Well, the Blue Jays are playing some good baseball again. Aaron Sanchez was phenomenal, going six and two thirds while giving up no runs on seven hits and two walks and striking out six. The offense was silent early on, but scored seven runs in the fifth through seventh innings on the strength of 12 hits. What’s most impressive and really shows that the team could be turning a corner offensively is that although they had those 12 hits throughout the game, they only struck out three times. Earlier in the season that number was frequently in double digits, so for it to remain in the low single digits is a nice sign.
The bullpen, featuring the newly acquired Jason Grilli, finished the Yankees off and threw two and a third perfect innings. Grilli had help from Aaron Loup and Ryan Tepera. With an off day tomorrow, and limited action this week, Roberto Osuna and Joe Biagini should be ready to pitch when needed against the Red Sox this weekend.
Top Play of the Game by WPA
With the score tied at zero for the first four and a half innings, this game looked like it was going to be a pitchers duel. But after Darwin Barney singled and advanced to second on a Jose Bautista groundout, Josh Donaldson hit a line ball to right field that opened the scoring. Donaldson was thrown out trying to make it to second base on the cutoff, but the play still increased the Blue Jays’ chances of winning by 8.2 percentage points.
Bottom Play of the Game by WPA
Down 2-0 in the top of the seventh inning, the Yankees put runners on first and second with one out. Brett Gardner would fly out though, decreasing the Yankees’ win probability by 7.2 percentage points.
Aaron Sanchez’s Curveball
It seems silly now that there was ever a debate about where Aaron Sanchez’s future was – in the bullpen or the rotation – because Sanchez has developed into a pitcher with a full arsenal of pitches. His curve has seen the biggest step forward this season, becoming almost untouchable at this point. Of Sanchez’s six strikeouts tonight, four of them came on the curveball. With a power fastball that primarily generates groundballs, Sanchez needed another pitch to help him strike batters out. The curveball has become that pitch.
This curveball from Sanchez to strike out Gregorius is a thing of beauty. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/cAThV7KOCZ
— Roman (@BadNewsJays) June 2, 2016
Trend to Watch
Darwin Barney is very hot right now. So hot, in fact, that he is hitting .344, and it is June 1st. His BABIP sits at a sky high .397, so regression is to be expected, but as we saw with Chris Colabello in 2015, there is a chance this lasts for a little while longer before he falls back down to earth. The Blue Jays will take it, that’s guaranteed.
Up Next
The streaking Blue Jays, winners of 10 of their last 13 games, head to Boston on Friday night to face the Red Sox for three games. In game one of the series, R.A. Dickey (2-6, 4.64) will face David Price (7-1, 5.11). This will be Dickey’s fourth time facing the Red Sox in 2016, and Price’s third time against the Blue Jays. In 15 innings pitched, Dickey has allowed 11 runs while facing Boston, while Price has given up four earned runs in 13 1/3 innings pitched.
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