It has been an excellent last week for the Toronto Blue Jays starting pitchers, and that continued tonight with José Berríos arguably making his best start this season, leading to the Jays sweeping the Los Angels Angels in a 9-2 win.
In 7.0 innings pitched tonight, Berríos allowed only four base runners on two hits, one hit-by-pitch, and a walk. One of the two hits the righty gave up was a home run to Matt Thaiss in the fifth inning.
Berríos has found success in three of his last four starts, managing to reduce the home runs he has allowed in his outings, which plagued him for a good chunk of the year. In those three starts previously mentioned, Berríos has only had two home runs.
Other than Chris Bassit’s seven-earned run outing against the Oakland Athletics last Sunday, Toronto’s starting pitching hasn’t given up more than two earned runs while pitching at least five innings eight times over the past week and a half.
Toronto’s offence certainly helped out the pitchers in this series, scoring 19 runs between three games.
Ernie Clement started the scoring, sending a breaking ball to the bullpen in left field for a two-run shot, his seventh home run of the season. Clement also hit a triple to begin the sixth inning, which was part of a four-hit series for the utility player.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three hits in tonight’s game and was a triple shy of the cycle. The first baseman brought home a run in the third off a single, followed by a double in the fifth, and finally, Guerrero Jr. blasted a two-run shot in the ninth for a three RBI performance. After losing his 22-game hitting streak on Sunday, Guerrero Jr. has six hits in 14 at-bats since then.
Daulton Varsho also collected three knocks and three RBIs. Varsho hit a three-run blast in the fifth inning.
Eight of the Blue Jay’s nine runs tonight came from Clement, Varsho, and Guerrero Jr. Toronto’s other run came from a Leo Jimenez sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Angels SP Tyler Anderson was charged with seven earned runs, the most he has given up all year. Despite his most recent start, Anderson’s 2024 season has been good for the Angels (3.30 ERA), making him a likely trade candidate during the offseason.
Los Angeles has now dropped five of their last six games after winning two straight series to both New York MLB teams (Mets and Yankees).
Toronto has an off day tomorrow and will head to Chicago to face the Cubs on Friday. The series opener could be a hitting parade for the Jays lineup, scheduled to go up against Chicago SP Kyle Hendricks. In 2024, Hendricks sports a 6.60 ERA and a high 1.45 WHIP. Toronto themselves will send SP Yariel Rodriguez to the mound.
