TORONTO -- Louis Varland’s usage out of the bullpen this October has reached historic heights.
Taking over for Kevin Gausman in the seventh inning of the Blue Jays' 3-1 loss to the Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series on Friday night at Rogers Centre, Varland tied the record for most appearances in a single postseason with his 14th game pitched, now sharing the honor with Paul Assenmacher (Cleveland, 1997) and Brandon Morrow (Dodgers, 2017).
The 27-year-old Blue Jays right-hander showed why manager John Schneider has so much faith in him, tossing a perfect seventh, then retiring Miguel Rojas on a flyout for the first out of the eighth to keep Toronto’s deficit at two runs.
Despite the heavy usage, Varland has shown no signs of fatigue. His fastball was as electric as ever in the seventh, hitting 98.1 mph as the putaway pitch on his strikeout of Kiké Hernández.
After throwing 17 pitches in Game 6, Varland, acquired by the Blue Jays along with Ty France from the Twins at this year’s July 31 Trade Deadline, has more than a decent shot to break the record for most appearances in a single postseason in Game 7 on Saturday night. It will be all hands on deck for this Toronto bullpen, and Varland, who has not allowed a run in nine of those 14 games pitched, has proven to be about as reliable as they come for this club.
“He’s kind of a different animal,” Schneider said of Varland after Game 4. “It’s not normal to put a guy in as much as I have and have his stuff be consistent. I was talking to [Blue Jays GM] Ross [Atkins] at the [Trade] Deadline. He was one guy that I really wanted to acquire.”
In Schneider’s mind, there is no doubt that Varland will find himself factoring into Game 7, simply replying, “Yeah,” when asked postgame if Varland will pitch Saturday.
While tensions are high in this World Series, both bullpens have come together to support a cause that goes deeper than baseball. On Friday night, Blue Jays relievers Seranthony Domínguez, Chris Bassitt, Mason Fluharty and Varland all wrote the No. 51 on their caps prior to entering the game to honor Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia, who is away from the team due to a "deeply personal family matter." Dodgers relievers have been wearing caps with the No. 51 written on the side for the entire Series.
As you could probably imagine, with everything on the line for Game 7, Toronto’s entire pitching staff will likely be on call to pitch in relief of starter Max Scherzer. That includes Game 6 starter Kevin Gausman, who dazzled with eight strikeouts over six innings on 93 pitches (63 strikes) in a tough-luck loss.
“Everyone that is active on the roster will be available to pitch,” Schneider said. “Maybe even Kev. So, it will be all hands on deck tomorrow.”
One more game means one more chance for the Blue Jays to potentially notch their first save of the World Series, something that had eluded both teams up until Tyler Glasnow closed it out with a scoreless ninth in Game 6.
A Game 7 save would certainly be a fitting end for closer Jeff Hoffman, who notched a save in the ALDS Game 4 clincher against the Yankees and Game 7 of the ALCS against the Mariners.
“It’s definitely something that I’ve thought about,” Hoffman said of potentially clinching the World Series for Toronto. “More recently now than in the regular season.”