Blue Jays reliever draws Tim Duncan comparison

The Toronto Blue Jays sit at the top of the American League East after catching the New York Yankees. Toronto’s offense has exploded over the last week. Blue Jays manager John Schneider has enjoyed leading his team to success, but made sure to shout out the team’s unsung heroes. With reliever Yimi Garcia on the injured list, Chad Green has stepped up in a big way.

Green is a tenth-year pro who has played his entire career in the AL East. He switched from the Yankees to the Blue Jays in 2023 and has been a member of their bullpen ever since. Schneider called his number in a tight game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday that went into extras. Green stepped up for the second night in a row, shutting the Angels down and setting up the walk-off win.

That victory was the sixth win of Toronto’s seven-game winning streak, the longest one of their season. Schneider is a fan of his reliever, telling reporters that he always knows what Green is going to give him, no matter the situation. According to MLB.com reporter Keegan Matheson, Schneider drew a line between Green and NBA Hall of Famer Tim Duncan.

“We call him The Big Fundamental, like Tim Duncan,” Schneider said. “He’s just consistent. He’s looked the same for 10 years. Clean cut, high socks, here I am.”

Even with Garcia out with injury, Schneider has been able to rely on his bullpen this season.

While the offensive explosion of George Springer dominates the Blue Jays’ narrative right now, their pitching has been excellent. Toronto hopes that the good times keep rolling all the way into the All-Star break.

The Blue Jays have a chance to extend their winning streak to 14 games if they win until the break. They wrap up their series against the Angels on Sunday. After that, their last two series are against two last-place teams.

In order to keep winning, though, Schneider needs players like Green to keep channeling Duncan’s consistency.