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Instant Reaction: Andrés Giménez hit his third home run in 5-2 Blue Jays victory over Nationals
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Photo credit: © Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Mar 31, 2025, 22:00 EDTUpdated: Mar 31, 2025, 22:14 EDT
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For the first time this season, the Toronto Blue Jays have won back-to-back games.
On Monday evening, they started a three-game series against the Washington Nationals, defeating the 2019 World Series champions 5-2 to move to 3-2. Let’s take a look at what happened in this game!
In the bottom of the second, the Blue Jays hit a solo home run to make it 1-0, and it’s the first time that the Jays have opened the scoring in 2024. As per usual, it was Andrés Giménez who hit the home run.
After Alan Roden hit his first big-league extra base hit (a double in the bottom of the third), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove him in thanks to his second double of the season to take a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Alejandro Kirk drove in Giménez thanks to a double of his own.
The same inning saw Nathan Lukes drive in a run with a ground ball out to make it a 4-0 game. In the top of the sixth, the Nationals cut the lead in half thanks to back-to-back home runs from CJ Abrams and James Wood.
Leading off the bottom of the eighth was Giménez, who hit his second double of the season. After Kirk moved him to third with a single, George Springer drove in Giménez for the final run of the game.

Takeaways…

There are two notable stories from this game – Andrés Giménez and starter Bowden Francis. Let’s start with the former.
Admittedly, I was not a fan of the Giménez trade when it happened. That has changed after five games. On Monday, he hit his third home run of the season (the Blue Jays have four this season), hit a double, and also stole his 100th career base. I don’t think anyone expected this from the defence-first second baseman.
In his final six starts last season, Francis had a no-hit bid in the sixth inning three different times, including two no-hit bids ruined in the ninth inning. In his first start of 2025, he went 5.1 innings deep in his no-hitter before giving up a home run. Overall, he finished with a line of 6 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K.
Moreover, through the first turn in the rotation, three of the five Blue Jays have thrown a quality start. Kevin Gausman allowed two earned runs in his six innings, and Bassitt allowed one in six innings on Sunday.
Like Giménez, George Springer has had a strong start to his season, hitting his second double of the season. Through five games, the 36-year-old is slashing .400/.471/.533. Moreover, Alan Roden hit his first career extra-base hit with his double.
Relief pitching was solid in this game. Nick Sandlin was acquired with Giménez in the off-season, and he pitched an inning with two strikeouts. His arm slot is nasty and his pitches play up. Brendon Little ran into some trouble but got out of it without giving up an earned run, and Yimi García struck out two for the save.
The Blue Jays have a chance to win the series on Tuesday, as that game starts at 7:07 PM ET. José Berríos will make his second start of the season, hopefully it goes better than Opening Day.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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