The Toronto Blue Jays have signed pitcher Ricky Romero to a five-year, $30 million contract extension.
Romero pitched pretty well last year and has become the team’s top starting pitcher this season.
The organization is planning on building their entire pitching staff around him in the coming years.
The left-hander said that it was a long process but that he’s very happy the deal finally got signed. (Read More…)
Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said he will not return as the team’s skipper next season.
Gaston, who is in his second stint with the Blue Jays, was brought back to help with the rebuilding process.
The team has shown signs of improvement and certainly some serious promise for the future, but they still aren’t ready to compete in the American League East.
The 66-year old manager is in the second year of his two-year contract and believes leaving his post is best for the club. (Read More…)
The Toronto Blue Jays would like to trade away reliever Scott Downs and have received a lot of interest in him.
Toronto is still hanging around in the wild card race, meaning they could be buyers and sellers at the deadline.
The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are considered the favorites to land Downs, which means trading within the division.
Trading within the division is generally frowned upon, but the Blue Jays think outside the box more than most. (Read More…)
It looks like a change of scenery might have been just what Yunel Escobar needed.
The Toronto Blue Jays’ trade acquisition hit his first career grand slam on Sunday, leading the way in a 10-1 rout of the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. The victory gave the Blue Jays a three-game sweep of the hosts.
Escobar’s slam was part of a six-run second inning, chasing Baltimore starter Brian Matusz. It was more than enough for Toronto starter Shaun Marcum, who gave up one run over five innings of work. (Read More…)
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The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired shortstop Yunel Escobar from the Atlanta Braves for shortstop Alex Gonzalez.
Gonzalez is having a terrific year and has seen a drastic rise in his power numbers, making him an attractive commodity.
The Braves were looking for some help down the stretch as they make a push in the National League East. (Read More…)
The Toronto Blue Jays were supposedly in rebuilding mode, but you wouldn’t know it from their hot start in the first half.
The team traded away pitcher Roy Halladay for a host of prospects in the offseason, looking to improve their farm system.
Instead, the team has gotten outstanding starting pitcher and surprising explosiveness from their offense. (Read More…)
The Baltimore Orioles let more decent starting pitching go to waste as they were swept away in the three-game weekend series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Kevin Millwood, Chris Tillman and Jeremy Guthrie all put together solid performances that were wasted by the bullpen and more bad offense.
As good as Baltimore starting pitching was, Toronto’s was much, much better.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Toronto’s starters got the chance to face the O’s lackluster lineup.
Despite the ugly series, manager Dave Trembley managed to keep his job through Monday’s off day.
The Tampa Bay Rays dug themselves out of a 5-run hole, rallying in the ninth inning for a 7-6 win over the Toronto Blue Jays after manager Joe Maddon was ejected.
Tampa Bay found itself trailing 5-3 heading into its last at-bat, but had runners on the corners with one out with Carlos Pena at the plate. With two strikes, Pena called for timeout but wasn’t awarded one by umpire Angel Hernandez, and an unprepared Pena struck out looking. Maddon rushed out of the dugout to argue and was promptly tossed by Hernandez.
Without their leader and down to their final out, the Rays found a way to escape the jaws of defeat. Toronto closer Kevin Gregg walked two consecutive batters to shrink the lead to one, and then Sean Rodriguez hit a bases-clearing double to give the Rays a 7-5 lead. Gregg walked a career-high five batters in the inning while surrendering just a single hit, and was ejected for yelling at Hernandez on his way to the dugout after being taken out of the game by manager Cito Gaston.
Vernon Wells pulled the Blue Jays within one with an RBI double, but Rays closer Rafael Soriano earned his 15th save in 15 chances by getting Jose Bautista to fly out to end the game.
The bullpen wasted a terrific performance by Toronto starter Brian Tallet, who came off the disabled list to pitch 5 2/3 shutout innings.
Grant Balfour got the win in relief for Tampa Bay. Rookie starter Jeff Niemann was bailed out after his worst outing of the season, surrendering nine hits and five runs in 6 1/3 innings.
The Toronto Blue Jays completed a three-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles, winning 6-1 behind a pitching gem by Ricky Romero and three more home runs. Toronto leads the majors with 88 on the season.
Romero went the distance, striking out seven while not allowing a run after the opening frame. The bottom of the lineup provided the offense to support him, as No. 6 and No. 7 hitters Alex Gonzalez and Lyle Overbay combined to go 5 for 7 with two home runs and four RBI.
Jose Bautista continued his startling power surge, hitting his league-leading 16th bomb on the year.
The Orioles drew first blood on an RBI single by Nick Markakis in the first inning, the only starter with a batting average above. 300 (.307). But starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie couldn’t make it stick, giving up three runs in the bottom of the first. He did settle down after that, finishing the day with 4 ER allowed in six innings of work, but the offense couldn’t get anything going against Romero, who allowed just six hits on the day.
The Toronto Blue Jays offense exploded on Sunday, giving pitcher Shaun Marcum his first victory since 2008 with a 9-3 result over the Oakland Athletics.
Marcum pitched 6 1/3 innings, surrendering a single run to earn the win. He was aided by 10 extra-base hits by his teammates, including three home runs courtesy of Aaron Hill, Fred Lewis and Alex Gonzalez.
The Blue Jays scored six runs in the first two innings off Oakland starter Ben Sheets. The Athletics’ key free agent acquisition was pounded on this day, giving up 10 hits and nine runs in just 3 1/3 innings.
Hill finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Three players registered more than one RBI for Toronto.
