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Toronto Blue Jays: 3 observations from Game 1 loss to Tampa Bay Rays

By David Morassutti

Randy Arozarena #56 of the Tampa Bay Rays scores a run on a passed ball as Robbie Ray #38 of the Toronto Blue Jays fields the throw in the fourth inning during the Wild Card Round Game One at Tropicana Field. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Randy Arozarena #56 of the Tampa Bay Rays scores a run on a passed ball as Robbie Ray #38 of the Toronto Blue Jays fields the throw in the fourth inning during the Wild Card Round Game One at Tropicana Field. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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Matt Shoemaker #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during the Wild Card Round Game One against the Tampa Bay Rays. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Pitching decisions didn’t cost team victory

Going into this game, it was well documented the amount of success Matt Shoemaker had against the Rays but there was still an uproar when he got the call for the opener over Hyun-Jin Ryu.

After three innings and 35 pitches thrown by Shoemaker, the mood certainly changed when he was having an animated conversation with Pete Walker and Montoyo. Whatever the plan was, it certainly changed and it set off a lot of people as a result.

After giving up a leadoff triple, Robbie Ray did his best to minimize the damage and didn’t give up much after that. Getting six innings while only allowing one run is pretty much all the team could have asked for but the offence could not deliver.

It took the team until the sixth inning to get a hit with Alejandro Kirk reaching on a single and it was not until the eighth inning that the Blue Jays scored their first run of the game.

Simply put, this is not on the way the pitching staff performed other than the two-run home run that A.J. Cole gave up. Toronto can’t leave the pitching staff out to dry considering the offence was supposed to be a strength of this team and they will need to be.

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