Texas Rangers Suffer Loss Against Toronto Blue Jays
Introduction
TORONTO — Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom sought blame for his team’s loss when he last started vs. the Philadelphia Phillies. He was uncharacteristically erratic and home-run prone in his two starts before that against the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners.
There was no need for apologies or explanations this time out. From him, at least. DeGrom pitched five scoreless innings and was left in line for a win before the Texas bullpen imploded in a 6-5 series-opening loss vs. the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre Friday night.
The Game
The trio of left-hander Robert Garcia, left-hander Danny Coulombe and right-hander Phil Maton combined to allow six runs in a two-inning span to clinch a seventh loss in an eight-game span. The starter, as has been the case much of this season, was not the issue. He allowed two hits — an Addison Barger single in the second inning plus a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. double in the fourth — and struck out five batters.
The first-place Blue Jays have struck out less than any club in baseball (821 strikeouts) and are the only team in deGrom’s legendary career to survive a start against him without one. He pitched 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball against them on May 26, but for the first time in what had then been 229 career starts, he did not record a strikeout. He did Friday.
DeGrom’s Performance
Especially when he needed to. Guerrero led the fourth inning off with a 105.6-mph double that speedy left fielder Wyatt Langford couldn’t quite reach. DeGrom proceeded to strike out Barger on six pitches and Daulton Varsho on four pitches for the inning’s first two outs. Alejandro Kirk chased deGrom’s slider to ground out and strand Guerrero at second base.
He struck out two more batters in the fifth inning before the Rangers lifted him at 84 pitches. The 37-year-old, whose 2.76 ERA is the fifth-best in the American League, has now logged 140 1/3 innings this season. That’s more than his three previous seasons combined (105 1/3) and the most he’s thrown in a single season since 2019 in his first full campaign back from elbow surgery.
The Bullpen Collapse
Then things unraveled. Right-hander Cole Winn pitched a perfect sixth before Garcia allowed a two-run home run to Kirk with one out in the seventh that pulled the Blue Jays to within one run. Garcia was demoted from his closer role after consecutive blown saves against the Seattle Mariners earlier this month and has allowed at least one run in five of his last seven appearances. He has a 12.60 ERA since Aug. 1.
Coulombe (who gave up a go-ahead home run to Arizona’s Ketel Marte in Tuesday’s loss) let up three consecutive singles and allowed a run to score to make it a 5-3 game with no outs in the eighth. Maton (who allowed a go-ahead home run to Marte in Wednesday’s loss) walked two batters to load the bases and score a run before Kirk hit a two-run single into left-center field that gave the Blue Jays their first lead of the night.
Aftermath
It was the third consecutive game that Coulombe and Maton, the two bullpen arms that the Rangers acquired at July’s trade deadline, were directly responsible for a loss. Second baseman Marcus Semien — a former Blue Jay who batted sixth Friday night in a reinvented Texas lineup — erased the damage that Garcia created one half inning later with a first-pitch two-run home run off of right-hander Louis Varland.
The Rangers scored each of their five runs on home runs; catcher Kyle Higashioka gave them a lead with a three-run home run off right-handed starter Chris Bassitt in the second inning.
With just 40 games left in the season, Bochy is again attempting to spark the Rangers’ bats.
The two-time All-Star will join a Faith team that made a run to the state championship last season.
Conclusion
The Texas Rangers suffered a tough loss against the Toronto Blue Jays, with the bullpen collapse being the main reason for the defeat. DeGrom’s performance was impressive, but it was not enough to secure a win. The Rangers will look to bounce back from this loss and try to spark their offense, which has been struggling lately.
FAQs
Q: What was the final score of the game?
A: The final score of the game was 6-5 in favor of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Q: Who was the starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers?
A: The starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers was Jacob deGrom.
Q: How many innings did deGrom pitch?
A: DeGrom pitched five scoreless innings.
Q: What was the reason for the Rangers’ loss?
A: The main reason for the Rangers’ loss was the bullpen collapse, with the trio of Garcia, Coulombe, and Maton allowing six runs in a two-inning span.
Q: How many games are left in the season for the Rangers?
A: There are 40 games left in the season for the Rangers.
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