Jays give struggling Hernandez day off
TORONTO Read what you will into the muted words of manager John Gibbons as he talked about giving struggling left fielder Teoscar Hernandez the afternoon off on Wednesday, but it certainly wasn’t just to give him a rest.
Hernandez, of course, has been an adventure bordering on a disaster in left field, after making an error that led to two runs in a 5-0 loss to the Twins on Tuesday night. The previous night he misplayed two other balls in left and it would appear he’s battling a confidence issue.
“I’m not punishing him, by any means, but he’s got to be better out there,” Gibbons said of Hernandez, who was acquired from the Houston Astros for pitcher Francisco Liriano at last year’s trade deadline.
“Teo and I have talked a number of times. He feels bad. Anybody who boots a ball that leads to some runs in a scoreless game … that wears on anybody. They take it personally. They don’t want that to happen. They all feel bad.”
Gibbons suggested that Hernandez is struggling mentally as he works to establish himself as a solid two-way player. The manager said he was looking to get some playing time for Dwight Smith Jr., but off days have been rare for Hernandez, especially since Kevin Pillar was injured.
HOMETOWN HERO?
Gibbons wouldn’t commit to it yet, but there’s a good chance Jays rookie Ryan Borucki will get a start this weekend in his hometown.
The Chicago native grew up a White Sox fan and the Jays open a three-game series on the South Side on Friday. Marco Estrada is in line for Sunday ’s start, but after leaving a game with Buffalo early on Tuesday due to a blister, he may need another day.
CENTURY CLUB
The Jays blitzed through their 100th game of the season during this series, hitting the mark at 46 wins.
Some perspective? The most recent comparison dates back to last season, when the team had the same record.