Fastball

Toronto Blue Jays Pitcher Has Even More History on His Side in Recent Run

Bowden Francis nearly threw a no-hitter on Wednesday for the Toronto Blue Jays, and that's just part of the historic run that he's been on.

Brady Farkas

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) embraces starting pitcher Bowden Francis (44) after a win over the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Centre on Aug 24.
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) embraces starting pitcher Bowden Francis (44) after a win over the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Centre on Aug 24. / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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The Toronto Blue Jays were off on Thursday but that doesn't mean we have to stop talking about the historic run that right-handed pitcher Bowden Francis is on.

Francis, who wasn't even supposed to be in the starting rotation for this team when they broke camp, nearly threw a no-hitter on Wednesday and has become one of the best stories in baseball.

He won the American League Pitcher of the Month Award for August and has continued his solid performance into September. That near no-hitter was actually the second time this season he's taken a no-hitter into the ninth inning, just to lose it.

Per @CodifyBaseball on social media:

Bowden Francis has allowed only 13 hits in his last 6 starts.

No pitcher in MLB history has allowed fewer hits in any 6-game span of any regular season in which he pitched at least 42 total innings.

And there's also this one as well, courtesy of @StatsCentre:

Lowest opponents' average - @BlueJays pitcher in one season (min. of 6 starts):
.192- Alek Manoah (2021)
.196- Bowden Francis (2024 in 25 games including 11 GS)
.197- Juan Guzman (1991)
.198- Roger Clemens (1998)
.202- Manoah (2022)
.203- Marco Estrada (2015)
.203- Estrada (2016)

At 28 years old, Francis is finally getting his opportunity to impact a major league roster, and he's making the most of it. In 25 games this year (11 starts), he is 8-4 with a 3.50 ERA. He's struck out 82 batters in 92.2 innings.

He's in the rotation because of injuries to Alek Manoah and top prospect Ricky Tiedemann, as well as the mid-season trade of Yusei Kikuchi to the Astros.

The Blue Jays will take on the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night at Rogers Centre.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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