WASHINGTON -- The tone just shifted.

For five weeks, you’ve heard encores of 2023 catchphrases as manager John Schneider and the Blue Jays explained a sluggish offense. "This will turn around soon." "It’s going to come." "It’s just a matter of time." "Don’t worry about a thing, 'cause every little thing is going to be all right."

Well, early is over.

“The time is now,” Schneider said before Friday night’s 9-3 loss to Washington at Nationals Park. “The time is not, ‘It’s going to happen.’ The time is now. What are we going to do to do it?”

The Blue Jays have scored just 3.45 runs per game, the third-lowest number in MLB ahead of only the A’s and the league-worst White Sox. This offense is asking its pitchers to be perfect every night, and even on nights when that happens, the Blue Jays are stuck in one-run games with zero margin for error.

That’s not sustainable, especially on a roster with the talent to be a different team entirely. The “outside noise” is growing -- and it’s warranted -- but Schneider doesn’t want that to creep into the clubhouse. It’s the hitters’ job to hit. He’ll handle the other stuff.

“If there’s a time to make adjustments, that’s on me,” Schneider said. “Not waiting around for it to happen is very, very important. I think we fell into that last year a little bit with the guys that are still on this team and some guys who aren’t here this year, saying, ‘It’s going to happen, it’s going to happen.’ Well, it needs to happen. As a staff, there’s things we’re doing differently. We wouldn’t be doing our job if we’re just saying it’s going to happen.”

On Friday, it didn’t happen.

The Blue Jays jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the second inning … but that was it. The offense allowed Patrick Corbin, who entered the game with a 6.82 ERA, to settle into a groove and grind his way to a quality start. When you let a big league opponent hang around for long enough, bad things will happen -- and they eventually did.

“You can’t let guys off the hook,” Schneider said. “Whether it’s Corbin or [expletive] Babe Ruth, it doesn’t matter. Cy Young, it doesn’t matter. You have to keep grinding. That’s what we’ll address going forward.”

Once Erik Swanson entered in relief for Yusei Kikuchi -- whose fantastic outing was wasted once again -- the Nationals jumped all over him. Swanson quickly surrendered a pinch-hit three-run home run and has now allowed 10 runs in just five innings this season, a nightmare start for one of Toronto's most important relievers.

These are the things that can be tucked into the closet and hidden while the company’s over when an offense is really clicking. When you’re not scoring, though, everything is out in the light, exposed.

Swanson was in because Yimi García, who has been brilliant to start this season, is dealing with a minor lower back issue and was unavailable. Schneider isn’t sure if Swanson is tipping pitches or just hanging too many over the heart of the plate, but anyone with an internet connection knows Swanson is capable of much more than this.

Now 15-18, the Blue Jays need answers even more than they did a day ago. The easy answer would be a lineup change, but this organization has been hesitant to make that move so far. Schneider liked some of George Springer’s swings on Friday, in particular, but he’s batting .205 with a .596 OPS from the leadoff spot. Ahead of a struggling Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, the engine of this offense is sputtering.

“Guys know that we’re grinding right now. We’re pressing a little bit,” Schneider said. “Whether it’s the lineup [construction] or just performance, they’ve got to get it done.”

The broader picture matters here, too. Look at a team like the Diamondbacks, who entered Friday at 14-18. It’s an ugly record, but they’ve scored 162 runs and own a +14 run differential. There are ways to find optimism without digging too deep. The Blue Jays, on the other hand, have scored just 114 runs -- tied for 26th in MLB -- and have a -37 run differential.

Frankly, this could be even worse than 15-18.

“It’s not that early,” Schneider said. “The runway gets shorter and shorter.”

The Blue Jays sense that now. They’re saying it out loud for all to hear, and these wheels need to leave the ground very soon.