Blue Jays' sweep reminder of what could have been

ANAHEIM, Calif. – This sweep of the Los Angeles Angels is a blueprint of what the Toronto Blue Jays’ season was supposed to look like. Suffocating starting pitching. Timely power swings. Tight defense. Lockdown relief work. Casting forward to next year, the three games under gorgeous SoCal skies capped by Wednesday’s 9-2 victory, was a glimpse of why the front office believes that with tweaks, the club can return to post-season contention next year.

Jose Berrios, shaking off a third-inning Michael Stefanic comebacker that appeared to hit his right foot and then clip his left one, too, pinned the finale down with seven innings of dominance.

But it was two key swings early — a two-run homer by Ernie Clement in the second and Daulton Varsho’s three-run drive in the fifth — that ensured the ace righty’s work didn’t go to waste, and the rarity of such impact is a key issue the Blue Jays must address.

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added a two-run shot in the ninth in what was only the 28^th multi-homer game in 121 outings this season, and underlining the game-changing importance of power is that they’re 17-11 in those games.

Problematic is that the Blue Jays have only 113 home runs, or 0.93 per game, so far this season, putting them on pace for 151. Not counting the 60-game pandemic year, that would be their lowest total since hitting only 126 in 2008 , when they led the majors in ERA but didn’t score enough to capitalize.

And it’s not just home runs — their .384 slugging percentage is well below the league average of .401. Only 10 times in the team’s 48 seasons have the Blue Jays finished with a sub-.400 slug and they’re in danger of making it 11.

While Bo Bichette’s struggles and subsequent calf injury are a contributing factor there, right now they only have four players with homer totals in double-digits – Guerrero with 25, Varsho at 15, George Springer at 14 and the slumping Davis Schneider at 10.

Full seasons for Spencer Horwitz and perhaps Joey Loperfido, Will Wagner and once he arrives here, Jonatan Clase, may add more potential for damage, but more certainty is needed for them to legitimately hang in the power-laden AL East.

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A rotation anchored by Berrios, who allowed just a run on two hits and a walk with five strikeouts, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt means the Blue Jays will have a good foundation for the starting staff, while they have elite outfield defense and competent infield glovework .

The bullpen needs to be rebuilt and relievers like Brandon Little, who pitched the eighth, and Tommy Nance, who handled the ninth, have the rest of the season to put themselves into the 2025 mix.

But difference-making thump — the kind that pushed the Blue Jays to such a decisive win in Wednesday’s sweep-capping finale — is a crucial commodity that they’re going to have to find a lot more of before opening day 2025.