On the Road Again

 Simon B

I think the fans gave Toronto a nice boost in their three-game series win over the Oakland Athletics. It wasn't always pretty and there were a lot of controversies, but good teams usually find a way and Toronto did just that. I might write a post later on about the lack of starting pitching depth or the atrocious umpiring that we saw in Saturday's game depending on how the Boston series goes. 

For now, the Jays are hitting the road for three games against the Red Sox then it's down to Houston for the weekend to face the Astros.

Who to Look for

Bo Bichette: Bichette has had a relatively slow start to the season offensively. Like most hitters, he's very streaky but there's reason to think that in this upcoming series against Boston, he could breakthrough. 

I have to give credit where it's due, the probable starter on Tuesday, Nathan Eovaldi has mixed his pitches very well but from past experience, he's a fastball dominant pitcher. Eovaldi pounds the strike zone with his fastball and curveball. If we look especially at the curve, I think that's a pitch that Bichette can capitalize on. He's a very patient hitter, we know that. But he has the ability to fight off the fastball whenever he wants to and then punish the opposing pitcher when he throws something offspeed. If Bichette can stay aggressive early in counts, he can really do damage. 

It's likely going to be a similar situation with Wednesday's starter, Nick Pivetta. If he misses his spot by just an inch, it's very easy to see Bichette drive balls to right field or right-center.

Jose Berrios: It's safe to say, Berrios hasn't had the start he or the Jays envisioned. However, like Bichette, this can be a really good opportunity on this road trip. He could get the ball in both series and a change in scenery can also be nice for Jose. He's struggled with command over his first few starts and the offense has had to bail him out both times but I think pitching at Fenway can bring the best out of him. Berrios seems to me like someone who can thrive when he's under the microscope. 

If you think back to when the Jays first acquired him last summer, all eyes were on him to help the rotation that at the time, had a few holes to fix. Now, he's going into a hostile Fenway park and I'm sure he's chomping at the bit to get back on the mound.

As long as he keeps the ball on the ground like he has (gound balls are at around 40% rate for Berrios in the early going), then I think he will do just fine as his command of the curveball and changeup will find their own way back into the strike zone. He's just too talented for them not to.

Keep Callin' on Collins

In my last post, I mentioned that it would be important for one of the Jays' depth pieces to step up in the absence of Danny Jansen and Teoascar Hernandez. And that very night, catcher Zach Collins went 3 for 4 with an RBI the followed that up with his first home run with the Blue Jays the next day.

I really liked the fact that on Friday, the A's intentionally walked Santiago Espinal to get to Collins and he faced the challenge head-on and ripped a base hit through the infield to bring home a run. 

You can tell he's making the most of this situation and that's exactly what he needs to do. He's got the "unexpected syndrome" where a guy is performing so well because he's got no expectation to perform. We saw that with Alejandro Krik back in 2020 and we're seeing it just down the street from Rogers Center with Miachel Bunting on the Leafs side of things. He's comfortable at and behind the plate and I'm sure he can continue to do well in a hitter-friendly park like Fenway.

No Lefties? No Problem

I shouldn't say no lefties because the Jays have a few but the vast majority of their lineup bats right-handed. Everyone has been complaining about this since the start of Spring it seems and personally, I see no issue with it. If the hitters the Jays have are as good as they are, they can hit the ball wherever they want. Especially at Fenway. If the Blue Jay bats can utilize the whole field, the offense should thrive without a problem.

What's a Win?

At this point in the season, it's hard to see if there is much between the two teams. Knowing the pitching matchups and offenses both teams have to offer, I think it's realistic to see Toronto take 2 of 3 in Beantown.

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Images courtesy of jaysjournal.com and the Globe and Mail

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