Home Runs Bite Robbie Ray in Blue Jays Loss

Ray gave up two round-trippers in Thursday's loss, and he now leads all of baseball in home runs allowed.

© Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Blue Jays starter Robbie Ray has improved nearly all his stats this season, aside from one major detail -- he's been cursed by the longball. 

After Alek Manoah diced in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Bombers responded.

Ray, who hadn't walked a batter in 39 2/3 innings before this start, hit a wall in his first career start at Yankees Stadium. 

In the third inning, with Toronto up by two runs and a man on, Aaron Judge took a 3-0 fastball 440 feet to centre field, tying the game 3-3. Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez added another home run just an inning later, roasting a slider over the wall to give the Yankees a lead they wouldn't surrender, as Toronto lost 5-3.

"The biggest thing was they came out swinging," Ray said. 

"Me being in the zone as much as I was, there's a couple pitches I left too much in the middle of the plate and they made me pay for it," Ray added. 

Ray's showed much better command this season, walking batters at a career low 5.2% clip, but he's been unable to shake the hard contact. On Thursday, he allowed nine hits with an exit velocity over 95 miles-per-hour, including two home runs, and gave up five earned runs. 

The hard-throwing lefty has only gone one start without allowing a home run in 2021, and leads all of baseball with 14 home runs allowed. 

Ray attacks the zone with his fastball -- throwing the heater 58% of the time -- so some hard contact is inevitable. Still, giving up more longballs than any other pitcher in baseball is a large blemish on an otherwise solid profile for Ray this season. 

Bo Bichette has a monster day  

Bo Bichette, who said he wasn't feeling super comfortable in the box this year, found his groove in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. 

After Danny Jansen and Marcus Semien both worked two-out walks off Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery, Bo Bichette strolled to the plate in the third inning. 

Bichette -- coming off a towering solo home run in the first game of the doubleheader -- didn't need long to duplicate his efforts.

N-Y-C you later 👋 pic.twitter.com/GGavjbICt4

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) May 27, 2021

The 23-year-old loaded up on a slow curve ball and unleashed his patented power swing, twisting his body and shifting to a controlled stumble backwards. 

As the ball sailed towards the center field bullpen, Bichette knew it was gone, raising both arms to the sky before trotting around the bases. For Bichette, it was his 11th home run of the campaign, tying the most he's ever hit in a single season (2019).

"The funny thing about [Bichette] is that he's not locked in yet, and he's doing well," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. 

"Whenever he gets locked in, you're gonna see that even more. The sky's the limit with that kid," Montoyo said. 

If Bichette is truly not 100% locked in as Montoyo says, then it's pretty scary to think about the damage he can do when things finally come together. 

Up Next:

LHP Hyun Jin Ryu vs RHP Eli Morgan @ 7:10 PM E.T.

Ryu takes the hill when the Blue Jays begin a three-game series in Cleveland on Friday. Toronto's ace is riding three straight quality starts. 

Morgan makes his MLB debut on Friday night for the Indians. He's registered a 3.95 ERA in three Triple-A starts this year.