Errors doom Buehrle in Game 162
Jays’ starter loses bid for 200 innings after giving up eight unearned runs
The Blue Jays’ regular season ended with a whimper and an undercurrent of controversy as they head for the playoffs for the first since in 22 years.
But Mark Buehrle, one of the finest pitchers in all of baseball for 15 years, remained classy as usual in the face of failure in what probably was his last start as a Blue Jay. The veteran lefty, 36, said he has been told he will not be on the playoff roster and he understands why. And despite reports to the contrary, he said he has not decided whether he will retire, and will not decide until after the season ends.
Buehrle started against the Rays on one day’s rest because he needed to pitch two more innings to reach 200 for the 15th consecutive season. His bid blew up like a cigar trick. He recorded only two outs and gave up eight runs — none of them earned — in a 12- 3 loss on the final day of the season.
“I wasn’t able to soak it up as much as I wanted to,” he said. “I had tons of family here seeing if I could get to 200 one more time. My wife and kids and a bunch of friends were here. It would have been nicer to go out on a better note. My teammates were rooting for me to get the 200.
“Eddie ( Encarnacion) was yelling at the umpires and ( catcher Russ) Martin was yelling at the umpires. They were trying everything they could think of. It’s unfortunate but tomorrow’s going to come. We’re in the playoffs and hopefully we can come out on a high note on Thursday.”
The Jays finished with a 93- 69 record. They will open the American League Championship Series at the Rogers Centre on Thursday against the West division champion Texas Rangers.
The team that won its first division title in 22 years still manages to trigger hostility from within its own fan base. The shrills on social media undoubtedly represent a minority, but they were predictably up in arms Sunday after Buehrle fizzled in the first inning.
Errors by Ryan Goins and Edwin Encarnacion hurt Buehrle, but he was not sharp, which was understandable, given his short rest and the fact that assorted aches and fatigue have bothered him for much of the season’s second half.
“It’s unfortunate he didn’t get it done, but ( Buehrle) deserved a shot,” Jose Bautista said. “I really don’t want to get on social media or start reading articles about how that wasn’t the right move. I don’t even want to hear it. So I’m going to be the one to step ahead of all of that and say that that man deserved that shot that he got today to get 200 innings.”
Gibbons said he kept hoping Buehrle could escape, but when he reached 45 pitches, there was choice but to take him out.
After the game, Gibbons’ main focus was on the Blue Jays’ remarkable season and their ability to rebound from a 51- 51 record on July 29 to finish 24 games over .500 and win the division.
“It’s been a tremendous year for these guys,” Gibbons said. “We’re glad it’s over. The tough part’s out of the way — getting in. Now it’s go out there and have some fun and see what happens. I tip my hat to all those guys in the room and everybody in the organization.”
He added: “Our fan base ought to be awfully proud of them too.”
The ill- fated Buehrle start was the finale in a series of oddly connected events that began on Wednesday, when the Jays clinched the division championship in the first game of a doubleheader in Baltimore.
Those seeking reasons to criticize found them in these developments:
After clinching the division, the Jays decided to rest ace David Price for the playoffs instead of letting him make one more start, as originally planned. He will start against the Rangers on 11 days’ rest.
That decision set up everything that followed over the next four days. One consequence was that the Jays did not have a regular starter available for Sunday. They originally planned to start Drew Hutchison, who had lost his rotation spot through patchy performance and the return of Marcus Stroman.
The Jays won Friday, with Buehrle working 6.2 innings, leaving him at 198 for the season. It quickly became apparent that Gibbons wanted to give Buehrle a chance to pitch two more innings on Sunday.
On Saturday, closer Roberto Osuna blew a one- run lead in the Rays’ 4- 3 walk off win. That, combined with a Kansas City win, left the Jays one game behind in the race for best overall record in the AL. To secure home- field advantage throughout the playoffs, the Jays needed to win Sunday while the Royals lost. The Royals won.
That sequence set up Game 162, with Buehrle on the mound for possibly the final start of his 16year career. He will not be in the playoff rotation.
“It’s important to me, it’s important to Buehrle, it’s probably more important to his teammates that he gets 200 innings for what he’s accomplished,” Gibbons said before the game.
“Not many guys in history have done it. I hope people understand that and respect that.”
For the first three months of the season, Buehrle was the team’s most reliable pitcher. He finished with a 15- 8 record and 3.81 ERA.