The Toronto Blue Jays’ lack of offence has been the same old talking point all season, and now for the second straight game against the Detroit Tigers, the team couldn’t muster up more than two runs, as Toronto lost 2-1.
Toronto started the game behind early, despite José Berríos doing all he could for the Jays, going seven innings and striking out five. His only big mistake came with a runner on and two outs in the first, as Kerry Carpenter hit a changeup thrown in the middle of the zone by Berríos, putting the Tigers up early, 2-0.
Carpenter has been showing off his power in this series, hitting two home runs now against Toronto, and is currently second on Detroit, with 8 home runs on the year.
The home run by Carpenter was the only two earned runs Berríos allowed in the start., which is the ninth time the RHP has given up two runs or less this season.
Tigers SP Reese Olson has been stellar for Detroit up to this point, ranking fourth in the American League for qualified starters ERA (2.16) and 20th in MLB for WHIP (1.05).
Olson didn’t have his best stuff, as the Jays had two runners on in the third and the bases loaded in the fifth, but the righty escaped both jams, as Jays DH Justin Turner couldn’t come through with a hit in both situations.
Even though Turner was put in the two-hole for today’s game, he’s now just hitting .113 with a .308 OPS in May.
In his start against Toronto, Olson went 6 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run and striking out three. Olson’s ERA has now lowered to 1.92 and could be in serious contention for the AL CY Young Award if he continues this trend.
His only earned run of the game came after Davis Schneider put the Jays on the board, doubling off Tigers RP Alex Faedo to score Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who was already on base while Olson was pitching.
Danny Jansen tried to be the hero for the Blue Jays like he has been all season, pinch-hitting in the bottom of the ninth with the tying run on third, but he struck out to end the game. Even if Jansen can only DH some days, it would be a good idea for the Jays to use the Catcher as much as possible.
Jansen is the only Blue Jay to have an OPS above .800 (1.016), as Toronto has nine hitters currently below league average in OPS (.700).
Tomorrow’s series finale will see Blue Jays SP Yusei Kikuchi (2-4, 2.64) face Tigers SP Casey Mize (1-3, 4.57). If the Tigers win against the Jays on Sunday, it would be their first series win against Toronto since 2021.
