MINNEAPOLIS -- It was cold, quick and quiet.
The Blue Jays didn’t exactly carry over their momentum to Target Field Thursday night in a 7-1 loss to the Twins, as their offense was muzzled by a Bailey Ober who didn’t even touch 90 mph.
This is what mattered from Day 1 of the road trip through Minneapolis and Tampa.
1. COUNTDOWN’S ON: Kirk and who?
Alejandro Kirk has started throwing. He still needs to hit, catch and go through the full rehab process for his fractured left thumb, but given that Kirk's throwing is the first substantial update we’ve gotten since he hit the IL, it’s time to look forward.
Brandon Valenzuela was given another start Thursday after homering in a 2-for-3 game the day prior. This wasn’t about matchups or anything fancy, just a good, old-fashioned call from the manager.
“With Vally, it’s … Nice game, kid. Go get ‘em,” Schneider said.
Schneider says that he sees “a ton of potential” in Valenzuela, and while there have been some growing pains adjusting to big league pitching, it’s crystal clear that the 25-year-old is a big league defender already. He’s thrown out four of 10 runners -- his cannon behind the plate arguably his most impressive tool -- and he’s been impressing his manager in all of the right ways lately.
“I really like what he’s doing behind the plate,” Schneider said. “I think he’s really grasped the game plan. He’s controlling it and interacting between innings with Pete [Walker] and the pitchers. A lot of credit to him and [the hitting coaches]. A couple of days ago, they took the stride away from him. He’s a physical guy, but that lets him recognize pitches a little bit better.”
Valenzuela profiles as Kirk’s long-term backup in Toronto, which would give the Blue Jays a rock-solid catching tandem. Valenzuela still has options, though, so Tyler Heineman will be given every opportunity to show a bit more at the plate after batting .178 with a .391 OPS to open the season. Consider this a true competition, with Kirk’s rehab representing the ticking clock.
2. HOMECOMING: Louis Varland
The Twins dealt Varland to the Blue Jays at the Trade Deadline last season, right in the middle of his first full year as a reliever. It’s early, but it already looks like a fantastic deal for both sides, with the Twins getting outfielder Alan Roden and lefty Kendry Rojas, now their No. 10 prospect.
This is Varland’s backyard. He grew up in nearby St. Paul and was drafted by the Twins in 2019, so while the trade to Toronto was a shock to him on many levels, he’s settled in just fine. Schneider could talk about him all day.
“He’s quickly become one of my favorite guys,” Schneider said. “He’s just like, ‘I’m going ice fishing today, and I’ll be throwing 100 tomorrow.’ He’s pretty cool.”
While the Blue Jays are still calling this a closer by committee, we keep seeing that the definition of “committee” is, in fact, more often than not, Varland. Keep an eye out for the next time the Blue Jays have a tight lead and the other team’s 2-3-4 hitters are due up in the eighth inning, though. Will the Blue Jays get aggressive and use Varland early, or treat him as the closer?
3. WHAT WENT RIGHT: One swing
Well, at least Daulton Varsho’s solo home run was pretty. The no-doubter to right field was a Varsho classic, his fourth of the season and first since April 14, when he had a flurry of three in four games.
The Blue Jays need this power from secondary sources. If Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is going to chase the batting title instead of the home run crown -- which is just fine -- the Blue Jays need a balanced approach to power, and Varsho is one of their best bets at doing it. Along with George Springer, Addison Barger, Jesús Sánchez, Kazuma Okamoto and a few others, the Blue Jays need power to be a shared identity, not a one-man show.
“We function best when we’re feeding off one another,” Schneider said. “I was just talking to [Tyler] Heineman about this. What are you actually swinging at? We know a lot of these guys make contact. Are you just making contact, or are you making quality contact? Are you in a hurry to make contact?”
All of the night’s offense coming on one swing is no recipe for success, but any signs of power from Varsho are encouraging after a tough two weeks.