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Leadoff hitter Yandy Diaz lofted a deep fly ball to the Rogers Centre’s warning track with Toronto Blue Jays centre-fielder Daulton Varsho easily tracking it down.
Varsho, a former Gold Glove Award winner, took a little hop to get the ball into his glove, but the ball popped out and fell to the turf for a fielding error, allowing Diaz to reach second base.
The visiting Tampa Bay Rays took full advantage of Varsho’s fielding error, scoring three runs, all unearned, in the sixth inning for a 4-2 win over Toronto on Wednesday.
Manager John Schneider had a hard time explaining the play that saw Varsho charged with his second error of the season, and only the seventh of his career in centre.
“We’ve got so many good defenders that when stuff like that happens, you’re definitely surprised,” said Schneider. “Yandy hit it hard but Daulton will be the first one to tell you that if you get your glove on it, you’ve got to catch it.
“I think he maybe just took his eye off it for a split second, and, yeah, they took advantage of that.”
Sharp fielding was one of Toronto’s hallmarks in their run to the World Series last season, as was good hitting, but both have flatlined.
Fewest runs scored in majors
The Blue Jays (46-56) needed to string together some wins coming out of the all-star break to stay competitive in the American League’s playoff race. Instead, they have lost five of six, getting outscored 38-10, and have fallen to 6 1/2 games out of a wild-card berth.
Their 402 runs are the fewest in all of Major League Baseball this year, a sharp decline from 2025 when they finished the regular season with the fourth-best offence.
“It’s been a tough stretch for sure, collectively up and down,” said Schneider. “But hopefully, you make adjustments.
“I think guys are grinding, guys are pressing. You combine that with [Tampa’s] good pitching, and that’s that’s kind of where we’re at.”
Shane Bieber (1-1) takes the mound Thursday as Toronto tries to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Rays.
Ian Seymour (6-2) initially was scheduled to start for the Rays but will now pitch in bulk relief, with Casey Legumina opening the game.
Schneider recalled by Jays, Corbin on IL
Utility player Davis Schneider and left-handed pitcher Adam Macko of Stony Plain, Alta., were summoned by the Toronto Blue Jays from triple-A Buffalo on Thursday.
In a corresponding move, infielder Sean Keys was optioned to the minor-league club.
Left-handed pitcher Patrick Corbin was placed on Toronto’s 15-day injured list with a left teres major strain.
Keys went 0-for-2 at the plate on Wednesday, dropping his average to .167 this season.
Corbin last pitched on Tuesday when he gave up four runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings of relief in Toronto’s 12-2 loss to Tampa.
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