<p>It&#8217;s &#8220;team meeting behind closed doors&#8221; season in Toronto.</p>
<p></p>
<p>After a horrid start to the 2024 season that&#8217;s seen the Blue Jays sputter to a 16-20 record with one of the worst offences in baseball, the doors have officially closed for a meeting, manager John Schneider said Wednesday morning. The meeting comes a day after the Jays were pummelled by the Phillies 10-1.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">There was a team meeting held this morning.</p>
<p>The subject matter will be kept behind closed doors, according to John Schneider. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueJays</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) <a href="https://twitter.com/thehazelmae/status/1788234782914072987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>What was discussed will remain behind those doors, Schneider told <em>Sportsnet&#8217;s</em> Hazel Mae, but it doesn&#8217;t take much to guess what could be spoken about.</p>
<p>&#8220;Play better&#8221; might be the best place to start, as the Jays are having one of the worst starts to their season in franchise history, even if things could still be worse. For the 15th time in the Jays&#8217; 48-year history, the club has started with a .444 or worse winning percentage through its first 36 games of the season.</p>
<p>In 13 of those prior years, the Jays missed the playoffs, managing to play post-season ball just once. That came in 1989, when they started the year 12-24 and finished the season as the AL East champions with an 89-73 record. From games 37 through the seasons end, those Jays went 77-49.</p>
<p>If Toronto has any hopes of playing post-season ball, they&#8217;ll need a similar resurgence in their season, as in 2023, their 89-73 record was enough to get into the Wild Card picture.</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>First pitch:</strong></p>
<p>1:05 p.m. EST. TV &amp; Radio: Sportsnet.</p>
<p><strong>Weather:</strong></p>
<p>27º C, 17 km/h winds out to right. &#8211; <a href="https://rotogrinders.com/weather/mlb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rotogrinders</a></p>
<h2><strong>Starting pitchers:</strong></h2>
<table style="width: 552px;">
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="align-left highlight-sort fixed " style="width: 94px;" data-col="0" data-col-id="Name" data-stat="Name">Name</th>
<th class="align-left " style="width: 50px;" data-col="1" data-col-id="Team" data-stat="Team">Team</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 27px;" data-col="2" data-col-id="GS" data-stat="GS">GS</p>
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div>
</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 22px;" data-col="3" data-col-id="W" data-stat="W">W</p>
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div>
</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 15px;" data-col="4" data-col-id="L" data-stat="L">L</p>
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div>
</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 33px;" data-col="5" data-col-id="IP" data-stat="IP">IP</p>
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div>
</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 41px;" data-col="6" data-col-id="ERA" data-stat="ERA">ERA</p>
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div>
</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 50px;" data-col="7" data-col-id="xERA" data-stat="xERA">xERA</p>
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div>
</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 47px;" data-col="8" data-col-id="ERA-" data-stat="ERA-">ERA-</p>
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div>
</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 36px;" data-col="9" data-col-id="FIP" data-stat="FIP">FIP</p>
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div>
</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 55px;" data-col="10" data-col-id="WHIP" data-stat="WHIP">WHIP</p>
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div>
</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 36px;" data-col="11" data-col-id="K/9" data-stat="K/9">K/9</p>
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div>
</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 46px;" data-col="12" data-col-id="BB/9" data-stat="BB/9">BB/9</p>
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div>
</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="is-selected__invalid">
<td class="align-left highlight-sort fixed" style="width: 94px;" data-col-id="Name" data-stat="Name">Chris Bassitt</td>
<td class="align-left" style="width: 50px;" data-col-id="Team" data-stat="Team">TOR</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 27px;" data-col-id="GS" data-stat="GS">7</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 22px;" data-col-id="W" data-stat="W">2</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 15px;" data-col-id="L" data-stat="L">5</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 33px;" data-col-id="IP" data-stat="IP">36.1</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 41px;" data-col-id="ERA" data-stat="ERA">5.45</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 50px;" data-col-id="xERA" data-stat="xERA">5.55</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 47px;" data-col-id="ERA-" data-stat="ERA-">143</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 36px;" data-col-id="FIP" data-stat="FIP">5.07</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 55px;" data-col-id="WHIP" data-stat="WHIP">1.68</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 36px;" data-col-id="K/9" data-stat="K/9">8.42</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 46px;" data-col-id="BB/9" data-stat="BB/9">4.46</td>
</tr>
<tr class="hover is-selected__invalid">
<td class="align-left highlight-sort fixed" style="width: 94px;" data-col-id="Name" data-stat="Name">Aaron Nola</td>
<td class="align-left" style="width: 50px;" data-col-id="Team" data-stat="Team">PHI</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 27px;" data-col-id="GS" data-stat="GS">7</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 22px;" data-col-id="W" data-stat="W">4</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 15px;" data-col-id="L" data-stat="L">1</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 33px;" data-col-id="IP" data-stat="IP">43.1</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 41px;" data-col-id="ERA" data-stat="ERA">3.32</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 50px;" data-col-id="xERA" data-stat="xERA">3.93</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 47px;" data-col-id="ERA-" data-stat="ERA-">81</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 36px;" data-col-id="FIP" data-stat="FIP">4.44</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 55px;" data-col-id="WHIP" data-stat="WHIP">1.15</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 36px;" data-col-id="K/9" data-stat="K/9">8.31</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 46px;" data-col-id="BB/9" data-stat="BB/9">3.12</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Lineups:</h2>
<hr />
<p><strong>BLUE JAYS:</strong></p>
<div class="starting-lineups__teams starting-lineups__teams--xs starting-lineups__teams--md starting-lineups__teams--lg">
<blockquote><p>G Springer (R) RF<br />
D Varsho (L) LF<br />
V Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B<br />
J Turner (R) DH<br />
D Jansen (R) C<br />
B Bichette (R) SS<br />
D Schneider (R) 2B<br />
I Kiner-Falefa (R) 3B<br />
K Kiermaier (L) CF</p></blockquote>
<hr />
</div>
<div class="starting-lineups__buttons starting-lineups__buttons--bottom">
<div class="p-button-group" role="group">
<div class="p-button p-button--regular starting-lineups__button"><strong>PHILLIES:</strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<blockquote><p>K Schwarber (L) DH<br />
J Realmuto (R) C<br />
B Harper (L) 1B<br />
A Bohm (R) 3B<br />
B Marsh (L) LF<br />
N Castellanos (R) RF<br />
B Stott (L) 2B<br />
E Sosa (R) SS<br />
J Rojas (R) CF</p></blockquote>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Need to bide the time until first pitch?</h2>
<p>Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio as the crew talks about all the happenings in Toronto and beyond.</p>
<p><iframe title="Spotify Embed: Blue Jays Nation Radio" style="border-radius: 12px" width="100%" height="152" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/show/00f5Twxj4i9KG1WXzdOiG1?go=1&#038;amp%3Bsp_cid=b3195c716641dffe5ac518f4b2755cdc&#038;amp%3Butm_source=embed_player_p&#038;amp%3Butm_medium=desktop&#038;amp%3Bnd=1&#038;utm_source=oembed"></iframe></p>
<hr />
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at</span></i> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/zjlaing"><span style="font-weight: 400;">@zjlaing</span></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.</span></i></p>
<hr />

It's "team meeting behind closed doors" season in Toronto.



After a horrid start to the 2024 season that's seen the Blue Jays sputter to a 16-20 record with one of the worst offences in baseball, the doors have officially closed for a meeting, manager John Schneider said Wednesday morning. The meeting comes a day after the Jays were pummelled by the Phillies 10-1.

https://twitter.com/thehazelmae/status/1788234782914072987

What was discussed will remain behind those doors, Schneider told <em>Sportsnet's</em> Hazel Mae, but it doesn't take much to guess what could be spoken about.

"Play better" might be the best place to start, as the Jays are having one of the worst starts to their season in franchise history, even if things could still be worse. For the 15th time in the Jays' 48-year history, the club has started with a .444 or worse winning percentage through its first 36 games of the season.

In 13 of those prior years, the Jays missed the playoffs, managing to play post-season ball just once. That came in 1989, when they started the year 12-24 and finished the season as the AL East champions with an 89-73 record. From games 37 through the seasons end, those Jays went 77-49.

If Toronto has any hopes of playing post-season ball, they'll need a similar resurgence in their season, as in 2023, their 89-73 record was enough to get into the Wild Card picture.

<hr />

<strong>First pitch:</strong>

1:05 p.m. EST. TV &amp; Radio: Sportsnet.

<strong>Weather:</strong>

27º C, 17 km/h winds out to right. - <a href="https://rotogrinders.com/weather/mlb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rotogrinders</a>
<h2><strong>Starting pitchers:</strong></h2>
<table style="width: 552px;">
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="align-left highlight-sort fixed " style="width: 94px;" data-col="0" data-col-id="Name" data-stat="Name">Name</th>
<th class="align-left " style="width: 50px;" data-col="1" data-col-id="Team" data-stat="Team">Team</th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 27px;" data-col="2" data-col-id="GS" data-stat="GS">GS
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div></th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 22px;" data-col="3" data-col-id="W" data-stat="W">W
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div></th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 15px;" data-col="4" data-col-id="L" data-stat="L">L
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div></th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 33px;" data-col="5" data-col-id="IP" data-stat="IP">IP
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div></th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 41px;" data-col="6" data-col-id="ERA" data-stat="ERA">ERA
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div></th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 50px;" data-col="7" data-col-id="xERA" data-stat="xERA">xERA
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div></th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 47px;" data-col="8" data-col-id="ERA-" data-stat="ERA-">ERA-
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div></th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 36px;" data-col="9" data-col-id="FIP" data-stat="FIP">FIP
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div></th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 55px;" data-col="10" data-col-id="WHIP" data-stat="WHIP">WHIP
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div></th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 36px;" data-col="11" data-col-id="K/9" data-stat="K/9">K/9
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div></th>
<th class="align-right " style="width: 46px;" data-col="12" data-col-id="BB/9" data-stat="BB/9">BB/9
<div class="th-tooltip undefined">
<div class="arrow-down"></div>
<div></div>
</div></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="is-selected__invalid">
<td class="align-left highlight-sort fixed" style="width: 94px;" data-col-id="Name" data-stat="Name">Chris Bassitt</td>
<td class="align-left" style="width: 50px;" data-col-id="Team" data-stat="Team">TOR</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 27px;" data-col-id="GS" data-stat="GS">7</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 22px;" data-col-id="W" data-stat="W">2</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 15px;" data-col-id="L" data-stat="L">5</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 33px;" data-col-id="IP" data-stat="IP">36.1</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 41px;" data-col-id="ERA" data-stat="ERA">5.45</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 50px;" data-col-id="xERA" data-stat="xERA">5.55</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 47px;" data-col-id="ERA-" data-stat="ERA-">143</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 36px;" data-col-id="FIP" data-stat="FIP">5.07</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 55px;" data-col-id="WHIP" data-stat="WHIP">1.68</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 36px;" data-col-id="K/9" data-stat="K/9">8.42</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 46px;" data-col-id="BB/9" data-stat="BB/9">4.46</td>
</tr>
<tr class="hover is-selected__invalid">
<td class="align-left highlight-sort fixed" style="width: 94px;" data-col-id="Name" data-stat="Name">Aaron Nola</td>
<td class="align-left" style="width: 50px;" data-col-id="Team" data-stat="Team">PHI</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 27px;" data-col-id="GS" data-stat="GS">7</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 22px;" data-col-id="W" data-stat="W">4</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 15px;" data-col-id="L" data-stat="L">1</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 33px;" data-col-id="IP" data-stat="IP">43.1</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 41px;" data-col-id="ERA" data-stat="ERA">3.32</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 50px;" data-col-id="xERA" data-stat="xERA">3.93</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 47px;" data-col-id="ERA-" data-stat="ERA-">81</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 36px;" data-col-id="FIP" data-stat="FIP">4.44</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 55px;" data-col-id="WHIP" data-stat="WHIP">1.15</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 36px;" data-col-id="K/9" data-stat="K/9">8.31</td>
<td class="align-right" style="width: 46px;" data-col-id="BB/9" data-stat="BB/9">3.12</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Lineups:</h2>

<hr />

<strong>BLUE JAYS:</strong>
<div class="starting-lineups__teams starting-lineups__teams--xs starting-lineups__teams--md starting-lineups__teams--lg">
<blockquote>G Springer (R) RF
D Varsho (L) LF
V Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
J Turner (R) DH
D Jansen (R) C
B Bichette (R) SS
D Schneider (R) 2B
I Kiner-Falefa (R) 3B
K Kiermaier (L) CF</blockquote>

<hr />

</div>
<div class="starting-lineups__buttons starting-lineups__buttons--bottom">
<div class="p-button-group" role="group">
<div class="p-button p-button--regular starting-lineups__button"><strong>PHILLIES:</strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<blockquote>K Schwarber (L) DH
J Realmuto (R) C
B Harper (L) 1B
A Bohm (R) 3B
B Marsh (L) LF
N Castellanos (R) RF
B Stott (L) 2B
E Sosa (R) SS
J Rojas (R) CF</blockquote>

<hr />

<h2 style="text-align: left;">Need to bide the time until first pitch?</h2>
Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio as the crew talks about all the happenings in Toronto and beyond.

https://open.spotify.com/show/00f5Twxj4i9KG1WXzdOiG1?go=1&amp;amp;sp_cid=b3195c716641dffe5ac518f4b2755cdc&amp;amp;utm_source=embed_player_p&amp;amp;utm_medium=desktop&amp;amp;nd=1

<hr />

<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at</span></i> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/zjlaing"><span style="font-weight: 400;">@zjlaing</span></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.</span></i>

<hr />

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