This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson’s Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

TORONTO -- Nearly one year ago, Ross Stripling walked off the mound at Buffalo’s Sahlen Field after getting rocked by the Red Sox.

Stripling had managed just one out, allowing six runs and a pair of homers. It was his final of three outings against the Red Sox in 2021, all of which led to one easy conclusion: they had his number.

"I choose to -- if you guys watch 'Ted Lasso' -- be a goldfish," Stripling said at the time. "Forget it. Move on from it. These guys have my number, but now I look on …”

At the time, Stripling was looking on to his next start against the Mets, but he has changed something this year. The Red Sox hung 16 runs on Stripling in just 9 2/3 innings last season (14.90 ERA). As a team, they hit .370 against him with a 1.311 OPS, turning into a lineup of nine early-2000s Barry Bonds. In 2022, though, it has been a different story.

The goldfish has flipped the script.

Stripling got through five innings of two-run ball in Tuesday’s walk-off thriller against the Red Sox, a fine effort against one of MLB’s hottest clubs. Earlier this season, before the Red Sox caught fire, Stripling held them to just one run over five frames, striking out seven. These sample sizes are microscopic, but they’re just one of many data points that suggest Stripling is still developing, even as he bounces between roles -- again and again -- at 32.

This starts where everything does, with Stripling’s fastball usage. His heater was humming Tuesday, sitting comfortably above his season average and even reaching up to touch 96 mph. He has thrown the pitch less this season, though, shifting instead to his changeup, a pitch that he worked hard on last summer but is finally bearing fruit.

That changeup has gone from his least-used pitch in 2021 (15.3 percent) to his second-most-frequent pitch in ‘22 (25.4 percent), even ahead of his slider. Across the board, Stripling is avoiding hard contact better than he did a year ago. And while home runs will still come, like Trevor Story’s rocket over the wall in left field, Stripling is doing one very important thing.

He’s keeping the ball on the ground.

Entering play Tuesday, Stripling had a ground ball rate of 53.8 percent, a career high and well above his 2021 total of 36.7 percent. It shouldn’t surprise you that home runs were a problem for Stripling last summer, but not this one. Third baseman Matt Chapman walked up to the right-hander prior to his last start in Chicago and said, “Feed me,” which is exactly what Stripling has done.

Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, a few things remain the same.

Toronto’s bullpen has been asked to carry a heavy load lately, and the strain shows. Tuesday, it was Trent Thornton surrendering the lead and Tim Mayza allowing the Red Sox to move out in front, costing Stripling a win he was in line for. The Blue Jays' bats saved the day, but on Wednesday, we saw more of the same as David Phelps and Mayza allowed Boston to move ahead in extras.

Through much of May and June last season, the song was the same, particularly against these same Red Sox.

One year ago this week, on June 29, is when the Blue Jays acquired Adam Cimber from the Marlins. A week later, they picked up Trevor Richards from the Brewers. Both helped down the stretch in 2021, with Cimber’s value carrying over in ‘22, and this may be another blueprint the Blue Jays need to follow. If there’s a way they can jump the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline and find bullpen help now, not later, that’s the ideal scenario.