This Toronto Blue Jays Offense is Only Getting Better

The Blue Jays scored over seven runs for the ninth time this year in a 10-8 win over the Phillies

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The 2021 Toronto Blue Jays play home games in a minor league ballpark, but they have a major league offense.

Against former Toronto starter Chase Anderson, the Blue Jays homered twice before Philadelphia got an out and scored seven runs in Sunday’s first two innings. Though the Jays played an imperfect game — committing two errors and allowing a late Philly rally — they played the brand of baseball they were built for. Every starting Blue Jay hitter reached base Sunday, and Toronto's top three posted eight hits and seven RBI in a 10-8 win over the Phillies.

Marcus Semien returned to the dugout in the first inning to the outstretched arms of Vlad Guerrero Jr. Semien had turned on Anderson’s third pitch of the ballgame and punched an opposite-field home run over the right field wall.

Two pitches later, Bo Bichette skipped out of the batter’s box watching the ball soar over the same outfield wall to put the Blue Jays up 2-0.

After scoring six runs just once in their first eight games, the Blue Jays lauded offense is moving up the MLB rankings with or without their biggest offseason acquisition. With just four games of George Springer, Toronto’s offense scored the fourth most runs in the American League coming into Sunday's game. Of the Blue Jays first four hitters, Bichette has the lowest OPS (.814) and he still leads the team in hits.

"We've been swinging it well," Semien said. "Getting Teoscar [Hernandez] back, getting Lourdes [Gurriel Jr.] hot, Cavan [Biggio] hot. Everybody is just starting to click in May a little bit."

The Blue Jays currently rank top-10 in league-wide runs scored, home runs, hits, SLG, and OPS. After Sunday's win over the Phillies, Toronto has scored 85 runs in 15 May games — 5.7 per game.

After taking a four-pitch walk in the fifth inning, Santiago Espinal darted off first base and beat the throw at second for his first stolen base of the season. Through 39 games, Toronto is scoring runs in a variety of ways. Four different players have over 20 RBI and the Jays are the only team in baseball who rank top five in home runs and stolen bases.

"The key is the bottom of the lineup," Manager Charlie Montoyo said. "If the bottom of the lineup gets hot, [the top of the lineup] gets to hit again, and that's what we've been doing lately."

The Blue Jays got three hits and an RBI from the bottom third of their order Sunday, and they needed every ounce of production as Robbie Ray's quality start streak ended at four and Philly scored late to tighten the game. Toronto's starting pitching and bullpen stared early this season, but allowing eight runs to the injured Phillies on Sunday put the focus back on the offense.

The lineup has shown improvement all year, beating up on poor pitchers and getting to aces like Aaron Nola and Tyler Glasnow, too. But with Springer still hurt and several starters still hitting well below their career norms, it may get better yet.

Injuries Continue

Rowdy Tellez left the game in the eighth inning after hobbling to first on a single down the left-field line. A half-inning later, Jordan Romano called for Montoyo and the training staff, but remained in the game to induce a groundout before Jeremy Beasley came in to finish things off.

After the game, Montoyo said Rowdy Tellez may require an IL stint with a hamstring strain, but Romano is fine.