They Are Risen (Series Preview: Toronto Blue Jays (23-20) vs. Los Angeles Angels (27-18))
There’s something about the way a baseball season is structured into these two-to-four game series that makes the result of the last game of a given set feel so weighty. Though impossible to quantify, momentum is definitely a thing in baseball, and dropping the last game of a series, even if the other games were won. Going into the two-game stretch in St. Louis against the Cardinals, the Jays had, yes, strung together a couple of series wins, taking two-of-three from both the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds, but while those were on paper positive results, something about the end result of each series’ respective final games, a loss in both cases, rubbed fans (by which I mean “me and maybe some other people”) the wrong way. On Wednesday against the Mariners, the Toronto bats looked as limp as ever, getting shut down by Marco Gonzales, a pitcher whose 3.74 ERA is absolutely confounding to anyone with basic Baseball Savant literacy. Versus the Reds, the Jays faced rookie pitcher Graham Ashcraft, and still managed to go down 3-2 against a team that could really only be called Major League by technical definition.
The Cardinals series almost felt like the opposite. The overall result? A split, with each team taking one apiece. A reasonable, if unspectacular result on the road against a strong St. Louis team, albeit one that began with a painful extra inning loss that included the Jays taking the lead in the seventh inning off a couple of bases loaded walks, only to cough it right back up in the bottom half thanks to a Juan Yepez home run and a Brendan Donovan RBI single, with Paul Goldschmidt eventually hitting a walk-off grand slam in the tenth.
But while Tuesday’s game, while containing an offensive explosion (even from players not named Danny Jansen) brought with it the first optimistic conclusion to a Jays series since the month of May started, and was perhaps the best-played overall game of the season. For all we know, this is just a blip in the radar, but as the Jays head to Anaheim for a four game series against a surprisingly good Angels team, the mood is slightly more optimistic. How long will that last? God only knows! But it’s worth savouring it for as long as we can.
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TRANSACTION NEWS
As described in the tweet, the Jays called up Cavan Biggio prior to Thursday night’s game in Anaheim, with Vinny Capra, after seven plate appearances and one hit in eight games, going back to Buffalo in an exchange of utility players. With the Angels using exclusively right-handed starters save for Patrick Sandoval, Biggio figures to see some playing time, and he’s starting at first base today against Shohei Ohtani.
Biggio was placed in a position where he had to earn his way back to the Major Leagues, and he appears to have done that, at least on paper. In 10 games with the Bisons, Biggio slashed .276/.462/.379, showing little in the way of power, but much in the way of getting on base, something he’s struggled to do the last couple seasons. If he’s truly right, he’s a useful piece to have on a big league team, even if he can’t truly be called a starter at this point.
BEST BIRDS
Hitter: Danny Jansen (2)
In his 11 games played this season, Danny “Iván ‘Pudge’ Rodríguez" Jansen has had a .851 slugging percentage, 251 wRC+, and 0.7 fWAR. Small sample size, you say? Nerd. But okay, let’s look at the past two years combined.
Through 2021 and 2022, Jansen slashed .235/.309/.526 with 16 home runs and 125 wRC+ in 81 games. That wRC+ mark puts him fifth overall among big league catcher with at least 230 plate appearances, behind only the now-retired Buster Posey, Mitch Garver, Will Smith, and Yasmani Grandal. A seemingly permanently snakebitten, slightly defensive catcher notorious for high exit velocities and bad luck with the bat has become one of the best offensive backstops in the game over the last couple years. Just as we all predicted when he went 2-for-45 to start the 2021 season.
Honourable Mentions: George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Pitcher: Kevin Gausman (5)
Really sucks that Gausman is gonna get rocked pitching in the American League. Damn shame.
Honourable Mentions: José Berríos, Ross Stripling
Best Bird Standings:
Hitters:
Santiago Espinal- 3
Danny Jansen- 2
Bo Bichette- 2
George Springer- 2
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.- 2
Matt Chapman- 1
Alejandro Kirk- 1
Zack Collins - 1 (Optioned to Triple-A)
Pitchers:
Kevin Gausman- 5
Alek Manoah- 5
Yusei Kikuchi- 3
Jordan Romano- 1
SCHEDULE/PROBABLE PITCHERS
Thursday, May 26 (9:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. MST)
Hyun Jin Ryu (6.00 ERA, 4.56 FIP, 14.5 K%, 3.9 BB%, 39.5 HardContact%)
Shohei Ohtani (2.82 ERA, 2.15 FIP, 34.0 K%, 5.8 BB%, 19.4 HardContact%)
Friday, May 27 (9:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. MST)
Alek Manoah (1.62 ERA, 2.96 FIP, 22.3 K%, 4.7 BB%, 21.2 HardContact%)
Chase Silseth (2.61 ERA, 5.20 FIP, 23.3 K%, 9.3 BB%, 23.3 HardContact%)
Saturday, May 28 (10:00 p.m. EST/8:00 p.m. MST)
Yusei Kikuchi (3.47 ERA, 4.34 FIP, 25.8 K%, 14.8 BB%, 26.5 HardContact%)
Michael Lorenzen (3.05 ERA, 4.07 FIP, 17.9 K%, 8.0 BB%, 26.5 HardContact%)
Sunday, May 29 (4 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. MST)
José Berríos (4.75 ERA, 4.52 FIP, 16.8 K%, 6.3 BB%, 35.9 HardContact%)
Patrick Sandoval (1.79 ERA, 2.57 FIP, 22.8 K%, 10.2 BB%, 25.6 HardContact%)
THE OPPOSITION
Pythagorean Record: 28-17
Last 10 games: 5-5
After so many seasons of doing the roster construction equivalent of violently banging their head through the wall when they’re right beside a clearly-marked exit, the Angels have finally built themselves something of a well-rounded team.
Beyond the ever-reliably tremendous Mike Trout, who has done nothing but prove he’s still the best player in baseball, as well as Two-Way legend Shohei Ohtani, the Angels’ lineup has gotten solid contributions from Jared Walsh, Brandon Marsh, catcher Max Stassi (a league-average hitter with good defence) and a now-healthy Anthony Rendon. Most surprising however has been former catcher and current right fielder Taylor Ward (who will sit out the first game against the Jays with a shoulder/neck ailment)’s breakout, who’s put together a phenomenal batting line thus far (as seen below) that can’t possibly be sustain-oh god damn it.
Pitching-wise (this organization’s constant bugbear), things are actually looking up. Ohtani has but together a career season on the mound thus far to cover for a merely “great” batting line. Barrel reduction artist Patrick Sandoval has been stellar, and Noah Syndergaard has re-invented himself into a walk-limiting groundball pitcher, as he’s seen a sizeable drop in velocity since his peak. Michael Lorenzen has had a fine season, though Joe Maddon, the dirty coward, has yet to employ him as a two-way player. Rookie pitchers Reid Detmers and Chase Silseth have also claimed spots in the rotation, with Detmers making some headlines for his no-hitter, though he’s had mixed results thus far in the early going. The bullpen is maybe the team’s bigger weakness (though a middle infield that has/will see a lot of time with David Fletcher, Tyler Wade, Andrew Velasquez, and Luis Rengifo has a claim to that), with Raisel Iglesias headlining a solid group that includes Ryan Tepera, Aaron Loup, Archie Bradley and the emergent Oliver Ortega.
The Los Angeles, California Angels of Anaheim are… Good, actually??? Oh well. Time to remint them Arte Moreno is still their owner!
Best (Healthy) Players in the Series:
Mike Trout, Center Field, .319/.425/.674, 216 wRC+. What the fuck.
Taylor Ward, Right Field, .370/.481/.713, 245 wRC+. What the FUCK.
Shohei Ohtani, Two-Way Player, 2.82 ERA, 2.15 FIP, 34.0 K%, 5.8 BB%, 19.4 HardContact%, .251/.318/.451, 122 wRC+
Patrick Sandoval, Starting Pitcher, 1.79 ERA, 2.57 FIP, 22.8 K%, 10.2 BB%, 25.6 HardContact%
Anthony Rendon, Third Base, .248/.343/.414, 124 wRC+