The Toronto Blue Jays’ start to the season has been entertaining and painful.
There’s already been a suspension, and a no-hitter not in their favour, and it seems like last season’s Jays are still around, inconsistent offence.
The first game of a three-game series against the Houston Astros didn’t disappoint.
The story of Monday night’s game was the 30-year-old Dominican Republic native Ronel Blanco throwing a no-hitter in his ninth career start.
The right-hander threw 105 pitches and struck out seven batters, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. three times.
Blue Jays fan Jacob Carinci, a student at George Brown College, said the Jays’ offence looks similar to last year.
“Tonight’s offence looked like last year’s offence,” Carinci said. “We [the Blue Jays] went from scoring nine runs last game in Tampa to scoring no runs in this game.”
Carinci said the no-hitter was the cherry on top of a night where the Astros scored 10 runs on them.
“To make it worse, Ronel Blanco is a guy whose last year’s highest innings pitched was five or six, went all nine against the Jays and it was the fifth game into the season,” he said.
Tuesday night’s game was a close one, with the Jays winning 2-1, thanks to a Davis Schneider go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the ninth against Astros all-star closer Josh Hader.
Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios pitched a solid game, lasting six innings, giving up one run, and striking out two batters.
Wednesday’s starting matchup saw Chris Bassitt for the Jays face off against Cristian Javier for the Astros. The result was disappointing. The Astros scored eight runs on 15 hits, while the Jays had one hit and no runs.
The Blue Jays’ first series of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays ended in a draw.
In the opening day game, the Blue Jays won against the Rays 8-2, hitting three home runs in the process.
There were some fireworks in the third game of the series when Blue Jays relief pitcher Genesis Cabrera got into a heated argument with Rays shortstop Jose Caballero after he was called out at third base in the bottom of the eight.
Cabrera ended up shoving Caballero, and then the benches and bullpens stormed the field to break up the argument between the two players.
Cabrera was suspended for three games but was later on reduced to two games. He will be available again on Friday in the series opener against the New York Yankees.
Carinci said the Jays played well in the first game, but the overall series was average.
“I thought the Blue Jays had a good first game and then the last three games were all mediocre,” Carinci said. “Even though we split the series, I’ll take a split at Tropicana Field.”
The Jays have a day off on Thursday before they face the New York Yankees in New York on Friday.
Friday’s probable starters are Yusei Kikuchi for the Blue Jays and former Jay Marcus Stroman for the Yankees.