Underachieving Blue Jays aim to get back to 'playing in sync'

ARLINGTON -- Everything is bigger in Texas, even the letdowns.

The Blue Jays bolted to a six-run lead Sunday at Globe Life Field, seemingly the breakout game they’ve been starved for. Rangers starter Jon Gray held the door open for the Blue Jays, invited them in, lit some candles and cooked dinner. It felt like that “soon” we’ve heard about had finally come.

Then it all fell apart. The Blue Jays lost, 11-7, to drop their third series in a row on a day that had so much potential to be a turning point. It’s one thing to lose to a hot team that simply beats you, but in many ways, the Blue Jays beat themselves.

“We’ve got to tighten things up, whether it’s on the mound or in the field," manager John Schneider said. "You score runs, you have a six-run lead, and pitchers are going to have tough days, whether it’s Chris [Bassitt] or the guys out of the ‘pen. It’s about getting over to first base to cover. It’s making sure you make good throws in. We’ll reconvene in Miami and talk about that. This is too good of a team to let that open the floodgates.”

There were errors, from Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s wild throw to Bassitt covering first base to Bo Bichette’s bobble of a short throw in from Kevin Kiermaier, allowing another Rangers runner to round third and score as their comeback was just beginning to brew. Guerrero gave away an out on the bases in the first, too, and by the end of it all, this felt like the exact style of game the Blue Jays spent all offseason and all spring trying to get away from.

“I wouldn’t call it frustrated. This is baseball,” Guerrero said through a team interpreter. “Of course you get upset. It happens. Not just today, but every time you lose a game it hurts. You can’t put your head down. You just have to keep fighting and keep going out there trying to win every game. It hurts, but we’re not frustrated.”

If there were a book of Schneider-isms, “playing in sync” would be on the first page. It’s the concept of getting everything on the same page at the same time with the bats, the gloves, the pitchers and the baserunning. This is what creates the level of consistency that allows teams to develop an identity instead of chasing things from week to week.

After the game, which was the Blue Jays’ largest blown lead in a regular-season loss since July 28, 2019, against the Rays, Schneider turned directly to that same idea of playing in sync.

The bats finally woke up, but all of the other factors that have supported this team faltered. That included Bassitt, who received little help from the defense behind him but also struggled to locate his pitches over 3 2/3 innings. Again, this shows what a fine line the Blue Jays are walking a day after they filled Alek Manoah’s spot in the rotation with a bullpen game for the second time.

“I have to pitch a lot better,” Bassitt said. “I’m putting the whole rotation in a bind because we’re already running a four-man rotation. Then I come out and do what I do. It’s basically back-to-back bullpen days.”

The Blue Jays now find themselves at 39-34, fourth in a nightmarish American League East that looks more daunting by the day. That record plays in other divisions, but not in the East.

There are miles to go, of course, but with so many of the same problems keeping the Blue Jays grounded and the calendar reading June 18, it’s long past time to see some noticeable change. This team is fully capable of competing for the AL East crown and a deep run into October when you look at the collection of talent it has on paper, but the scoreboard only counts what happens on the field.

This journey back will start in Miami on Monday, and much like their closed-door players meeting in St. Petersburg that sparked a run of strong play in late May, this will need to come from within.

“We are brothers over here. We’re family in this clubhouse,” Guerrero said. “We pick each other up. If we see anybody with their head down, we go over there and tell them to keep their head up. We’re going through a rough situation and rough times right now, but things are going to turn around.”

That’s long been expected from a team fully capable of so much more.