Blue Jays lose despite Springer return

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TORONTO – The Blue Jays lost 7-3 Monday night at Rogers Center to the Baltimore Orioles, but the good news is that George Springer showed some form in his return in the game.

Springer, who had two hits in addition to a walk, returns in time for the final stretch that will determine if the Jays (61-53) will be playoffs in October. For now, the Orioles (60-55) have further narrowed the gap between the two clubs in the standings.

Inserted at the forefront of the offensive lineup as the hitter of choice, Springer was greeted with cheers from the Toronto crowd. However, it was on his second turn at bat, late in the third inning, that number 4 really made his presence felt with a double against pitcher Kyle Bradish.

The hit could have propelled the his own, but Japanese starter Yusei Kikuchi's inefficiency on the mound for the Jays seems to have offset that. The context will be more conducive to victory for Toronto on Tuesday, with Alek Manoah on the mound.

Springer also got a single, in the seventh inning, but his teammates didn't call. He hit the trails a third time, in the bottom of the ninth, with a free pass, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. completed the game by hitting in a double play.

“Vlad Junior”: a 24e circuit

Guerrero Jr., whose 22-game hitting streak ended Sunday in a loss to the Cleveland Guardians, previously set the record straight, hitting a home run late in the fifth inning. It was the 24th long ball for “Vlad Junior” this season.

Despite the result of Monday's game, Springer's comeback comes at the right time for the Jays, who had lost six games in eight during the absence of their “spark plug”. Recall that the American had to give his right elbow a 10-day rest period due to inflammation.

Having been selected for the All-Star Game this season, Springer has now scored 15 doubles and 18 home runs in his first 90 games of the campaign.

Complicated for Kikuchi

On the mound, Kikuchi (4-7) was limited to three and a third innings of work on Monday night, having allowed six runs, three of which were earned. He has a knack for making it difficult, he who made 80 pitches – 23 in the first inning – and notably allowed three walks.

Ryan Mountcastle's long two-run homer at his expense, at the start of the third, had nothing to do with bad luck… Again in the fourth inning, a few moments before leaving the game, a bad throw to second base which aimed to catch a runner on the wrong foot came the haunt. On the sequence, the Orioles player was able to advance to third base, then he crossed the paid plate on an optional.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. pleased the crowd at Rogers Center even before the start of the encounter. He had fun throwing many balls from the field, even reaching the upper level of the stadium. It takes a good arm…