The Toronto Blue Jays open a three-game series against the Houston Astros on Monday at Daikin Park carrying the weight of one of the more painful collapses in recent memory. Less than a year removed from a Game 7 World Series loss, Toronto now sits under .500 and in last place in the AL East.
The heartbreak still lingers. Toronto led Los Angeles by two runs with one out in the ninth inning of Game 7 last November before the Dodgers tied the game and eventually won in extra innings, denying the Blue Jays their first championship since 1993. Manager John Schneider admitted this spring that the loss still felt unresolved, saying Opening Day carried “kind of a nostalgic feeling,” as though the club were still trying to finish a series that ended in defeat.
The follow-up season has been equally unforgiving. Injuries gutted the roster almost immediately, with Shane Bieber, José BerrÃos, and catcher Alejandro Kirk all missing significant time, while the offense that carried Toronto to the American League pennant has largely disappeared. The Blue Jays arrive in Houston at 52-59, sitting last in the AL East after injuries and inconsistent offense derailed a season that began with championship expectations.
The series opens Monday at 7:10 p.m. with Cristian Javier, working his way back from a shoulder injury, facing Shane Bieber, who carries a 5.74 ERA in his own uneven return from injury. Tuesday’s game, also at 7:10 p.m., pits Hayden Wesneski against Toronto right-hander Trey Yesavage, who has been one of the Blue Jays’ most effective starters this season, going 5-5 with a 3.73 ERA. Houston closes out the series Wednesday at 1:10 p.m. with Hunter Brown on the mound against Dylan Cease, one of the American League’s strikeout leaders. Brown enters with a 3.42 ERA, while Cease has compiled a 2.41 ERA and 174 strikeouts.
The contrast between the two clubs could hardly be sharper. Houston enters the series riding a six-game winning streak and having won 11 of its last 12 games, climbing from 11 games under .500 in late May to first place in the AL West. Toronto has gone the opposite direction, falling to the bottom of the AL East less than a year after coming within two outs of a World Series title.
Last November, the Blue Jays were two outs away from a World Series title. Today, they sit in last place in the AL East. Houston, meanwhile, spent much of this season trying to survive the injury bug long enough to remain in contention. Now the Astros are in first place, while the defending American League champions are still searching for answers.
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