DETROIT -- It took 10 innings, too many of which were completely empty, but the Blue Jays finally scraped out a win Saturday against the Tigers.
Daulton Varsho drove in the go-ahead run in the 2-1 win with a line-drive single in the top of the 10th, one of three times he reached base. This lineup is still struggling, almost from top to bottom, but Varsho has settled into a nice groove lately, highlighted by his walk-off grand slam earlier in the week.
“You need that. You need some people to stabilize you until guys get rolling,” manager John Schneider said. “Varsh seems to be that guy. When he gets into a groove, he’s pretty tough. Tomorrow’s a new day. You’ve got to wait for someone to step up and join the party.”
This is what stood out from the win, flaws and all, as the Blue Jays set themselves up to take the series in Sunday’s finale.
1. VLAD WATCH: Guerrero’s slump continues
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is slumping. There’s no way around that, but there needs to be a way out of it.
Guerrero’s second at-bat of the game captured these struggles best. With a 1-0 count in the fourth, Guerrero reached to make contact with a slider down and away, which he popped harmlessly towards first base.
Guerrero’s lower body didn’t do much on this swing, which is where so much of his natural power comes from. There was nothing threatening about this swing, but if you’re going to take a cut at a 1-0 breaking ball on the edge of the zone, there needs to be something threatening about it.
“Obviously, I don’t feel OK right now,” Guerrero said through interpreter Hector Lebron. “I’m not feeling right and you guys can tell that. I’ve been working very hard. I’m going to keep battling and going through all of this. I’ll be all right.”
Schneider keeps saying that it will just take one big game, even one big swing to change all of this. His star slugger agrees.
“I’ve just got to hit the ball hard. I’ve just got to find a way to hit the ball hard. That’s it,” Guerrero said.
2. LEADOFF MAN: Waiting on Springer
George Springer is trying to “get into his legs” more, Schneider said, which was key to his renaissance season in 2025. Granted, generating more power from your legs isn’t made any easier by playing through the tail end of rehabbing a fractured toe, but what about the ‘26 season has been ideal?
Springer ended Saturday’s game batting just .186, and similar to Guerrero, we haven’t seen him drive the ball consistently, his OPS sitting at just .566.
Fresh off a 32-homer season but with just two so far, Springer is one of the biggest sources of power the Blue Jays need to reactivate, right alongside Vladdy. He’s operating as a fulltime DH at this point, too, so all of his value needs to come from his bat.
3. PIÑA POWER
There aren’t many things going right for the Blue Jays’ offense lately, but Yohendrick Piñango is one.
Piñango launched his first career MLB home run in the seventh inning Saturday, skipping it off the top of the wall in right field. Piñango’s aggression has been so refreshing in this lineup, a threat to do damage when so few others around him have been.
“That’s one of the main reasons I believe -- or, I know -- that I am here,” Piñango said through an interpreter. “Especially in big moments like this, to help the team to win some games with big at-bats. I feel good about it. I feel ready. I hope that I can get more of those at-bats.”
Last time Addison Barger returned from the IL, it was Piñango who was the odd man out. When Barger or Nathan Lukes return this time, though, that conversation will be even more difficult for the Blue Jays. In the Minor Leagues, Piñango’s challenge was getting the ball off the ground. Early on in the big leagues, those became line drives. If he gets just a bit more air underneath these balls, his power is legitimate and he could quickly develop into one of the Blue Jays’ primary home run threats.
Waiting at home plate for Piñango was Guerrero.
“Vladdy, wow. What a person,” Piñango said. “What a humble guy. When I got here, he welcomed me with open arms. He told me not to worry about it, that at any moment I would hit my first home run.”