ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Mark Buehrle didn’t get his milestone as the Toronto Blue Jays’ desperate attempt to get the left-hander to 200 innings went horribly wrong.
Buehrle, starting for the second time in three days in an effort to get him two more innings to reach 200 for the 15th consecutive season, got only two outs before manager John Gibbons pulled him.
Errors by second baseman Ryan Goins and first baseman Edwin Encarnacion contributed to the meltdown that led to eight runs, none of them charged to Buehrle.
The veteran left-hander gave up a grand slam to Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Joey Butler on a day he simply didn’t have his stuff.
It was the shortest start of Buehrle’s career, which very well could be over.
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Right-hander Ryan Tepera replaced Buehrle with two outs in the first inning and gave up a two-run home run to Mikie Mahtook as the Blue Jays fell behind 9-0.
Buehrle won’t be part of Toronto’s four-man playoff rotation, and it’s unlikely, though not impossible, that he’ll be on the post-season roster.
He hasn’t pitched in relief since his rookie year in 2000.
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