A couple of things I noticed about the Toronto Blue Jays, after their series win over the Cleveland Guardians over the weekend, that might bode well for bettors.<\/p>\n
One, they appear to be sorting out the back end of their bullpen. Jeff Hoffman\u2019s struggles as a closer are well documented, including giving up a pivotal home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series last fall.<\/p>\n
With a 6.94 ERA, and three saves as Jays closer to start the season, the club last week bumped him from that role, and moved in Louis Varland. Hard to argue with Varland\u2019s three saves and a 0.60 ERA over the past week, since the move was made.<\/p>\n
But in yesterday\u2019s 4-2 win over the Guardians, an early afternoon game, Blue Jays manager John Schneider again went with Varland to close out the game, after he had thrown 30 pitches to close out Saturday\u2019s 5-3 Jays\u2019 win.<\/p>\n
Hoffman, though, threw a perfect eighth inning yesterday \u2013 24 pitches, 15 strikes, one strikeout, one walk.<\/p>\n
Hoffman\u2019s issues haven\u2019t been stuff; it\u2019s been the stuff between the ears. Building back confidence in a set-up role, gradually working in closer opportunities as the summer plays out, is going to give the Jays a nice one-two punch to close out games as the summer plays out.<\/p>\n
And secondly, the Jays are starting to hit \u2013 8th in MLB this morning, with a team .255 batting average, .700 OPS, .386 slugging percentage (15th in MLB). Also, the Jays don\u2019t strike out a lot \u2013 just 188 so far this season, best in MLB. They\u2019re 25th in the majors though, with 25 homeruns, and that needs to pick up.<\/p>\n