With Pitching Coach Pete Walker at the helm, they rushed the returners and threw to second or first base, jumped up the two foul lines while looking for a lead at third or second, or simply made a play at first. Given current levels of fatigue, they could easily beat the clock and move on. They didn’t, they chased it and jumped back on the mound if their relays weren’t money. Closer Jordan Romano took three pitchers on the mound before hitting bullpen coach Matt Buschmann in the chest at second base. David Phelps reached second after a fairly bare hand and half-jokingly looked at Bushman when he made the throw. “We’ve all been in a situation during our careers where we’ve had an easy game behind us and we’ve played a bad game,” Phelps said afterward, explaining the tension. “We know what this is like, what it can turn into. We’re trying to make sure we take care of all the little things right now so we can focus on the big things.” That mindset served the Blue Jays well through an 8-2 road trip and a 3-2 victory in the five-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays, who beat them 11-0 in Thursday’s finale. Kevin Gausman made a pivotal error, a 1-1 splitter left just high in the infield third that Yandy Diaz hit for a three-run shot during his seven innings, while Shane McClanahan, newly off the injured list, and four relievers did. the rest. A six-run ninth was laughable. The loss, under blue skies on a very fall September afternoon before a crowd of 23,820 at Rogers Center, dropped the Blue Jays (81-63) percentage points behind the dormant Seattle Mariners (80-62) for the top wild card . spot, with the Rays (80-63) off the pace at halftime. Next up is a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles (75-67), who will check in on a five-game back. Gausman’s seven innings led the Blue Jays to a good day Friday against Jordan Lyles, though he called the second pitch delivered “unacceptable.” “I thought we played unbelievable (in the series against the Rays), other than my effort today, all of our pitchers threw the ball really well and attacked the strike zone,” Gausman said. “It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t close the door, but we’re playing a really good brand of baseball right now and obviously we’ve got a good team coming to Baltimore. Every game means a lot right now. I wish I could show up and present the way I know.” Attention to detail has been a focal point for the Blue Jays throughout the series against the nemesis Rays, starting with first base coach Mark Budzinski’s work before Monday’s start. While interim manager John Schneider said he generally doesn’t like bunting, he pointed out that at certain times, for certain parts of the lineup under certain circumstances it could make sense and it made sense to be ready for such an occasion. While it didn’t come up this week, it made sense to be ready in case it did. Tuesday’s doubleheader and recovery from that Wednesday limited pregame work, but the first game of the twin-bill underscored the need for continued readiness as Randy Arozarena caught Teoscar Hernandez off guard with a stunning dash home run to steal a row. The Blue Jays executed a strong game plan at the plate against Drew Rasmussen to secure the series win on Wednesday, but couldn’t do much against McClanahan, who had 14 swinging strikes on a fastball that sat at 97.7 mph, a change. at 88.8 and an unfair slider at 91.4. Their best chance against them came in the first when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette gave up back-to-back singles, but he caught Matt Chapman looking at a skinny 99.6 mph fastball right on the outside edge before Teoscar Hernandez made a change on the track for the third out. “I thought in the first inning there we had a chance. I got him to throw some pitches and he just didn’t get it going,” Snyder said. “He is tough. It’s an uphill battle when you’re up against guys like that. Overall, I thought (the approach) was okay, despite the result.” The Blue Jays were without Alejandro Kirk, who had what Schneider called “left hip tightness.” His discomfort was persistent, and while scoring from first on a double by Hernandez on Tuesday night may have exacerbated the issue, “it wasn’t one specific thing” that caused the flare-up. Kirk’s workload has increased of late – catching three straight days for the first time this season Sept. 5-7 in Baltimore – which may also be a factor, but for now he’s day-to-day as “right now, he doesn’t have to in pushing himself, just being a little careful,” Snyder said. The same thing happened with PFP before the game. Phelps, working for the second postseason appearance of his career, praised Walker for being prudent about when he worked out his pitchers, but appreciated the timing of Thursday’s reps. He called watching the way Matt Chapman go about his work every day “one of the coolest things I’ve ever had the chance to watch” and saw it as an example to follow. “We’ve got big games coming up, games that are going to come down to one or two outs and the thinking is let’s not give away one in one game back on the field,” he said. “One of our messages this year is to be ready to work day in and day out, especially in September. It’s no time to rest right now. It’s time to keep fighting it. Nobody in baseball is feeling good right now. It’s just trying to find that next level, that extra gear that the harder we work here, the easier it’s going to look in the game. That’s one of the biggest messages.”
