doubleheader and three additional deals engineered in the hours leading up to Tuesday night’s first pitch, roughly 40 minutes after the MLB trade clock expired.
Chris Bassitt was on the mound for the Blue Jays, who trailed 4-0 after three innings and eventually lost 6-2 to the Orioles.
Lack of swing and miss led to an early outing for Bassitt, who went four innings, his shortest since Aug. 26 when the veteran right-hander went 2.2 innings against the visiting L.A. Dodgers.
Even a more dominant Bassitt would not have changed the outcome because Toronto’s lineup wasn’t exactly formidable, save for the presence of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
As lethal as Vlad Jr. has been, he can’t do it all by himself.
When he’s not going deep, the Jays are in deep trouble.
However, he was at the plate in a four-run game with runners at second and third and two outs in the seventh inning.
Vlad Jr. grounded out, and it was over and out for the Blue Jays.
George Springer, at DH, was batting leadoff followed by Daulton Varsho, with Vlad Jr. in his normal No. 3 hole.
Spencer Horwitz batted cleanup, even though he’s not suited for the role, but then again no one is other than Vlad Jr.
Then came Alejandro Kirk, Ernie Clement, Addison Barger, Leo Jimenez and finally Steward Berroa batting ninth.
Through four innings, the Blue Jays recorded only two hits and one run, as Orioles starter Corbin Burnes limited the Jays to two singles.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Barger went back to the wall in right field trying to track a ball hit by Anthony Santander. A more experienced outfielder would have caught the ball. Instead, it eluded Barger, with the ball hitting the top of the wall before it went into the seats for a home run to give Santander his 31st long ball of the season and second of the series.
With that home run, Baltimore extended its lead to 6-1. In their three games against the Blue Jays this week, the Orioles have hit a combined six homers.
A troublesome sign emerged when Kirk was hit by a pitch to his left elbow, and Brian Serven had to take over the catching duties.
One of the many off-season needs that simply must be addressed involves the catcher position in the wake of Danny Jansen’s trade to Boston.
Blue Jays reliever Jose Cuas loaded the bases by issuing three walks in the bottom of the seventh, the second and third walks coming with two out. Cuas escaped unscathed when he struck out Ryan Mountcastle for the third out.