The Toronto Blue Jays looked to take three out of four as they wrapped up their series against the New York Yankees. But first, a trade was announced by the Blue Jays.
Toronto announced they had traded RHP Josh Mollerus in exchange for RHP Yerry Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers. Rodriguez, 26, was signed as an international free agent by the Rangers back in 2015 and made his big league debut on October 5, 2022 for the Rangers. Rodriguez made 12 relief appearances, finishing with a 1-0 record with a 6.88 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 17 innings to add to 26 total appearances in three seasons for the Rangers before being designated for assignment on Wednesday. Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo after being acquired on Sunday.
Mollerus, 24, was drafted in the 10th round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Blue Jays. In 2023, he made 11 relief appearances for the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays, pitching to a 1-0 record with a 3.38 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings. This year, Mollerus has pitched in 22 relief appearances for the High-A Vancouver Canadians, accumulating a 1-4 record with a 4.03 ERA to go along with four saves and 43 strikeouts in 29 innings.
Onto the game, this is one that Jays starter Kevin Gausman (6-6, 4.26) would like to forget. Gausman threw 4 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs on seven hits, walking five and striking out seven to take seventh loss of the year. For the Yankees, they sent Gerrit Cole (0-1, 9.00) to the mound. The 33 year old ace looked like himself in his third game back after returning from an elbow injury in Spring Training. Cole threw 5 innings, allowing just one run over three hits, walking one and striking out six to earn his first victory of the year.
The Yankees attacked Gausman and the Jays early, striking in the top of the 1st inning when Aaron Judge blasted a two run shot to take an early 2-0 lead.
The runs continued in the top of the 2nd when an RBI single from D.J. LaMahieu gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead. Juan Soto then drew a walk to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead.
The Blue Jays would score their first and only run in the bottom of the 3rd, when Justin Turner drove in Spencer Horwitz to cut the deficit to 4-1.
The Yankees responded by blowing the game open in the top of the 5th. LaMahieu drove in another run of his own with an RBI double to give the Yanks a 5-1 lead. Trent Grisham later doubled to drive in two, extending the Yankee lead to 7-1 and end Gausman’s night on the mound.
New York added another run when rookie Ben Rice gave the Yankees an 8-1 on an RBI double in the top of the 6th.
The score would remain the same as the Blue Jays dropped game four, 8-1, splitting the series with the division leading Yankees in a set of games that many did not think the Jays would be successful in.
The Blue Jays will start a three game series as they host the Houston Astros for Canada Day. Toronto will send Yariel Rodriguez (0-2, 5.94) to face Hunter Brown (5-5, 4.37) for Houston as they play tomorrow afternoon.
