Jays have left final fight for Fenway
The Blue Jays’ final weekend at Fenway Park, at the time it was originally scheduled, was considered a potential showdown, a headto-head match-up with post-season repercussions. As it turns out, the Red Sox and Jays do indeed have something to play for, but one team’s goal has nothing to do with the other’s.
The Jays should have clinched a wild-card spot already, but instead will head to the weekend trying to earn either a hosting role on Tuesday or the disappointing second wild-card spot, where they would have to travel to a hostile park rather than play in front of 47,000 raucous Rogers Centre supporters.
The Red Sox, on the other hand, have clinched the AL East and will have no hate on when they look into the Jays dugout across the diamond this weekend. The only thing not decided for the Sox is the best AL record.
The Red Sox, Texas and Cleveland all have a chance to be the No. 1 seed and earn home-field advantage throughout the post-season, though mostly the Sox and Rangers. That, of course, includes the World Series, because the AL won the all-star game. If the season was to end now, the Rangers would play the winner of an Orioles/Blue Jays wild-card game, while the Sox and Indians would play the other division series.
But if the Sox pass the Rangers for first overall, they would play the wild-card winner. The question becomes does Boston want the Indians at home or would they rather have five games against the wild-card winner. That could determine the Red Sox’s pitching plans and the way they handle days of rest for their position players. In any case, the Jays have desperation on their side.
The Jays really have no one to blame but themselves — and their bullpen —for taking the drama down to the final three games. Heading into Thursday’s series finale against the O’s, over their previous nine games beginning with Game 1 at Safeco Field in Vancouver-South, the Jays had allowed a total of 20 runs, and 14 of those had been scored in the eighth inning or later. Unacceptable.
Three times in four days this week, the bullpen lost a lead in the ninth inning. One time they rallied to win. Championships in the past decade have been built around deep, reliable bullpens. The World Serieswinning Cardinals, the Giants and the Royals come to mind. These Jays will not be thought of in that group.
But what is it that has separated the 2016 Red Sox from the Blue Jays in the second half? In fact, what is it that has separated the first-place Red Sox from last season’s last-place Red Sox? It’s not just the signing of David Price to be the starting ace that has made the difference. Yes, Price gave the Sox rotation legitimacy and was an easy lightning rod for national attention, but in the mean- time there was the ascension of right-hander Rick Porcello to a level he was always expected to climb to, as a dominating 20-game winner, plus the surprising contribution of knuckleballer Steven Wright, a 13-game winner but injured now.
The trio of Price, Porcello and Wright is a combined 52-19, while the rest of the pitching staff, entering Thursday’s action, was 40-47. Yeah, yeah, we know wins for pitchers don’t mean much anymore, but for a first-place team they do.
As for the position players, it’s not just the emergence of the youngsters like right fielder Mookie Betts, centre fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and shortstop Xander Bogaerts, plus the second-half contributions of catcher Sandy Leon. The veteran players have discovered a fountain of youth at the same time.
There’s the obviously magical final season of designated hitter David Ortiz, plus the second wind of second baseman Dustin Pedroia and the comfort level and clutch-hitting of once-reviled shortstop-turned-outfielder-turned first baseman Hanley Ramirez.
As for the all-important dominant bullpen factor, if a 21st-century team expects to make a long run in the post-season, the Red Sox have the late-game pieces in place to dominate in October. In addition to closer Craig Kimbrel — Jose Bautista once said hitting off him was like trying to hit 100-mile-per-hour fastballs out of a hole in the wall — manager John Farrell has former closer Koji Uehara, plus a squad of late-20s flame-throwers for middle innings.
As for the Jays, the starting rotation has been awesome, catching a second wind in August that shows no sign of dissipating. But the ability to lead low-scoring games through seven innings won’t do it in the playoffs. You need some late-inning swagger trotting in from the bullpen to close the eighth and ninth.
Jays closer Roberto Osuna, after blowing Wednesday’s save, shrugged and said these things happen to every team. Tell that to Baltimore’s Zach Britton, 47-for-47 in save situations through Wednesday. The Jays’ relievers have lost it at an important moment and if they don’t find it, any run will soon be over.