Veterans rising above the gloom of meaningless September baseball

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When Jose Barrios cashed in on a seven-year extension price $131 million US in 2021, he wasn’t signing up for Septembers like this.

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Ditto for Kevin Gausman, whose exhaustive analysis previous to agreeing to a five-year, $110 million contract lower than month after Berrios got here aboard was based mostly on the premise that he was taking the remaining peak years of his profession to a severe contender.

In the event that they have been being truthful, I’m certain each high-end starters would admit that this lengthy misplaced 2024 season can’t finish quickly sufficient.

That doesn’t imply both beginning pitcher — or any of the veterans on the Jays roster — are in mail-it-in mode, as simple as it might be to let the give a bleep meter slide about now.

“The veterans have been exceptional,” pitching coach Pete Walker mentioned previous to a straightforward 7-2 win in opposition to a lower than impressed St. Louis Cardinals facet on a superb late Saturday afternoon on the Rogers Centre.

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“Clearly it’s been a troublesome season, however I feel they’ve discovered a means, particularly recently, to remain motivated. They’re on additional relaxation, so bodily they’re feeling fairly good proper now they usually’re nonetheless attacking these video games with the suitable mindset.

“I do know the season hasn’t gone as deliberate and it’s been a battle and troublesome at occasions, however I’m pleased with the way in which they’ve dealt with it.”

Main the way in which on that account has been Berrios, who pitched seven innings of two-hit ball, the one blemish being a third-inning solo homer from the Playing cards’ Jordan Walker. It allowed Berrios to file a career-best sixteenth victory and pushed his successful streak to seven consecutive begins. Throughout that stretch, Berrios has allowed simply eight earned runs.

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The earlier night time, Gausman allowed simply two runs over seven innings within the Jays’ 4-3 win and of observe threw a fastball clocked at 98.5 miles per hour, the toughest he’s tossed all season.

In each instances, the professionalism of two veteran (and sure, properly paid) pitchers has been on show. Each dudes have been round lengthy sufficient to be well-versed within the vagaries of baseball and the way rapidly expectations will be flushed. This season was exhibit ‘A’ for a Jays crew that anticipated extra, however there’s been a possibility for the veterans to point out some management.

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“It was a bizarre form of a flip in a single day to the place we weren’t the place we wished to be and guys like Kevin, Chris (Bassitt), Jose, (Dalton Varsho, Vlad Guerro Jr., George Springer, Chad Inexperienced), it was their time to carry regular,” supervisor John Schneider mentioned. “They usually’ve been excellent. I can’t communicate extremely sufficient of what they’ve performed, how they’ve competed and the way they’ve taught the (youthful) guys alongside the way in which.”

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Nobody is suggesting it’s simple, both. Veterans particularly can be properly conscious of the shortcomings of a crew that by no means sniffed at being wherever close to as aggressive as projected.

And within the case of each Berrios and Gausman, they selected Toronto for the big-money incomes years of their careers for far more than this.

“You hate that you simply’re right here,” Schneider mentioned of what have to be going by their minds. “You’re not used to being there for the previous few years so I feel being open and speaking as to what our plans are (is necessary.) I feel (GM Ross Atkins) did a great job speaking with these guys too. They’re professionals. We’re fortunate as a result of they’re good, but in addition as a result of they perceive the inside workings of the sport and the way it can change month-to-month, year-to-year.

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“They get it. You look across the league and seasons are bizarre. Generally they don’t work out the way in which you need it to, however you may’t let it have an effect on what you’re making an attempt to do on the market as a participant.”

Virtually from begin to end, Berrios has been wonderful, however the suitable hander has been significantly sharp late within the season, a run that has garnered the admiration of his teammates and coaches.

“I’m at all times impressed along with his consistency,” Schneider mentioned. “He’s simply relentless, that’s what I take into consideration him. His ERA is sweet. Management is sweet. Wins are good. He’s actually good at adjusting how he’s feeling every outing.”

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GAME ON

The groups traded third inning homers with Walker belting one to centre area for the Cardinals and the Jays’ Davis Schneider countering within the backside half … The breakout got here within the decisive sixth inning when the Jays put up 4, beginning with a bases-loaded throwing error to residence by Playing cards shortstop Masyn Wynn that allowed Nathan Lukes to attain from third. Schneider added an RBI single as a part of the outburst. Schneider appears to be climbing out of his chilly spell after counting for 3 of the Jays’ 10 hits … It was the primary time in 16 video games that the Jays have gained two in row. They’ll chase a sequence sweep on Sunday when Yariel Rodriguez faces Miles Mikolas.

@longleysunsport

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