Toronto Blue Jays' Bowden Francis Named AL Pitcher of the Month For August

Bowden Francis enjoyed quite the breakout month in August, making five shutdown starts for the Toronto Blue Jays and earning a prestigious honor in the process.

Aug 29, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Bowden Francis (44) walks to the bullpen before the start of the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. / david butler ii-usa today sports

Fresh off the five best outings of his big league career, Bowden Francis has earned his first major honor.

The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander was named American League Pitcher of the Month for August, the league announced Tuesday. Francis won the award alongside San Francisco Giants ace and two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, who was named Pitcher of the Month in the National League.

Francis is the first Blue Jays pitcher to receive the distinction since Alek Manoah in September 2022. Robbie Ray also earned AL Pitcher of the Month en route to winning AL Cy Young in August 2021.

Before that, no Toronto player had won AL Pitcher of the Month since Ricky Romero in August 2011 or Roy Halladay in April 2007.

Francis went 4-1 with a 1.05 ERA, 0.408 WHIP, .089 batting average against and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings in August. He has led the Blue Jays to wins in each of his last four starts, despite getting just 2.5 runs of support per game.

Believed in his stuff and let it eat 😤⁰⁰Bowden is @MLB’s AL Pitcher of the Month! pic.twitter.com/XPWAwqqWmO

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 3, 2024

Before emerging as a force to be reckoned with over the past few weeks, Francis had been having a rough go in 2024.

Francis started the season in the Blue Jays' rotation, but got pushed to the bullpen after allowing 12 earned runs in his first two starts. He put up a 3.86 ERA over his next 14 appearances, but he missed all of May with right forearm extensor tendinitis and was ultimately sent down to the minors in July.

Toronto brought Francis back up for a doubleheader on July 29, and he came one out away from a quality start that night. That showed the Blue Jays enough to keep Bowden in the rotation for the time being, and he clearly made the most of that opportunity.

Francis was named AL Player of the Week on Aug. 19, so his Pitcher of the Month award didn't exactly come out of nowhere.

On the whole this season, Francis is 8-3 with a 3.66 ERA, 0.992 WHIP, 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.7 WAR. He entered 2024 with a 1-0 record, 1.70 ERA, 0.838 WHIP, 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.9 WAR in 21 career relief appearances.

The 28-year-old righty is next scheduled to take the mound Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies. First pitch for that contest is on the books for 3:07 p.m. ET.

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