Friday night’s 5-1 win over the San Diego Padres marked the Toronto Blue Jays’ first game at Petco Park in 11 years.
Now they can clinch a series win on Saturday night behind their best arm in the early going.
Right-hander Jose Berrios (3-0, 1.05 ERA) has looked every bit the part of a No. 1 starter, particularly during seven shutout innings on Sunday in a 5-0 shutout of the Colorado Rockies. Berrios gave up just two hits and two walks, striking out seven.
In 25 2/3 innings over four starts this year, Berrios has faced just 99 total batters, striking out 21 with a collection of pitches that he says includes more sinkers and slurves.
“We worked so hard in the offseason, spring training, now during the season,” Berrios said. “It was more about getting stronger mentally. I’m still building myself and my ability. I have to work hard every day and enjoy every pitch.”
The pitcher his Toronto teammates call “la maquina” — translated to “the machine” — has appeared to be made of sterner stuff than opponents can solve.
“It’s hard to find that durability in this day and age,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “His delivery is so consistent. When you’re not fighting anything mechanically, you just go out and pitch. He lives up to his nickname.”
This will be Berrios’ third career start against San Diego, and he’s pitched well despite an 0-2 record, logging a 2.08 earned run average. He absorbed a 2-0 defeat last July at home in a classic pitchers duel against Yu Darvish.
The rematch won’t happen until 2025 at the earliest because Darvish, who was scheduled to start in this game, landed on the injured list this week with neck tightness. Instead, the Padres will hand the ball to newly recalled righthander Randy Vasquez.
One of five players acquired in the Juan Soto trade with the New York Yankees this offseason, Vasquez compiled a 7.94 earned run average in 11 1/3 innings over three starts at Triple-A El Paso, a tough park for pitchers. Vasquez struck out 13.
Vasquez showed promise in 11 games (five starts) over 37 2/3 innings last year with New York, going 2-2 with a 2.87 ERA and fanning 33. This will be his first career outing against Toronto.
The Padres are aiming to bounce back from consecutive losses in which they’ve scored a total of one run — Fernando Tatis Jr.’s solo homer Friday night in the third inning. They were limited to five hits and struck out 14 times Friday night.
Second baseman Xander Bogaerts has fallen under scrutiny after getting off to a slow start. Bogaerts’ average dropped to .190 Friday after going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, although his leadoff drive to left-center in the bottom of the first was gloved at the wall by Daulton Varsho.
San Diego manager Mike Shildt isn’t quite as concerned about Bogaerts as others are.
“First at-bat, what are you going to do? Guy makes a big league play in the gap,” Shildt said. “Third at-bat, it’s looking like he’s on time a little bit more but didn’t get the benefit of a call. Thought it was encouraging tonight even though a couple of at-bats didn’t go his way.”
–Field Level Media
