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Instant Reaction: Blue Jays’ offence quieted in 2-0 loss to Athletics
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Photo credit: © Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Sep 9, 2026, 17:45 EDTUpdated: Sep 9, 2026, 17:46 EDT
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In a near-must win game, the Toronto Blue Jays’ offence went cold.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Blue Jays played their rubber match against the Athletics, falling 2-0 to drop two of three in the series. With the loss, there’s a chance that the Blue Jays enter Friday’s game two games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final wild card spot. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one.
Both the Blue Jays and the Athletics had a bullpen day. The Jays went quietly in the first inning, mustering a two-out walk by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. before he was left stranded. In the bottom half, Braydon Fisher sat down the side in order.
Another two-out walk in the top of the second led to nothing for the Blue Jays, who turned to Michael Lorenzen for the second inning. After getting the first two outs, the righty allowed a single and a walk, but struck out former Blue Jay Brian Serven to end the inning.
Unsurprisingly, a batter got on base in the top of the third with two outs, but was left stranded again. This time, Lorenzen didn’t have a scoreless inning, as Henry Bolte continued to torment the Blue Jays, this time with his second home run of the series.
For the first time in the series, the Blue Jays got a runner in scoring position in the top of the fourth, even managing to hit a two-out single. But with runners on the corners, Brandon Valenzuela struck out. Back-to-back one-out singles and a wild pitch led to the Athletics scoring their second run of the game.
In the top of the fifth, Brett Bateman hit a double, which was followed up by a one-out single by Nathan Lukes. Up stepped Guerrero Jr., who promptly grounded out to end the threat. Alejandro Kirk drew a lead-off walk in the next inning, but Kazuma Okamoto followed that up with a double play grounder. The only other base runner they had was a two-out single in the top of the ninth, with the game ending on the next pitch.

Takeaways…

Every game for the remainder of the season is the biggest game, and it has been that way for well over a month now. Unfortunately, the Blue Jays failed to capitalize on facing a team that was 57-87 heading into the series. If you can’t win these games, you aren’t doing much in the postseason.
Even worse was the fact that the Athletics ran out a bullpen game, which happens to be one of the worst bullpens in baseball. All they mustered was six hits and one extra-base hit. Though they went 2-3 with runners in scoring position, the Jays just couldn’t string together big hits in a hitter friendly park.
Just how poor was this game? Well, the only other shutout the Athletics have managed this season was against the Angels earlier in this season. This game was one of the worst losses of the season.
Kazuma Okamoto has been hitting for more authority lately, but Wednesday’s game was not a good one for the Blue Jays’ third baseman. He went 0-4 with three strikeouts, including whiffing on ball four with the Blue Jays down to their final two outs. His other at-bat resulted in a double play, killing any attempt for a rally.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s season from hell continued, going 0-3 with a walk. Like Okamoto, Guerrero Jr. grounded into a double play, this time with runners on the corners. That turned out to be the Blue Jays’ best chance to score a run in this game.
With the loss, the Jays now sit a game and a half behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final wild card. The Guardians are in action on Wednesday evening against the Baltimore Orioles. A win will see the Jays drop to two games behind.
Moreover, the Orioles happen to be the Blue Jays’ next opponent, as the two American League East bird-themed teams do battle at Rogers Centre. Max Scherzer is set to start for the Blue Jays, Chris Bassitt starts for the Orioles.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, DFOEdmonton, and DFOCalgary. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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