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Blue Jays series recap: Jays won a low-scoring series against Rangers
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Photo credit: © Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
May 29, 2025, 13:30 EDTUpdated: May 29, 2025, 13:33 EDT
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The series against the Texas Rangers was a textbook example of finding a way to win.
Despite scoring just four runs, the Toronto Blue Jays won their three-game series against the Rangers, taking two of three. Monday’s game was a 2-1 victory, as Daulton Varsho hit a first-inning home run and Alejandro Kirk’s sacrifice fly put the Jays up two. The lead was cut in half thanks to Wyatt Langford’s home run, but Kevin Gausman pitched exceptionally well in the victory.
Tuesday’s game was a loss, as the Jays failed to score any runs. The Rangers also didn’t score any runs until the bottom of the eighth, as Josh Jung hit an RBI single and Kirk made an error on a throw to third base to cash in a second run for the 2-0 win.
Wednesday’s game saw the same score as the night before, only it was in the Blue Jays’ favour this time. Once again, the score remained deadlocked at zero late in the game, before Bo Bichette hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run to give the Jays a 2-0 lead. Jeff Hoffman picked up the save as the Jays won the series two games to one.
Hitting with runners in scoring position was a significant issue for the Blue Jays in this series, as they went 2-31. One of those hits didn’t even score a run, while the other hit with runners in scoring position was Bichette’s home run. Overall, the Jays left 29 runners on base, scoring just four runs in the series.
Thanks to that home run, Bichette finished with a 187 wRC+, the highest for any regular in the lineup. Nathan Lukes only played two games and finished with a 232 wRC+. George Springer had a good series, finishing with a 181 wRC+, as did Barger, who finished with a 160 wRC+. Varsho hit the only other home run for the Blue Jays, finishing with a 131 wRC+, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. finishing the series with a 132 wRC+.
Kirk didn’t have a great series, slashing .286/.33/.286 with a 76 wRC+. Moreover, his error in the bottom of the eighth gave the Rangers an insurance run. Ernie Clement had an abysmal series, slashing .167/.167/.167, with one of his two hits being the lead-off single in the top of the ninth. Michael Stefanic had 11 plate appearances, failing to get a hit and finishing with a -29 wRC+.
Anthony Santander’s struggles continued against the Rangers, as he failed to get a hit in his 12 plate appearances, finishing with a -77 wRC+. Myles Straw and Ali Sanchez had limited plate appearances, both finishing with a -100 wRC+.
The bats were bad for a second consecutive series, but the Blue Jays’ pitchers had a great series. Their bullpen only allowed one run, with both Hoffman and Yariel Rodriguez pitching two scoreless innings. Eric Lauer came in as a bulk reliever in Wednesday’s game, hurling three and one-third innings with two walks and no hits.
Braydon Fisher’s ERA remains at 0, striking out two of the five batters he faced. Chad Green was the reliever who gave up runs, one earned, in their 2-0 loss on Tuesday. Brendon Little only pitched two-thirds of an inning on the road trip, but struck out both batters Wednesday.
The Jays’ starters had a successful series. Despite giving up a home run, Kevin Gausman pitched eight innings with a 1.13 ERA, his second-best start of the season. Bowden Francis got back on track, throwing five scoreless innings. Paxton Schultz made his first career start, giving up the lone hit the Rangers got on Wednesday. Still, he threw two and two-thirds scoreless innings while striking out four. Good stuff.
On Thursday, the Blue Jays return home to host the Oakland Athletics for a four-game series. It’s only the third four-game series the Jays have played this season, with their most recent one coming back at the start of April against the Boston Red Sox.
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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