Blue Jays Flash 2023 Difference In Win Over Mariners

With a 3-2 win over the Mariners, the Blue Jays showed what's different about the 2023 team and what it'll take to win in October.

Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Every good fight has a rematch.

Six months after punches were first thrown between the Mariners and Blue Jays, the two American League rivals stepped back into the ring.

With a familiar pitching matchup and some eerily similar plays, Friday's wild-card rematch was a reminder of Toronto's 2022 playoff defeat. But, it was also an opportunity to show how the 2023 team differs.

"Two different teams at two different times," John Schneider said. "April is a lot different than October."

The playoff parallels were obvious: Luis Castillo vs Alek Manoah, a Cal Raleigh homer, a Julio Rodriguez hit-by-pitch, and more dangerous JP Crawford flies into the shallow outfield. But, like a spot the difference image from an old magazine, the 2023 Blue Jays spent nine innings trying to flash how this year's iteration subtly differs from the one that got swept last October.

"I think we're better on the bases, I think we're probably a little bit tighter defensively," Schneider said before the game. "The lineup looks different with left-handed hitters, as opposed to maybe one, so just a little bit more balanced."

After the crushing 10-9 loss in Game 2, the Blue Jays entered the 2023 offseason looking for change. They were direct and intentional. Toronto got more left-handed, prioritized defense, brought in vets, and added to the bullpen. The winter additions weren't straight responses to the wild card sweep, but the playoff result certainly flavored the moves.

In the fifth inning on Friday, Kevin Kiermaier drifted back on the ball, locating it at the warning track before backing up a few extra steps so he could run in on the catch. The outfielder caught, fired to second, and held Jared Kelenic from advancing—smooth and effortless.

With new outfielders Kiermaier and Daulton Varsho, the Jays entered Friday as the second-best team in MLB by defensive runs saved. With the aforementioned speedsters and an unleashed Whit Merrifield, they're 11th in stolen bases. The new left-handed bats have helped Toronto post a collective .257 average against right-handed pitching. The moves have been impactful, bringing the exact outcomes Toronto desired, so far.

"That's obviously something that we prioritized this offseason, you know, run prevention," Manoah said. "I feel like those little things are kind of showing."

But Friday's Seattle rematch was also a reminder of everything the Jays can't control with offseason moves and roster reconstruction. The difference between October's defeat and April's win wasn't reshaped roster. The three main offensive contributors in Friday's win—Matt Chapman, Alejandro Kirk, and Merrifield—were all on last year's playoff roster.

In baseball, you need the bounces. Six months ago, Castillo looked superhuman. On Friday, he only looked really good. In October, Crawford's shallow fly fell in. On Friday, it was caught. In October, Tim Mayza and Jordan Romano couldn't hold the lead. On Friday, the bullpen shut the door.

The 2023 Blue Jays aren't the same squad as last year. They're tweaked, refined, and more well-rounded. It should help them win in October, but they'll need some bounces, too.

"We have a great, great team," Kirk said through team interpreter Hector Lebron. "But last year, we did have a great team also."