TORONTO – Chris Bassitt declared everyone in the Toronto Blue Jays organization should bear the blame for its shoddy season.
Bassitt (8-9) made his remarks after the Tampa Bay Rays (52-51) throttled the Blue Jays (46-56) 13-0 with 16 hits in the rubber match of their three-game series on Thursday.
“I would say there’s not a single person in probably the whole organization who’s not disappointed right now,” Bassitt said.
“It just sucks. I don’t think anyone thought this is what was going to happen.
“I don’t think there’s one person with clean hands right now. I really don’t think we’ve done anything well this year. Well, maybe (Daulton) Varsho’s defence.
“Besides Varsho’s defence, I don’t see how anyone can say ‘I’ve done what I should.'”
Bassitt also remarked that the embarrassing loss was because the team has been fighting “demons.”
What did he mean?
“Everything that’s been going on,” Bassitt said.
“It’s whatever it might be, giving up that many hits, not being able to hit and the trade deadline. Who’s going to be here, who’s not going to be here? There’s a million different things right now that are just not great.”
With the trade deadline five days away, and the Blue Jays not meeting expectations of contending, the assumptions have been general manager Ross Atkins will sell off a handful of veteran players in exchange for prospects.
“You have ideas of who’s not going to be around much longer and a lot of these people mean a lot to you so yeah, it’s not fun,” Bassitt said.
Get daily news
Bassitt admitted he wasn’t sharp before 41,148 at Rogers Centre. He departed after five innings down 3-0 after tossing 97 pitches, giving up five hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
But then reliever Trevor Richards entered and was worse. He only faced seven hitters, giving up four runs on four hits and two walks.
“He’s been really good for us, especially earlier in the year,” Blue Jays manager John Scheider said of Richards. “But he doesn’t have a good feel for his change-up right now.
“When you have two pitches you have to be good with them. He doesn’t have his command right now and he’s falling behind (in the count).”
Tampa followed its four-run sixth inning by tacking on five more in the seventh.
Ernie Clement and his knuckleball had to be summoned from his third-base position to pitch the ninth and save the bullpen from further depletion. He gave up a run as the Rays pushed their hit total to 16.
Taj Bradley (6-4) pitched six shutout innings and allowed only two hits, winning his third straight start.
The 23-year-old Bradley surrendered a one-out double to left from Spencer Horwitz and an infield hit to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the first inning.
But then the Rays righty settled down to retire 11 in a row and 17 of his final 18, allowing only a walk to Danny Jansen in the fifth. Bradley finished with seven strikeouts and a walk.
Brandon Lowe, Isaac Paredes, Alex Jackson and Amed Rosario were the big offensive producers in the series finale before 41,148 at Rogers Centre.
Lowe sent a 414-foot homer into the fifth deck down the right-field line to open the scoring. He knocked in two more runs with four hits and also twice walked.
Paredes drove in four runs with two hits, while Jackson checked in with three RBI with two hits. Rosario pounded a double and two singles.
ON THE MEND
Blue Jays utility infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa (sprained left knee) could begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday, provided there are no setbacks, according to Schneider.
Kiner-Falefa has been out since July 1 and has enjoyed a solid season with a .292 average and .338 on-base percentage.
ON DECK
The Blue Jays begin a three-game set against the Texas Rangers on Friday to conclude their nine-outing, 10-day homestand. Toronto’s Yusei Kikuchi (4-9) will open the series against lefty Andrew Heaney (4-10).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2024.