The Toronto Blue Jays rolled to a 7-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at TD Ballpark on Saturday in spring training action. Josh Rivera paced the offense, going 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. Dylan Cease worked 1.2 innings on the mound, allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit. The Jays finished with 12 hits on the day while holding the Phillies to 9. The Jays will take confidence from a well-rounded effort on both sides of the ball. Spring training is about building toward the regular season, and this was a step in the right direction.
Key Performers
Josh Rivera was the top performer at the plate, going 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Jays will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Andrés Giménez provided support, going 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI, Riley Tirotta also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI, and Alejandro Kirk chipped in, going 1-for-2 with an RBI. Multiple contributors at the plate made life difficult for the opposing pitching staff.
On the other side of the diamond, Bryan De La Cruz led the Phillies offense with a 2-for-2 with a home run and an RBI day. Bryce Harper also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI. Kyle Schwarber added a 1-for-3 with an RBI effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Jays pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Dylan Cease got the start, running into trouble, working 1.2 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit with three strikeouts. He threw 33 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 6.4 innings of work, allowing 4 earned runs while striking out nine. The Jays continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting. Brendan Cellucci recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Jesse Hahn stood out with 1.1 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Phillies got on the board first with a run in the second inning. Phillies pushed across a run in the third. The Jays struck back with two runs in the third. Phillies answered with three runs in the fifth. The Jays responded with four runs in the sixth. The Jays pushed across a run in the seventh. The Jays spread their scoring across three different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Jays out-hit Phillies 12-9 on the day, with 3 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 6,081 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Jays will look to build on this positive performance as spring training winds down. With the regular season rapidly approaching, outings like this one provide confidence and continuity for a roster that is rounding into form. Every remaining exhibition game is another chance to sharpen the details before the games start counting for real.
