Blue Jays edge Royals 8-5 for spot on October dance floor
AL East title is Jays next essential goal
What we saw in that raucously subdued Blue Jays, champagne and beer, clubhouse celebration on Sunday was the end of a long and grinding road. The bubbly had stayed on ice for two days. After winning the first two contests of their seven-game road trip back in Tampa, the Jays managed to lose the next four in a row to the Rays and Royals. They would have had this chance to pop champagne since Friday, but the pass-the-baton offence they had embraced all year, that defined this team, faltered badly. Fans panicked and some in the Rogers media machine felt compelled to manufacture excuses. But really, there was no reason to panic.
Finally, Sunday’s rollercoaster ride. Ahead 3-0 early, rookie phee-nom Trey Yesavage cruised entering the fourth inning allowing just one walk, but allowed a pair of runs, finally escaping with a one-run lead, leaving bases loaded with Royals. The Jays added three in the top of the fifth, but manager John Schneide allowed Yesavage to go back out after his struggle, a show of faith he often effects with starters as a reward for their effort. But as often happens with this Schneider strategy, the Royals began the fifth with back-to-back singles, bringing in erratic lefty reliever, Brendon Little.
After two more Royals runs in the fifth had narrowed the score to 6-4, Little was fortunate to escape on a vicious linedrive by Adam Frazier speared by Ernie Clement that he and Andres Gimenez turned into a double play. Little went back out for the sixth, allowing another run, leaving two Royals on base inherited by Seranthony Dominguez, who overpowered Bobby Witt Jr.
The Jays bullpen, following Little, combined for 3.1 shutout, one-hit innings, earning a win (Dominguez) and a save (Jeff Hoffman). Inside the clubhouse, post-game, manager Schneider reminded his troops of the long fight yet ahead to reach their ultimate goal, urged them to pop the corks, let loose a little and celebrate.
“This is the most fulfilling team I’ve ever been a part of,” Schneider told reporters in Kansas City, including Shi Davidi. “Different characters, different skillsets, guys coming together for one common goal. Which is important now and what it’s going to take to win.”
Which brings us to one lasting, late-game image, not seen this year. In the top of the ninth as Jeff Hoffman heated up in the pen…on the second mound was the recently ostracized ironman of the rotation, Jose Berrios, who will now be prevented from making 32 starts in a full season for the first time since 2017. It has been an unbelievable feat of which he has been extremely proud, but is now relegated to the bullpen for the final stand vs. Red Sox and Rays. He will finish with 30 starts.
Berrios vs. Bassitt
Was it necessary to embarrass the proud, loyal, 31-year-old veteran, Berrios, by already choosing 36-year-old Chris Bassitt over him as the team’s No. 4 starter in October and, clearly, preferring the 22-year-old Yesavage as the rotation’s next man up? Even on Saturday, as the injury announcement was made, with Bassitt heading to the 15-day IL with lower back inflammation, the not-so-subtle suggestion became that it was, in a shrewd way, using Monday’s scheduled off-day, to give Bassitt time off before they need him in a potential AL Division Series.
The top three in any playoff rotation (subject to change) are Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer. Bassitt would likely be a Game 4, with Yesavage looming. For some reason, over the past two months, there has been a concerted effort from Rogers media machine and even coaches and front office to pump the tires of the cerebral, emotional, oft unpredictable Bassitt and to downplay the accomplishments and any 2025 contributions of Berrios, who, remember, has been the ultimate warrior, never injured and forever pitching without complaint, every time he is handed the ball, since 2017. The perception being offered is of a failed, fading Berrios vs. a great clubhouse guy, in Bassitt, always giving you everything he’s got. What are the facts?
Facts on Bassitt: The interesting Jays righthander has not won a game since July 23 and over his last 10 starts since that date, the team is 2-8. We know that personal wins are no longer important, but team wins are what wins in October.
For the season, the Jays are 16-15 in Bassitt’s 31 starts. He has not logged more than 6.0 innings in a game since July 23. For the season, he is 11-9, 3.96 ERA, with 52 walks, 166 Ks and 22 homers in. 170.1 innings. Solid back end of rotation numbers.
Facts on Berrios: The intensely competitive Puerto Rican righthander has not pitched well, statistically, over the last two months, but here are some stats that should count for something. The Jays are 20-10 in Jose’s 30 starts in 2025 and are 8-2 in his last 10 starts since July 20. Over those last 10 starts, he is 4-1, 4.81 ERA. Back-end personal numbers, but 20 of the team’s 90 wins are with Berrios as starter.
Bassitt has recorded just three more outs than Berrios since July 20. Chris’s post-season experience is similar, with the A’s in the COVID season 2020 and with the Mets in 2022, accumulating 15.0 playoff innings. Over Jose’s playoff career, he has pitched four games in 2017-19-20-23, also working 15 innings.
Why it matters: To this MLB veteran, it seems a form of disrespect towards Berrios that his streak of seven straight 32 start full-seasons is being ended as a healthy scratch when it did not have to be that way and that he has dropped two spots in the pecking order. If there is a physical issue of which we have not been told, apologies.
People forget how important Berrios was as a prized and unexpected mid-season acquisition from the Twins in 2021, gladly showing his loyalty and belief in the direction of the franchise by signing an extension when few believed it possible.
Whereas Bassitt is a free agent after this season, Berrios has a deal through 2028. Jose has an opt-out after 2026 and decisions like moving him to the playoff bullpen, or worse, perhaps not even on the ALDS roster, may sway him to leave $48M on the table for 2027-28. This is not the first time his pride has been bruised by the Jays. We all remember his premature departure after just three innings in the wild-card round in Minnesota, his last trip to the playoffs. The baseball gods will watch with interest.
Another caveat is Kirk’s workload: Very quietly, there have been issues on offence that have lingered a little too long to be mere coincidence. Chief among these is the heavy workload being handled this year by catcher Alejandro Kirk and how it may be affecting his production.
In terms of starts behind the plate, the fireplug 26-year-old from Tijuana, Mexico has made a personal high 106 starts behind the plate, due in part to the absence of his former running mate, Danny Jansen, for the first time. Kirk since breaking in as a rookie, has increased his load every year. He made six starts as catcher in 2020, 40 in ’21, 74 in ’22, 84 in ’23 and 89 in ’24. That means Kirk has accumulated 17 more starts behind the dish this year than he has made in any previous season.
Effects? In Alejandro’s last 17 games, the Jays are 7-7 in 14 starts as catcher. He has gone 10-for-54-.185, with one homer, four RBIs and a .548 OPS. His caught stealing percentage throwing runners out has dropped below MLB average to 20.7%. Fatigue?
Kirk’s batting average reached its peak in May and June, but has dropped steadily in July and August. Now in September, Kirk is batting .200, with a .588 OPS.
Magic Numbers: Winning the East is the Jays’ biggest goal. All AL teams, heading to Monday, have six games remaining. The Jays magic number vs. the Red Sox is down to 3, with Sunday night’s decision not included. The Jays can take care of Boston head-to-head at Rogers Centre. But, to beat the Yankees, who have the easiest schedule the rest of the way, the Jays magic number to clinch the division and, more than likely, a first-round bye is 5. For the Bombers to beat the Jays, their magic number is 9.