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Blue Jays' Brandon Valenzuela: Smacks another homer
Rotowire
Valenzuela went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and an additional RBI during Toronto's 6-4 win over Baltimore on Sunday.
Valenzuela contributed to the Blue Jays' five-run sixth inning with an RBI groundout before giving his team an insurance run in the eighth with a solo homer. The rookie catcher has been scorching at the plate recently, having smacked three homers over his last four outings, and his eight long balls are second-most on the Blue Jays behind Kazuma Okamoto (13). Valenzuela is up to an .822 OPS with 16 RBI and 12 extra-base hits over 135 plate appearances this season. It remains to be seen whether he'll remain on the Blue Jays' 26-man roster once Alejandro Kirk (thumb) is cleared to return from the 60-day injured list.
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Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman: No-decision vs. Baltimore
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Gausman did not factor into Sunday's decision against the Orioles, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out five across five innings. He did not issue a walk.
Gausman was dominant through four innings, limiting the Orioles to just one baserunner over that span. Unfortunately for the right-hander, he proceeded to give up four runs in the fifth inning, three of which came on home runs from Taylor Ward and Colton Cowser. It was a bit of bad luck for Gausman, as three of those runs wouldn't have happened if Brandon Valenzuela could have squeezed a foul tip that would've ended the inning with a strikeout, which ultimately led to an RBI double from Blaze Alexander. Gausman escaped with the no-decision after his teammates rallied for five runs in the fifth, but he's now given up four runs in back-to-back starts, which has him at a 3.60 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 80 innings this season. His next start is slated for next weekend at home against the Yankees.
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Blue Jays' Yohendrick Pinango: Sparks five-run sixth inning
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Pinango went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during the Blue Jays' 6-4 win over the Orioles on Sunday.
Shane Baz kept the Blue Jays off the board through the first five innings, but Pinango turned things around for his team with a solo home run in the sixth, the first of five runs in the frame. It was the fourth home run of the season for Pinango, who is slashing .301/.333/.456 with 17 RBI and eight extra-base hits over 108 plate appearances this season. While he's been productive at the plate, Pinango has not been as good in the outfield, which has limited his playing time. He could be facing even less reps in the outfield once Addison Barger (elbow) returns from the injured list.
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Blue Jays' Louis Varland: Records four-out save Sunday
Rotowire
Varland collected his 11th save of the season against the Orioles on Sunday, when he allowed one hit while striking out two across 1.1 scoreless innings.
Varland was brought out in the eighth inning with a man on base, who ended up being stranded after the right-hander struck out Leody Taveras. Varland was brought back out for the ninth and gave up an infield single to Colton Cowser, but the former closed the door on the Orioles with another punchout, marking the 14th time this season that Varland has recorded at least two strikeouts. He's now a perfect 11-for-11 on save opportunities and has a 0.26 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 45:9 K:BB across 34.2 innings this season.
The Blue Jays assigned Andrews to Triple-A Buffalo after he cleared waivers Sunday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Andrews was DFA'd by the Blue Jays on Thursday in order to make room on the 40-man roster for Chad Dallas. Andrews went unclaimed off waivers and will return to Buffalo, where he has a 1.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, five saves and a 23:15 K:BB over 21 innings this season.
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Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: On track to start Wednesday
Rotowire
Scherzer (forearm) threw a bullpen session Sunday and expressed confidence that he would be available to pitch against the Phillies on Wednesday, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
"[I] checked a lot of boxes, and recovered well... I can tell you I'm good. Yeah, I'll be able to go Wednesday," Scherzer noted after Sunday's bullpen session. He landed on the 15-day injured list in late April due to right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation and was also dealing with a right thumb issue during his recovery. The Blue Jays are also expecting Dylan Cease (hamstring) to return from the IL in the coming week, giving the team a much-needed boost to its rotation.
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Blue Jays' Nathan Lukes: Sitting Sunday
Rotowire
Lukes is not in Toronto's starting lineup against Baltimore on Sunday.
Lukes will take a seat after going 1-for-8 across the first two games of the series. Jesus Sanchez, Myles Straw and Yohendrick Pinango will man the outfield from left to right for the Blue Jays.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Sitting again Sunday
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Varsho (wrist) is not in the Blue Jays' starting lineup against the Orioles on Sunday.
Varsho will be out of the lineup for a second consecutive game while tending to a left wrist injury that popped up in Friday's series opener. The Blue Jays will start Jesus Sanchez, Myles Straw and Yohendrick Pinango in the outfield from left to right.
Blue Jays' Spencer Miles: Earns win in bulk relief
Rotowire
Miles (3-1) earned the win in Saturday's 6-4 win over the Orioles, allowing two runs on two hits and one walk with five strikeouts over 4.1 innings.
Miles entered in the second inning and allowed a homer to the second batter he faced but was able to settle in for the win, throwing 48 of 73 pitches for strikes and recording five strikeouts despite generating only five whiffs. It was a nice rebound after the 25-year-old surrendered six runs in a starting role Sunday, and he has now yielded two earned runs or fewer while working at least three frames in five of his past six outings. He owns a 3.54 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 39:13 K:BB across 40.2 innings this season, including two starts and 15 relief appearances.
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Blue Jays' Louis Varland: Secures 10th save
Rotowire
Varland tossed a perfect ninth inning to earn the save in Saturday's 6-4 win over the Orioles. He did not record a strikeout.
Varland was called upon to protect a two-run lead in the ninth inning and did so on just eight pitches. The 28-year-old is now a perfect 10-for-10 in save chances this season and has gone 17 straight appearances without allowing an earned run. He owns a 0.27 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 43:9 K:BB across 33.1 innings, with the lone knock on his fantasy value being that he's occasionally been deployed before the ninth frame in other high-leverage situations.
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Blue Jays' Ernie Clement: Powers offense in win
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Clement went 2-for-4 with a triple, a three-run home run and three total runs scored in Saturday's 6-4 win over the Orioles.
Clement gave the Blue Jays a lead they wouldn't relinquish with a three-run blast in the third inning. The 30-year-old saw his seven-game hitting streak come to an end Friday, but he has still opened June by going 8-for-21 through five contests. For the season, he's slashing .306/.327/.464 with six homers, 25 RBI, 29 runs scored and two steals across 257 plate appearances.
Varsho (wrist) isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Baltimore.
Varsho was forced to make an early exit from Friday's contest due to left wrist inflammation, and the Blue Jays will give him a chance to rest Saturday while Myles Straw starts in center field.
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Blue Jays' George Springer: Finding rhythm at plate
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Springer went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Friday's loss to the Orioles.
The veteran slugger held a paltry .186 batting average on May 16, but since then Springer has begun to find a groove. Over his last 16 games, he's slashing .258/.319/.470 with five doubles, three homers, two steals, six RBI and eight runs while still consistently hitting leadoff for the Blue Jays.
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Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Next start could come in majors
Rotowire
Scherzer (forearm) gave up three runs on five hits and a walk over 3.2 innings for Triple-A Buffalo on Friday. He struck out five.
While the results weren't great, the 41-year-old right-hander topped out at 95.7 mph with his fastball while throwing 73 pitches (44 strikes), per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Scherzer has dealt with a litany of healthy issues in the early part of the season, including right forearm tightness, but he's closing in on returning to the Blue Jays' rotation for the first time April 24. It's not yet clear whether the organization will activate him from the IL next week for a home series against the Phillies, or have Scherzer make one more rehab start.
Blue Jays' Spencer Miles: Set for bulk-relief duty
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Miles will work as a bulk reliever during Saturday's game against the Orioles, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Miles gave up six earned runs in just three innings while working as a traditional starter last Sunday on the road in Baltimore, so the Blue Jays will move him back into a bulk-relief role for a rematch with the Orioles at Rogers Centre. Right-hander Braydon Fisher will open the game for Toronto, likely working the first inning or two before handing the ball over to Miles, who owns a 2.37 ERA and 1.05 WHIP as a reliever this season.
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