JAYS POST MUCH-NEEDED VICTORY
Grichuk, Hernandez pick up slack against Mariners as Springer nurses ankle sprain
Randal Grichuk's timing to flash some of the power that had gone missing in recent weeks was as good as it comes.
With George Springer sidelined for an undisclosed stint due to an ankle sprain, Grichuk returned to his former home in centre field on Sunday afternoon.
But would he bring his bat with him to Seattle's T-Mobile Park?
The answer was delivered in the second inning when Grichuk powered a shot over the left-field wall at T-Mobile Park as the Jays offence returned to form for an afternoon and a somewhat critical, stop-the-bleeding 8-3 win over the Mariners.
Production from Grichuk will be important for the Jays and will escalate depending on how long Springer remains out of the lineup. A streaky hitter throughout his career, the outfielder had been battling of late, which made Sunday's blast even more welcome.
When it comes to streaks, however, it has been all hot for Teoscar Hernandez, who has been putting on a show since his first all-star appearance last month.
Hernandez matched his three hits from Saturday with three more in the matinee, including a homer three batters before Grichuk. Both Jays reached the 20homer mark with their respective blasts, becoming the fourth and fifth in the lineup to do so.
The outburst at the plate was a much-needed one for the Jays as it led to a stress-free win that snapped a three-game losing streak and denied the Mariners the opportunity to sweep the three-game weekend series.
“It's big for us to score runs and keep adding,” said manager Charlie Montoyo, who has seen too many leads squandered by his bullpen this season.
Also noteworthy was the offence clicking back into form despite the absence of Springer, who has clearly provided a measurable boost to the order over the past month.
“Right now we're confident that we'll have him back in Washington (where the Jays play the first of two on Tuesday),” Hernandez said. “That's good for the team and we can keep rolling.
The Jays rightfully won't place too much emphasis on one game, but given the calamity that had followed them early in the nine-game road trip, this one felt heavier in importance.
With most of the teams the Jays are chasing refusing to lose on a regular basis, the Jays could ill afford an extended losing streak. Furthermore, a loss on Sunday would have seen the Jays dip below the Mariners among wild-card contenders.
And Montoyo admitted that the series finale carried a little more juice given the recent scuffles. With an off day on Monday prior to a pair of games against the Nationals in D.C., the Jays, who are 3-4 on the trip so far, can still salvage a winning record on the nine-game trip.
“It was the team rebounding from tough losses,” Montoyo said. “I think it was a huge win. The team came to win a game and they did.
“Coming to the West Coast for a long time, a lot of times, by the time the road trip is over, it;s `OK, we're ready to go home.' We could have done that ... but the team battled. It was a big win for us.”
SPRINGING FORWARD
The immediate future of Springer will unfold over the coming week but with off days Monday and Thursday, the Jays will have the opportunity to be cautious with the outfielder's ankle sprain before deciding on his return.
The good news, initially anyway, was the injury appears to be less serious than it seemed at the time Springer crashed hard into the left-field wall on Saturday night. The veteran was in some serious pain but eventually hobbled off the field on his own. X-rays came back negative.
Springer was seen in the dugout during Sunday's game and depending on the recovery process could be available for pinch-hitting duties in Washington depending on the recovery. The team got more good news on Sunday when it was determined that further imaging wouldn't be necessary.
“It was good improvement,” Montoyo said. “With a day off tomorrow, he'll get more treatment and we'll see how he is on Tuesday or Wednesday.”
GAME ON
It was a rocky first inning for Jays starter Steven Matz as the Toronto starter had two wild pitches and a passed ball (thanks to catcher Alejandro Kirk). The M's were held to just one run, however, as the damage was limited ... Matz's only three-up, three-down inning was his last — the fifth — as his pitch count had already reached 94 ... The Jays' third homer of the game came in the seventh, a solo shot from Corey Dickerson, his first round-tripper with his new team ... Marcus Semien made it four out of the park with a solo shot, his 27th, in the ninth ... It was a mixed outing for the beleaguered Jays bullpen. Brad Hand had an improved outing, striking out two of the three batters he faced, but Adam Cimber allowed a two-run homer to Kyle Seager in the eighth, which pulled the Mariners to within four runs ... It was a rough day at the plate for the Jays' Bo Bichette, who struck out no less than five times, becoming the eighth player in the big leagues to do so this season ... The Jays have five players with at least 70 RBI, the most in the majors — Vlad Guerrero Jr., Bichette, Grichuk, Hernandez and Semien.