RHP Jameson Taillon exits after two innings because of an elbow issue

Article content

See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source

Article content

One of those symbolic switches was turned on the moment the Blue Jays completed their high-wire act of threading the needle on trade deadline day on Aug. 3 when the club was in Houston.

Article content

Article content

Since that time, the Jays have reinvented themselves in ways conducive to winning, which have become more common than foreign in the intervening weeks.

In terms of symbolism, there’s no better sign than reaching the .500 level, a feat that seemed completely out of reach when the Jays’ odds of advancing to the post-season were dropping with each defeat.

Times have definitely changed, while the club’s fortunes have certainly changed.

Following Friday night’s 9-2 win over the host Kansas City Royals in the series opener, the Jays improved to 71-71, the first time the club has reached the .500 level since June 22.

Since the expiration of MLB’s trade deadline, the Jays have gone 19-11.

Twenty games remain with each and every game more meaningful knowing any loss could be devastating.

Article content

Article content

The field jockeying for the third and final wild card in the American League features Cleveland, Toronto, Texas and Baltimore with Minnesota and Seattle residing on the periphery.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

Toronto arrived in Kansas City after earning the series win in Cleveland.

The Jays went 4-2 against the Guardians in the season series.

Tiebreakers may loom large when all is said and done, much like last season when the Jays won the AL East after earning the tiebreaker over the New York Yankees.

The various permutations and potential possibilities can wait when all that matters is winning and controlling one’s destiny.

So far, the Jays are holding up their end of the bargain.

The following are three takeaways on a night the Jays exacted some revenge for a lost series in Toronto when the Royals took two of three, including a 13-2 beatdown in the rubber match when fans voiced their displeasure in a visceral way.

An A for the O

Every player in the starting lineup reached base at least once Friday night at Kauffman Stadium on a night when the Jays produced one of those vintage team wins.

Article content

Three players produced multi-hit games as the Jays reached double digits in hits.

The club’s offence, which endured a lengthy stretch of lethargy, has not, for the most part, been an issue during this recent run that has seen the Jays ascend the standings.

No homers were recorded until Sean Keys led off the ninth inning by going deep for his second homer of the season, while the Royals’ two homers accounted for K.C.’s two runs.

The Jays’ offence isn’t dependent on someone such as a Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who reached base on a sharply hit ball and later on an infield hit that could have easily been ruled an error.

Charles McAdoo was the lone player in the Jays’ starting lineup who did not record a hit.

With the game out of reach, the Jays gave Vlad Jr. a breather, which provided Keys with his opportunity.

One of those innings

Almost fittingly, four became the dominant theme in the first inning, which began with Royals starter Daniel Lynch IV hitting leadoff hitter Brett Bateman on the game’s first pitch.

Article content

It would set a dubious tone for the left-hander, who wasn’t good, to put it mildly, when facing a Jays’ lineup that took advantage of every opportunity and every pitch that caught too much of the plate.

All told, four runs would be yielded on four hits, including Ernie Clement stroking his 30th double of the season that scored two.

When Jameson Taillon began his start, his first in almost a month after leaving an outing against the visiting Boston Red Sox because of right forearm discomfort, his offence had given Taillon a 4-0 lead.

Taillon’s Achilles heel involves surrendering too many homers, a deficiency that bit him again when Bobby Witt Jr. went deep on a one out solo blast.

The dinger was the 27th belt Taillon had allowed on the season.

His body language in the second inning was discouraging.

While he worked around a single to complete the second, Taillon wasn’t able to start the third. Suddenly, the Jays had to rely on their bullpen, beginning with Joe Mantiply, who provided the Jays with two scoreless innings in relief of Taillon.

Article content

The Jays would announce that Taillon was forced to leave the game because of elbow discomfort.

Injury update

The re-appearance of the right-hander, fresh off being reinstated from the 15-day injured list, was one of a handful of encouraging developments to emerge as the Jays began their three-game stay in Kansas City.

Not to minimize Taillon’s presence, whose return would be short-lived, but he’s nowhere near as good as Trey Yesavage or Shane Bieber, two fellow righties who are making progress from their respective injuries.

Even though Yesavage underwent surgery to address a meniscus issue in his left knee last month, the door was open for a potential return this season.

His first step was executed Friday when Yesavage threw a bullpen session.

An additional BP session is on tap Monday before, if all goes well, Yesavage pitches simulated innings.

Bieber, who is dealing with a shoulder setback, threw from flat ground for the second time in the hours leading up to Friday night’s first pitch.

Article content

By the time the Jays wrap up their nine-game road trip in Sacramento, there’s a chance Bieber will be able to throw off an actual mound.

Meanwhile, Anthony Santander, whom many have completely forgotten given his injury issues since joining the Jays, took some at-bats against live pitching.

At some point next week, Santander might be poised to appear in minor-league rehab games.

Ideally, he’ll play in the outfield.

Up Next

Saturday night’s meeting (7:10 p.m. first pitch) is a mound rematch pitting Max Scherzer and Seth Lugo, who upstaged the veteran in earning the win in Toronto on Aug. 25 when Lugo held the Jays to one run in 5.0 innings; Scherzer turned back the clock in his ensuing start against Seattle when the right-hander registered a season-high 10 strikeouts in pitching a season-high 7.0 innings, while allowing a season-low one hit; Lugo was lit up in Cleveland in his most recent outing when nine earned runs, a season high, were yielded in 3.2 innings versus the Guardians.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com

Article content