The 2020 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit our Handbook home page for more information!
Now is a great time to subscribe to the Blue Jays from Away Premium Content Section!
The Toronto Blue Jays opened the crazy 2020 season with a win, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 6-4 at Tropicana Field in Florida. Not only was the game the first of the 2020 season, but it was the Blue Jays debut of the Jays’ big free-agent acquisition of the offseason, Hyun-jin Ryu. Ryu got through the first by retiring all three batters he faced but was just ok in the overall, allowing three runs on four hits (including a home run) with three walks and four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings, throwing 97 pitches. It was the second-last batter, Yoshi Tsutsugo, who tagged Ryu for the home run in the fifth inning.
Another first for the Blue Jays was the major league debut of Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. at first base while Travis Shaw, making his Blue Jays debut, hit fourth in the order and played third base. Rafael Dolis also made his Blue Jays debut after signing out of Japan in the offseason.
The offensive star for the Jays was Cavan Biggio who was 2/5 with a home run, an bunt single, three RBI, two runs but also struck out three times. The other young stars on this team, Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. were each 1/5 while Danny Jansen, Derek Fisher, Randal Grichuk and Travis Shaw each had a hit and Teoscar Hernandez was 1/3 with a double and a long sacrifice fly to drive in a run.
Rowdy Tellez didn’t have a hit, but he drove in a run with a long sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.
Jordan Romano earned his first major league win, throwing one inning, striking out two and walking two. Anthony Bass followed Romano with 1 1/3 innings of perfect ball, while Rafael Dolis allowed an unearned run (thanks to an error by Bo Bichette) on a hit and two walks with a strikeout. Ken GIles finished the game, earning his first save of the season, walking one and striking out a pair in the ninth.
It was an encouraging game for the Blue Jays, seeing some pop and production from the young stars, seeing the club able to drive in men on base with less than two outs (sacrifice flies help a lot) while also seeing some production up and down the lineup. The bullpen also looked really good, providing 4 1/3 innings of one-run baseball
A notable absence was Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. who wasn’t in the lineup with some lingering injury concerns.
The Blue Jays face the Rays again today at 3:10pm with Matt Shoemaker scheduled to take the mount for the Jays for the first time since last April against lefty Ryan Yarborough on the mound for the Rays.
If you like us here, like us on Facebook!
All photos are copyright Blue Jays from Away (2013-2020) and may not be used without permission.