DETROIT -- This Blue Jays season has featured plenty of opportunities for young players to learn on the job, and Sunday afternoon’s 4-3 walk-off loss at Comerica Park was Jacob Waguespack’s turn. 

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. gave the Blue Jays some late life with a two-run home run off the usually-dominant Shane Greene to tie the game at three in the top of the ninth, but Nicholas Castellanos launched the first pitch of the bottom of the 10th over the wall in left off Tim Mayza to give Detroit the win and help it avoid the sweep.

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Making his second Major League start, Waguespack allowed three runs while scattering nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. It was an improvement on his starting debut against the Red Sox, thanks in large part to his seven strikeouts and zero walks, and represents the small but steady growth that the Blue Jays are looking for from many of their young arms down the stretch in 2019.

“It was a tremendous improvement from my last start,” Waguespack said. “Last time out, I was struggling with command and really just fighting out there. This start, I thought I had some good things to come away with. My command was better.”

Waguespack recorded 14 swinging strikes and felt particularly confident in his sinker, which he leaned on heavily alongside his cutter. He was also quick to highlight the value of turning to offspeed pitches later in his outing while working with Luke Maile behind the plate, which is particularly relevant after the 25-year-old hit a wall in the fifth inning against Boston his last time out.

Some of these lessons exist in smaller moments, like his pitch usage on Sunday, while some will stretch through the season, which is what Waguespack’s teammate Trent Thornton is working through now after a strong start to his rookie year. Not only are Major League hitters an entirely different challenge from Triple-A hitters, but they’ll eventually see pitchers multiple times over, especially within their own division.

“They’re just more patient,” Waguespack said. “They’re looking for their pitch, and as soon as they get it, they’re usually putting a barrel on it. I think you just have to come out each and every time and execute your pitches. You can also work off your misses as well. That’s what I’ve been trying to do, throw some strikes and attack them.”

The return of Ryan Borucki on Monday and a scheduled off day on Thursday mean that there are some variables with the Blue Jays’ rotation beyond the upcoming series at home against Cleveland, but Waguespack should be left staring at plenty more opportunities down the stretch. With injuries piled up, Aaron Sanchez struggling and Marcus Stroman one of the hottest names ahead of the July 31 Trade Deadline, the Blue Jays will continue to search for reliable back-end starters.

“He did a good job,” manager Charlie Montoyo said after the loss. “He kept us in the game, a 3-1 game and we had a chance to win. That’s all you can ask for from your starter. He did a good job. He’s pitched good in the big leagues so far.”

After two impressive performances from the bats to open the series in Detroit, the Blue Jays couldn’t quite figure out lefty Tyler Alexander, who tossed seven innings of one-run ball. Toronto’s three hits off Anderson belonged to the top three hitters in the lineup -- Eric Sogard, Freddy Galvis and Gurriel -- with Gurriel’s RBI double representing the lone offence until his late blast. 

Joe Biagini followed Waguespack out of the bullpen and looked very sharp with three strikeouts over 1 2/3 clean innings of work. Derek Law and David Phelps bridged the gap to Mayza, who allowed the walkoff blast to Castellanos.