Anthony Santander provides his first Tony Tater in a @BlueJays uniform 🥔 #SpringTraining
Instant Reaction: Blue Jays hit four home runs in 7-6 loss to the Pirates
Photo credit: © Kim Klement Neitzel - USA Today
Mar 5, 2025, 17:15 ESTUpdated: Apr 1, 2025, 12:05 EDT
Who doesn’t love home runs?
On Wednesday afternoon, the Toronto Blue Jays headed to Bradenton, Florida to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates, falling 7-6 to move their Spring Training record to 6-4-1.
The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as Alejandro Kirk hit his first home run of Spring Training. In the bottom of the fourth, the Pirates tied the game with a forceout, followed by a three-run home run from Oneil Cruz in the bottom of the fifth, as well as a Joey Bart home run to make the game 5-1.
Toronto responded in the top of the sixth, as Anthony Santander hit his first home run in a Blue Jays uniform, a solo blast that made it 5-2. However, the Pirates answered with two runs in the bottom half of the sixth thanks to a Bryce Johnson single and a Nick Solak sacrifice fly to make the game 7-2.
The Blue Jays made it interesting, though. Damiano Palmegiani hit a double that scored Nathan Lukes to make it 7-3. In the top of the eighth, Arjun Nimmala hit a two-run home run to make it 7-5, the future is bright with this prospect.
Nineteen Years Old ‼️ Arjun Nimmala got ALL of this one 😳
It’s also bright for the next batter up, as Alan Roden hit a solo blast to make it a one-run game. However, the Blue Jays were unable to score the tying run with their remaining outs, falling 7-6 in the game to bring their record to 6-4-1.
Takeaways…
Four of Toronto’s nine hits were of the home run variety, as Alejandro Kirk, Anthony Santander, Arjun Nimmala, and Alan Roden all hit homers in this game. Damiano Palmegiani hit the other extra-base hit, a double, while Addison Barger, Nathan Lukes, Michael Stefanic, and Riley Tirotta each hit a single.
Kevin Gausman made his Spring Training debut, sitting 95 mph with the fastball and pitching an inning and two-thirds with two strikeouts and a walk. Josh Walker had another good showing, striking out two batters in his inning and a third.
It’s been a rough Spring Training for Jake Bloss and that continued on Wednesday, as he gave up four walks and four earned runs in an inning and a third to bring his Spring Training ERA to 14.40. Richard Lovelady pitched a third of an inning with a strikeout, while Jacob Barnes gave up an earned run in his third of an inning.
Easton Lucas gave up two earned runs in his two innings of work but Brendon Little pitched an inning with a strikeout in a clean inning of work.
The Blue Jays return to Dunedin tomorrow, hosting the Boston Red Sox at 1:07 PM ET. Chris Bassitt is expected to start for the Blue Jays.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.