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Having simply felt the wrath of Kyle Schwarber, the Blue Jays confronted a way more refined and but equally intimidating presence in Braves left-hander Max Fried.
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Fried began Friday night time’s sequence opener at Truist Park in Atlanta, the place the house aspect is brief on bats given the present roster make-up, however deep relating to high quality arms.
In Kevin Gausman, Fried was pitted towards his former teammate.
And regardless of the 3-1 Blue Jays loss to the Braves, it made for a compelling matchup, particularly when in comparison with Schwarber’s one-man present when he hit 4 dwelling runs — together with three within the sequence opener — throughout Philly’s two-game sweep at Rogers Centre.
Fried was almost flawless, confounding Toronto’s hitters together with his pitch combine by way of seven full innings. He struck out eight and the one run he allowed — a groundout by Vlad Guerrero Jr., that plated Nathan Lukes within the third inning — was unearned.
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Raisel Iglesias began the ninth by hanging out Will Wagner and pinch-hitter and Spencer Horwitz.
However Joey Loperfido, who additionally got here in as pinch-hitter drilled a first-pitch double to proper and Lukes singled to proper for his second hit of the night time to place runners at second and third.
The potential rally fizzled, nonetheless, when Iglesias struck out George Springer, who represented the go-ahead run.
Gausman, in the meantime, went six innings, and general was simply as sharp as Fried — exterior of the second body that’s, when the Braves scored all three of their runs. The Jays right-hander walked leadoff man Jorge Soler, then gave up a base hit to Travis d’Arnaud, then an RBI single to Jarred Kelenic.
After hanging out Orlando Arcia, the Braves tacked on two extra runs on a one other single and a fielder’s alternative.
Gausman wasn’t out of it but, although. He loaded the bases with back-to-back walks earlier than getting Matt Olson to fly out into deep left discipline to finish the harm.
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In all, Atlanta scored three runs on 5 hits and three walks off Gausman, whose pitch rely sat at 55 by way of two innings.
Not surprisingly, the veteran regrouped and was capable of regain his kind, retiring the aspect so as in every of the following three innings.
Hits have been scarce — seven apiece — however Atlanta occurred to string collectively sufficient of them within the second when the sport was gained.
BO IN DIXIE
There was greater than Georgia on the minds of the Jays after they landed in Atlanta to start the weekend sequence.
Someplace behind administration’s thoughts is the well being of Bo Bichette, who, up till this season, was typically considered as one of many franchise’s faces.
What administration does with Bichette, whose deal expires on the finish of the 2025 season, can be hotly debated this winter.
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In the intervening time, he’ll stay with the Jays in Atlanta as he prepares for a minor-league rehab project with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons.
Cameras confirmed a extremely engaged Bichette signing autographs hours earlier than the primary pitch.
Away from the glare of the cameras, Bichette might be seen working the bases as his ramp-up continued.
The plan, for now, is to have Bichette play as many 5 video games with the Bisons, cut up between shortstop and DH and, barring a setback, may return to the massive leagues subsequent weekend.
ORELVIS TO SIT
With so many additions to the roster, so many kids principally auditioning for a possible roster spot subsequent season, both with the Jays or one other group, the probabilities of high prospect Orelvis Martinez returning to the big-league group have been as possible because the group making the playoffs.
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Moreover, the optics would have been horrible given the MLB-mandated 80-game suspension given to Martinez when he examined optimistic for PED, which was introduced a day after he recorded his first hit within the present when the
Jays have been in Cleveland in mid-June.
For the report, his suspension will get lifted on Sept. 23, however there seems to be no room for Martinez on the roster in the meanwhile.
Nevertheless, starting this Sunday he’ll be capable of play on a minor-league project.
BRIEFLY
Proper-hander Luis Frias, whom the Jays claimed off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 10, was recalled Friday from triple-A. Left-hander Brandon Eisert was optioned to Buffalo … Springer, who DH’d on Friday, entered the sport one leadoff dwelling run from tying Devon White’s franchise report of twenty-two … Former Jay Whit Merrifield began at second for the Braves, going 0-for-2 with a stroll within the fateful second inning earlier than being changed to start out the seventh.
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