TORONTO — In case it wasn’t already abundantly clear, the Toronto Blue Jays still need starting pitching.
Felix Doubront lasted just four innings against baseball’s worst team Tuesday, as the Blue Jays lost 3-2 to the Philadelphia Phillies in front of 30,516 at Rogers Centre.
Jose Bautista (right hamstring/calf cramp) and Devon Travis (shoulder irritation) left the game early, as the excitement of the Troy Tulowitzki trade gave way to reality in a hurry. While Bautista expects to play Wednesday, Travis will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of his injury.
Doubront allowed three runs on six hits, walking two members of a Phillies lineup that arrived in Toronto ranked 28th among baseball’s 30 teams in runs scored. This time out, he threw four scoreless innings before struggling in the fifth, when Ryan Howard sparked a rally with a single that should have been ruled a foul ball.
“It was my fault; I left those pitches up,” Doubront said. “Those hitters hit mistake pitches.”
After the call went against the Blue Jays, the Phillies kept rallying.
“He started scattering a little bit, maybe he was overthrowing, I don’t know,” manager John Gibbons said. “That was the difference in the game, that one run. It’s hard to say sometimes.”
Since impressing in his first start with Toronto, Doubront has pitched five or fewer innings in three consecutive outings, reinforcing the need for a rotation upgrade.
The vulnerability of the rotation has been clear for a while now, which is why Alex Anthopoulos expects to continue talking to other teams about trades leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline. Between now and Friday at 4 p.m. ET the Blue Jays hope to add pitching, and won’t rule out adding the right position player.
“I can’t make any promises. Trades are so hard to make. There are so many factors involved. You can have 100 conversations before trying to get one deal done,” Anthopoulos said. “‘I hope so is probably all I’d say,’ but I really can’t forecast the next three or four days.”
In the meantime, Blue Jays players expressed mixed feelings about the blockbuster trade. On the one hand it was hard to see Reyes, one of the team’s most popular players, go. On the other hand, the Blue Jays were excited to get Tulowitzki, described by Anthopoulos as the best shortstop in the game. As much as the deal improves Toronto’s chances, it doesn’t address their biggest need: the starting rotation.
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“I think it would still be nice too go get an arm,” R.A. Dickey said. “I know [Anthopoulos] knows that and I’m sure he’s probably blowing up the phone as we speak working on other deals.”
For now, the Blue Jays will work with what they have, and on Tuesday that meant playing shorthanded.
Travis left the game with left shoulder irritation after homering out of the leadoff spot in his first trip to the plate. That’s cause for some concern given that inflammation in the same shoulder relegated Travis to the disabled list from May 17-June 26.
The second baseman had been feeling strong ever since returning, but re-aggravated the same area for the first time Tuesday. The results of the MRI will help determine the Blue Jays’ next steps, but Travis says he’ll play through it if possible.
“Sixty-one games to go,” he said. “This is a team built to win. My job’s to be in there doing all I can to help the team win. Obviously it’s pretty frustrating.”
The rest of the Blue Jays are hoping for a quick return.
“It would be devastating to lose him, but let’s not jump ahead of the diagnosis here,” Bautista said.
The right fielder pulled up on his way to first base after grounding out to end the eighth inning, and left the game as a precaution, a move that forced Russell Martin to second base and pushed Danny Valencia, who had initially replaced Travis at second, back to left field.
LaTroy Hawkins made his Blue Jays debut, pitching a scoreless sixth inning punctuated by a strikeout. Gibbons said before the game that he expects to use Hawkins in middle relief along with Bo Schultz, while continuing to call on Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna to close games down. As a bonus, Hawkins has extensive experience, having made his MLB debut the same year Osuna was born.
“I think the key to being a guy in a bullpen is you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable. You start to master that and then you start to see a lot more success,” Hawkins said. “You get out there and you have guys on base, but you don’t panic. Then you’re comfortable being in any situation.”
With the loss, the Blue Jays fell to 50-51. Are they a better team now than they were yesterday? “We’ll see,” said Josh Donaldson.
With less than 72 hours remaining before the trade deadline, all eyes will be on Anthopoulos.