Series recap: Blue Jays won 10th straight before losing series finale to White Sox

The Toronto Blue Jays’ winning streak has finally come to an end.

Entering their most recent series, this time against the Chicago White Sox, the Blue Jays were riding an eight-game winning streak, tied for the highest since the 2021 and 2022 seasons. With a matchup against the basement-dwelling White Sox, it looked like a perfect opportunity to go on a lengthy streak. So how did the Blue Jays do?

On Monday, the Blue Jays survived a late White Sox rally, defeating them 8-4 to push their winning streak to nine, the longest since the 2015 season. The White Sox scored first, but Bo Bichette hit an RBI single to tie the game. Then, all three Blue Jays outfielders (Joey Loperfido, Nathan Lukes, and Addison Barger) hit home runs for a 5-1 lead. The Jays scored three more runs, as did the White Sox, in an 8-4 victory.

The following day, the Blue Jays defeated the White Sox 6-1 to push their winning streak to 10, tied for the second-longest winning streak in franchise history. Davis Schneider hit a lead-off home run in the top of the third, giving the Jays a 1-0 lead. Thanks to two doubles, a single, and a ground out, the Jays added four more runs to go up 5-0. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in their sixth run in the top of the sixth, with the White Sox getting that run back in the bottom half of the sixth. In the top of the seventh, the game was delayed due to rain and eventually called.

Unfortunately, the Blue Jays couldn’t match their franchise high winning streak of 11, as they fell 2-1 to the White Sox on Wednesday. They took a 1-0 lead thanks to a Tyler Heineman bunt, but the White Sox scored twice in the bottom of the fourth and the Blue Jays had poor base running throughout the game,

It was a good offensive series for the Blue Jays’ regulars. Bo Bichette slashed .600/.692/.800 with a 312 wRC+ in 13 plate appearances. Schneider only received four plate appearances, hitting his fourth home run of the season. Lukes and Loperfido each hit a home run, giving them a 216 and 179 wRC+, respectively.

Alejandro Kirk, Will Wagner, George Springer, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. all finished with a wRC+ above 100. Despite hitting a home run, Barger finished with a 74 wRC+ in his 12 plate appearances. Heineman, Myles Straw, Ernie Clement, and Leo Jiménez also finished with a wRC+ below 100.

Eric Lauer gave up two earned runs in four innings of work for a 4.50 ERA. However, he struck out seven batters in the 17 he faced. José Berríos and Chris Bassitt each pitched six innings with one earned run allowed for a 1.50 ERA.

The bullpen finally got some time to rest thanks to the rainout. Brendan Little, Braydon Fisher, and Chad Green threw scoreless innings. Yariel Rodríguez pitched a scoreless inning and a third, and Robinson Piña was the only reliever to give up an earned run. Both Nick Sandlin and Ryan Burr pitched two thirds of an inning, the latter went on the 15-day Injured List, and the latter left Wednesday’s game.

There’s one more series before the All-Star break, as the Blue Jays head to Sacramento to face the Athletics.