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Blue Jays series recap: Jays best Phillies in three-game series
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Photo credit: © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jun 6, 2025, 14:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 6, 2025, 09:36 EDT
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This seven-game home stretch is the best the Toronto Blue Jays have looked all season.
After a four-game sweep of the Athletics over the weekend, the Blue Jays began a series with the Philadelphia Phillies. The first game didn’t go great for the Blue Jays, as Bowden Francis gave up seven runs in the first two innings, with the Jays scoring just three runs in the game. That included Addison Barger’s home run, the fourth consecutive game with a home run for him.
The Blue Jays’ offence was cold in the second game, scoring just two runs. Thankfully, the Phillies only scored once, as Bo Bichette hit a clutch triple to tie the game, and Alejandro Kirk walked off the Phillies to set up a rubber match on Thursday afternoon.
For the first time since April 18, the Blue Jays moved to four games above .500 with a 9-1 win over the Phillies on Thursday. The catalysts for the team were Myles Straw and Tyler Heineman, as they each had a two-hit, three-RBI game. Bichette also hit his eighth home run to give the Jays a 4-0 lead.
The best Jays’ hitter in the series was Davis Schneider, who finished with three hits, one of which was his first home run of the season for 339 wRC+. In limited plate appearances, Heineman had a strong series, as always. Barger, Bichette and Kirk all had a wRC+ above 150.
Andres Gimenez had a strong series as well, finishing with two hits and a walk. Since moving to the ninth spot in the lineup on May 2nd, Gimenez is slashing .360/.385/.400 in 26 plate appearances for a 128 wRC+. Ernie Clement was the only other player with a wRC+ above 100.
George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a rough week, finishing with a 52 and -32 wRC+, respectively. Jonatan Clase, Nathan Lukes, and Alan Roden also had poor weeks in a limited sample size. Straw had a 72 wRC+, but drove in three runs on Thursday.
Only one reliever gave up a run in the series, as Erik Swanson gave up a home run in his two innings of work. Braydon Fisher struck out three in his inning of work, and Paxton Schultz also struck out three. Eric Lauer pitched in bulk relief, going four innings in Tuesday’s game. Brendon Little, Mason Fluharty, Chad Green, and Jeff Hoffman all pitched scoreless outings.
Bowden Francis had a tough start on Tuesday, going just an inning and two-thirds while giving up seven runs, six of which were earned. The good news is that both Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios had strong starts; the former went seven innings with one earned run, while Berrios went six innings while giving up one run.
This weekend, the Blue Jays head to Minnesota to face the Twins for a three-game series.
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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