Making his first start since early July, Yusei Kikuchi pitched five innings of one-run ball as the Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers. It's good news for a Toronto squad trying to figure out its best course of action for the trade deadline. (ShiDavidi)
Five innings of one-run ball from the lefty in his return from the injured list – helping drive a 5-3 victory Thursday night – certainly provided plenty to digest. Using a fastball sitting at 94.7 m.p.h., a refined slider featuring four inches of vertical break above his season average and a more fluid delivery, Kikcuhi resembled the best version of himself.
“You don’t want to make it a knee-jerk reaction after one outing or something like that,” is how interim manager John Schneider put it before the game. “We trust the work that he’s put in, the adjustments that he’s made. Hopefully, he gets off to a good start but yeah, I think we have a little bit of room for some runway and there’s always time to make a quick adjustment if you need to. We obviously like him. We’ve invested in him and we trust that he’s going to go out and perform.
Of that group, Jimenez may be the best fit, as his 28.8 per cent differential between his strikeout and walk rates is 10th among relievers. That’s a metric the Blue Jays emphasize in their player development – ideally due as much to a low walk rate as much as a high strikeout rate – and anything in the 25-30 per cent range is considered elite for a reliever.
A Danny Jansen sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth restored some breathing room before Romano closed things out on a 10th win in the past 12 Blue Jays outings.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Blue Jays vs. Tigers series preview: Regional rivals going in opposite directionsThe Toronto Blue Jays wrap up a six-game homestand with a four-game series against the Detroit Tigers. Yusei Kikuchi starts the opener for Toronto on Thursday at 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT on Sportsnet.
Read more »
Tigers could be perfect match to meet Blue Jays’ pitching needsDetroit has several arms available, both starters and relievers, who could help solve Toronto's pitching conundrum ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
Read more »
Today in Blue Jays History: Jays trade for TulowitzkiAnd trade away Marcus Stroman
Read more »
Blue Jays unveil first phase of major Rogers Centre renovation projectThe Blue Jays have revealed renderings for the first phase of their upcoming Rogers Centre renovation, a $300-million, privately-funded project that will begin this off-season. ArdenZwelling has more on the project.
Read more »
Today in Blue Jays History: Colby Rasmus TradeEleven years ago today: The Blue Jays traded for Colby Rasmus. It was a trade in two acts. Act One: The Jays traded veteran reliever Jason Frasor and prospect Zach Stewart to the White Sox for...
Read more »
Blue Jays ride another big inning in win over CardinalsHere are three things you need to know about the Blue Jays’ 10-3 win over the Cardinals at Rogers Centre on Tuesday.
Read more »