Blue Jays are one step closer to being in a playoff spot.

On Saturday, they took on the Boston Red Sox and defeated them 4-3, despite being on the edge of defeat more than once.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Whit Merrifield heard the complaints, and in turn, hit an infield single walk off.
Let&#8217;s gooo<a href="https://t.co/TwKLI1QFbS">pic.twitter.com/TwKLI1QFbS</a>
— Brennan Delaney (@Brennan_L_D) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brennan_L_D/status/1703184963460358579?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
Let’s look at the Blue Jays Nation’s Player of the Game, as well as things worth mentioning.
<h2>Blue Jays Nation’s Player of the Game: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.</h2>
Coming into September, the Blue Jays needed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to get his bat going, and he has.
On Saturday afternoon, Guerrero Jr. went 2-3 with three walks and an RBI. That RBI came on his 24th home run of the season, and his third in as many games.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The only way the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueJays</a> have been scoring their runs lately:
A Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homer. <a href="https://t.co/HDCpjWfx4G">pic.twitter.com/HDCpjWfx4G</a>
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeeganMatheson/status/1703151124738457889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
For the season, the 24-year-old first baseman is slashing .267/.345/.445 with 24 homers in 633 plate appearances for a 117 wRC+.
Keep it up, Vlad.
<h2>Things worth mentioning:</h2>
Chris Bassitt had a great bounce back game Saturday, finishing with a line of 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. This was significantly better than his previous start, which saw him give up five earned runs in five innings and a third. Good stuff from Bassitt.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Chris Bassitt, Elevated 90mph Cutter. ✂️
5th K <a href="https://t.co/lXVjfCBV50">pic.twitter.com/lXVjfCBV50</a>
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) <a href="https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1703148481269874777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
Matt Chapman may need to sit for a few games. On Saturday, he went 0-3 with two strikeouts. Since being awarded the Player of the Month for April, Chapman is slashing .207/.300/.354 with 10 homers in 413 plate appearances for an  83 wRC+. Does he even get a qualifying offer at this point?
Cavan Biggio pinch hit for Matt Chapman in the bottom of the ninth, and oh man did that ever work out well. Biggio hit a single to his pull side, which set him up as the game-tying run. He also made a nice defensive play in the top of the 12th.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Cavan Biggio with a nice play to get at least one runner.<a href="https://t.co/oVpNzgR4R1">pic.twitter.com/oVpNzgR4R1</a>
— Brennan Delaney (@Brennan_L_D) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brennan_L_D/status/1703178128577769757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
Daulton Varsho is incredible. Has he hit particularly well this season? However, he came up big for the Blue Jays on Saturday, hitting an RBI triple to drive in Biggio. Should it have been caught? Absolutely, but that just shows why his 27 Defensive Runs Saved in the outfield is so valuable.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Not the first time a Red Sox centre fielder made an unneeded mistake smh<a href="https://t.co/8f0BU0csk9">pic.twitter.com/8f0BU0csk9</a>
— Brennan Delaney (@Brennan_L_D) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brennan_L_D/status/1703168831944835156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
Jordan Romano showed why he is one of the best closers in the game, as he finished with a line of 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 IBB, 2 K. There wasn’t a bigger strikeout than him sitting down Verdugo with a 91.1 mph slider, which you can watch below. The 30-year-old Canadian-born pitcher has a 2.45 ERA and a 3.33 FIP in 55 innings pitched this season. Good stuff.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Take a seat, Verdugo<a href="https://t.co/gWbDdGWdhd">pic.twitter.com/gWbDdGWdhd</a>
— Brennan Delaney (@Brennan_L_D) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brennan_L_D/status/1703174813945119122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
With a win today, the Blue Jays are even with the Seattle Mariners. However, they still sit outside a playoff spot as the Mariners have the tiebreaker over the Jays. If the Mariners were to lose their game this evening, the Blue Jays would find themselves in the final wildcard spot to start Sunday.
<hr />
As always, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads @Brennan_L_D.
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<h2 class="mb-5 text-2xl font-bold" style="text-align: center"><a class="text-accent" href="https://gml-grp.com/C.ashx?btag=a_24038b_2065c_&amp;affid=7966&amp;siteid=24038&amp;adid=2065&amp;c=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ARTICLE PRESENTED BY BETANO</a></h2>
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Blue Jays are one step closer to being in a playoff spot.



On Saturday, they took on the Boston Red Sox and defeated them 4-3, despite being on the edge of defeat more than once.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Whit Merrifield heard the complaints, and in turn, hit an infield single walk off.
Let's gooo<a href="https://t.co/TwKLI1QFbS">pic.twitter.com/TwKLI1QFbS</a>

— Brennan Delaney (@Brennan_L_D) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brennan_L_D/status/1703184963460358579?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
Let’s look at the Blue Jays Nation’s Player of the Game, as well as things worth mentioning.
<h2>Blue Jays Nation’s Player of the Game: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.</h2>
Coming into September, the Blue Jays needed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to get his bat going, and he has.

On Saturday afternoon, Guerrero Jr. went 2-3 with three walks and an RBI. That RBI came on his 24th home run of the season, and his third in as many games.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The only way the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueJays</a> have been scoring their runs lately:
A Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homer. <a href="https://t.co/HDCpjWfx4G">pic.twitter.com/HDCpjWfx4G</a>

— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeeganMatheson/status/1703151124738457889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
For the season, the 24-year-old first baseman is slashing .267/.345/.445 with 24 homers in 633 plate appearances for a 117 wRC+.

Keep it up, Vlad.
<h2>Things worth mentioning:</h2>
Chris Bassitt had a great bounce back game Saturday, finishing with a line of 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. This was significantly better than his previous start, which saw him give up five earned runs in five innings and a third. Good stuff from Bassitt.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Chris Bassitt, Elevated 90mph Cutter. ✂️
5th K <a href="https://t.co/lXVjfCBV50">pic.twitter.com/lXVjfCBV50</a>

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) <a href="https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1703148481269874777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
Matt Chapman may need to sit for a few games. On Saturday, he went 0-3 with two strikeouts. Since being awarded the Player of the Month for April, Chapman is slashing .207/.300/.354 with 10 homers in 413 plate appearances for an  83 wRC+. Does he even get a qualifying offer at this point?

Cavan Biggio pinch hit for Matt Chapman in the bottom of the ninth, and oh man did that ever work out well. Biggio hit a single to his pull side, which set him up as the game-tying run. He also made a nice defensive play in the top of the 12th.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Cavan Biggio with a nice play to get at least one runner.<a href="https://t.co/oVpNzgR4R1">pic.twitter.com/oVpNzgR4R1</a>
— Brennan Delaney (@Brennan_L_D) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brennan_L_D/status/1703178128577769757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
Daulton Varsho is incredible. Has he hit particularly well this season? However, he came up big for the Blue Jays on Saturday, hitting an RBI triple to drive in Biggio. Should it have been caught? Absolutely, but that just shows why his 27 Defensive Runs Saved in the outfield is so valuable.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Not the first time a Red Sox centre fielder made an unneeded mistake smh<a href="https://t.co/8f0BU0csk9">pic.twitter.com/8f0BU0csk9</a>
— Brennan Delaney (@Brennan_L_D) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brennan_L_D/status/1703168831944835156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
Jordan Romano showed why he is one of the best closers in the game, as he finished with a line of 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 IBB, 2 K. There wasn’t a bigger strikeout than him sitting down Verdugo with a 91.1 mph slider, which you can watch below. The 30-year-old Canadian-born pitcher has a 2.45 ERA and a 3.33 FIP in 55 innings pitched this season. Good stuff.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Take a seat, Verdugo<a href="https://t.co/gWbDdGWdhd">pic.twitter.com/gWbDdGWdhd</a>
— Brennan Delaney (@Brennan_L_D) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brennan_L_D/status/1703174813945119122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
With a win today, the Blue Jays are even with the Seattle Mariners. However, they still sit outside a playoff spot as the Mariners have the tiebreaker over the Jays. If the Mariners were to lose their game this evening, the Blue Jays would find themselves in the final wildcard spot to start Sunday.

<hr />

As always, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads @Brennan_L_D.

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<h2 class="mb-5 text-2xl font-bold" style="text-align: center"><a class="text-accent" href="https://gml-grp.com/C.ashx?btag=a_24038b_2065c_&amp;affid=7966&amp;siteid=24038&amp;adid=2065&amp;c=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ARTICLE PRESENTED BY BETANO</a></h2>
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