TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays are facing disappointment after three critical losses. Fans expressed their frustration by booing the Blue Jays off the field following their lackluster 10-0 loss to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday. With a combined score of 26-7 in favor of the Rangers, the Blue Jays’ hopes for a postseason spot have suffered a serious setback. “We understand that the fans expect us to win, and that’s fair,” said outfielder George Springer in a somber interview with reporters at the Toronto clubhouse. “There’s no one who wants to win more than us in this locker room.” Springer emphasized that the team is putting in effort, even though the results may not reflect it. He believes that the booing from fans is understandable given the disappointing outcomes. The loss has pushed the Blue Jays (80-66) one game behind the Seattle Mariners for the third and final wild-card spot in the American League. Earlier on Wednesday, the Mariners secured a 3-2 victory against the Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers, on the other hand, were not in contention for a wild-card spot before this series, but their three consecutive wins against Toronto have put them in the second wild-card spot. “We are all disappointed because we understand the magnitude of this series. However, we need to move on and focus on tomorrow,” said starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi through translator Yusuke Oshima. Kikuchi (9-6) pitched for five innings, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks, with three strikeouts. Bowden Francis, Jordan Hicks, Genesis Cabrera, and Chad Green came out of Toronto’s bullpen. The Nathaniel Lowe and Mitch Garver contributed three-run homers to the Texas victory, while Robbie Grossman added a two-run homer. Jonah Heim and Evan Carter also contributed with RBI singles. The Blue Jays pitching staff had a combined 3.73 earned-run average going into the game, just slightly below the Seattle Mariners’ 3.73, which was the best in Major League Baseball. However, Toronto manager John Schneider admitted that their pitchers have struggled to find their usual dominance against the Rangers. “You need to get ahead in the count and finish off batters,” Schneider explained. “The Rangers have a tough lineup that doesn’t give up easily, even with two strikes. We’ve witnessed the damage they can do to our staff and bullpen when they swing at good pitches.” Texas pitcher Jordan Montgomery (9-11) had an impressive performance, striking out three and allowing only four hits and a walk over seven innings. Relievers Martin Perez and Ian Kennedy helped Montgomery preserve his shutout. Blue Jays’ first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. broke his hitless streak in the series by getting a hit in the first inning. However, the hit was a bit fortunate as Guerrero’s ground ball was misplayed by Montgomery and then dropped by Rangers shortstop Corey Seager. Texas gained the lead in the fourth inning when Jonah Heim singled to score Seager from second base. Nathaniel Lowe extended the Rangers’ lead with a three-run homer in the same inning. The Rangers continued to dominate in the fifth inning, with Robbie Grossman hitting a two-run homer to make it 6-0 in favor of Texas. In the sixth inning, Evan Carter‘s single allowed Nathaniel Lowe to score another run for the Rangers. Despite this, the Blue Jays managed to prevent further damage by catching Josh Smith in a rundown between second and third base. With the Blue Jays struggling to score, their fans grew more frustrated. The boos became louder when Mitch Garver hit a double in the ninth inning, bringing in two more runs for the Rangers. Manager John Schneider acknowledged the boos, saying, “While we don’t like to hear them, we understand the frustration of the fans. They want to see exciting and winning baseball, and right now, we’re not providing that.” Third baseman Matt Chapman of the Blue Jays participated in hitting, running, and infield drills for the second consecutive day. Chapman has been on the injured list since August 28 due to an inflamed right middle finger. The Blue Jays will conclude their four-game series against the Texas Rangers with ace pitcher Kevin Gausman (11-8) on the mound. The Rangers will have Nathan Eovaldi (11-4) as their starter. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on September 13, 2023.
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