There is really no way to correctly capture how horrid the American League playoff race is, specifically for the final wild card spot that seemingly no team appears to want, and the Toronto Blue Jays are one of those teams.
It is truly unfathomable that they are even in playoff contention with how many injuries this team has had to deal with, mainly their pitching staff. However, the men on the hill haven't been the problem; instead, the offense.
That being said, the Jays dropped an ugly one Tuesday night to the Detroit Tigers , which cost them the series and now puts them two games under .500. Rogers Centre was eerily quiet after Michael Lorenzen gave up five runs in the little bit of time that he was on the mound.
However, when the bats can't score a run, it really doesn't matter what happens on the other end of things, and the disappointing display from the bats completely hid the phenomenal job that left-handed pitcher Brendan Cellucci did in his major league debut.
The 28-year-old had been teased with his debut back in Tampa Bay as he was called up, but he never saw the field before being optioned back to Buffalo. This time was different, though, and he was able to finally cross that achievement off his list in the second inning against the Tigers on Tuesday.
Blue Jays relief pitcher Brendan Cellucci (70) delivers a pitch against the Tigers. Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In a perfect world, Cellucci wouldn't have to make his debut in a high-leverage situation and while the second inning of a ballgame isn't typically considered that, every game means so much to the Blue Jays right now, so it definitely was.
While it might not have been a normal time for a rookie, Cellucci sure handled it in stride once he settled in. His first batter faced, he fell behind 2-0, but he was able to find the zone and strike him out. Then, he followed suit and struck out the second guy in his career.
By the time his night came to a close, he had retired five in a row while striking out three. He only needed 25 pitches to get the job done, 19 of which were strikes.
There is going to be a lot of hate come down on Lorenzen after how he pitched Tuesday night, but when the offense is incapable of getting a run in, it really doesn't matter, and as Vladimir Guerrero Jr . as well as Ernie Clement continue to struggle, their fate will remain the same.
Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. swings and misses against the Tigers. Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Right now, John Schneider has a couple of powerful rookies on his bench: Sean Keys and Charles McAdoo. This problem with driving in runs has been an issue all season, and time is running out for the Jays.
Schneider needs to make some big changes and give the rookies a chance to spice up this hitting lineup, which they have done by giving them the opportunity. What they are doing isn't working, and continuing to repeat it while expecting different results is the exact definition of insanity.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/bluejays/onsi as Blue Jays Rookie Debut Success Masked by Another Ugly Loss Tuesday Night .
