Blue Jays: Grichuk, Giles lost to injuries, and then series is lost to Tampa Bay

The Blue Jays lost outfielder Randal Grichuk, closer Ken Giles and then a series against the Tampa Bay Rays in heartbreaking fashion.

Each defeat might look similar in the standings, but the longterm impacts can vary. Some losses are brushed off before the final pitch is thrown. Others, such as Sunday’s 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay in 10 innings, will linger for days.

Getting beaten by an expected contender like the Rays is one thing. Losing to a rival while two prominent players go down with injuries is something else entirely.

Grichuk departed in the sixth with a sore back, and Giles left midway through the ninth with right elbow soreness. It’s not immediately clear when either will return to the lineup.

Rough game, rough weekend all around for the Jays, who dropped two of three at Tropicana Field to open their abbreviated 60-game season.

“He was fine,” Jays manager

Charlie Montoyo said when asked about Giles after the game. “He got the first two outs, like he always does ... His command wasn’t there, but he looked fine. He never complained or anything. That’s why I thought he was fine the whole time.”

Except Giles didn’t look fine. He was called upon to protect a 4-2 lead in the ninth inning and, despite retiring the first two batters, something wasn’t right. Giles’ fastball topped out at 94 m.p.h. and he had difficulty locating his pitches.

By the third batter of the frame, Giles was throwing almost exclusively sliders. On the rare occasion he tossed a fastball, his velocity dipped to 92. He appeared to shake his arm and wince in pain at least a couple of times.

After the Rays put two runners on base, pitching coach Pete Walker was sent to visit Giles. Despite the apparent warning signs, the Jays were content with whatever Giles had to say and decided to leave him in the game. Giles walked the next batter on four pitches and fell behind 3-1 to Ji-Man Choi before he was pulled.

Lefty Brian Moran entered and the Rays went on to score two runs in the inning before Kevin Kiermaier walked it off in the 10th with an RBI double off right-hander Shun Yamaguchi.

“Of course we asked on the bench, but he said he was fine,” Montoyo said after the game about why Giles wasn’t pulled earlier. “We called from the bench and he said he was fine.”

If Giles was fine before, he’s not anymore. The veteran closer was expected to travel with the Jays to Washington on Sunday night where he will undergo further evaluations. The Jays will list him as day-today until more information becomes available.

Rays 6 Blue Jays 5 (10 INNINGS) NEXT: TUESDAY AT NATS