Instant Reaction: Blue Jays fail to hit with runners in scoring position in 3-1 defeat to Yankees

The first two Blue Jays’ batters reached in the top of the fourth, and Nathan Lukes grounded into a force out to put runners on the corners with one out. Isiah Kiner-Falefa also grounded out into a force out and was able to cash in the first and only run the Jays scored.

After a lengthy rain delay, Louis Varland started the bottom of the sixth, allowing Chisholm Jr. to hit a single. Chisholm Jr. was thrown out trying to steal second, but Domínguez walked, and Anthony Volpe hit a double to chase Varland. Brendon Little got a deep fly out, with the Yankees scoring their third run with a sacrifice fly.

Takeaways…

The Blue Jays beat themselves in this game. On top of the error that gave Chris Bassitt two unearned runs, the Jays were a dismal 1-10 with runners in scoring position. That one hit was shortly before the rain delay, when Bo Bichette was thrown at home. In the top of the seventh, Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a lead-off double against his former team, but the Jays were unable to even advance him. Just a brutal game for the Blue Jays’ offence that is usually so clutch.

In total, they had just five hits, two of which belonged to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Bichette also had a double, as did Kiner-Falefa. Nathan Lukes had the other hit, which nearly brought Bichette in to score.

When attempting to score in the top of the sixth, Bichette crashed into the Yankees catcher’s shin first and was hobbled. Thankfully, he remained in the game.

Bassitt didn’t have a bad start by any means, pitching five innings with three hits allowed and two unearned runs. He also walked three and struck out three, bringing his season ERA to 3.97.

After Bassitt departed, Louis Varland took over and once again had a tough inning, giving up an earned run in his third of an inning pitched. Until he gets it together, Varland shouldn’t be pitching in leverage situations.

The good news is that it looks like both Brendon Little and Yariel Rodríguez are back on track. Little allowed an inherited runner to score, but struck out three of the four batters he faced. Rodríguez allowed a walk, but struck out two in his inning and a third. The Blue Jays needed this.

With the loss, the Yankees gain a game on the Jays to move to three games back, albeit the Blue Jays have the tiebreaker. The Boston Red Sox are in action later, and with a win, they’ll move to three-and-a-half games behind the Jays.

Simply put, the Blue Jays need to find a way to win Sunday’s series finale. Max Scherzer is the expected starter against Max Fried, with a start time of 1:35 PM ET. With a win, the Jays would expand their division lead over the Yankees to four games with the tiebreaker. A loss brings the Yankees to within two.