TORONTO – Starter Chris Bassitt set the tone for the Blue Jays on Wednesday by striking out 10 batters over five shutout innings.
The Toronto bullpen took care of the rest and set a franchise record along the way.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his first homer of the season and had two RBIs as Toronto defeated the Atlanta Braves 3-1 in a matinee at Rogers Centre.
Toronto pitchers had 19 strikeouts on the day, the most in a nine-inning game in franchise history.
“The back end of our bullpen, I’ll take against anybody’s,” Bassitt said.
Brendon Little, Nick Sandlin, Yimi Garcia and Jeff Hoffman pitched in relief as Toronto took the rubber game of the three-game interleague series.
Hoffman gave up a solo homer to Drake Baldwin before completing his fourth save.
At 11-8, the victory moved Toronto into a virtual tie for top spot in the American League standings entering Wednesday night’s games.
Related Videos
“I feel like everyone’s really comfortable with how everything’s working,” Bassitt said. “So it’s a fun feeling coming to the yard and just truly thinking you’re the best team and you’re the team to beat.”
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
Guerrero drove in Bo Bichette with the opening run in the third inning before adding a 412-foot solo shot off Atlanta starter Spencer Strider (0-1) in the sixth. The Blue Jays slugger also reached on a walk.
“When you work so hard in the cage and at (batting practice) and then you go out there and you see the results, it makes you happy,” Guerrero said via interpreter Hector Lebron. “It makes you continue to keep working hard.”
Bassitt (2-0) allowed three hits and two walks over a 90-pitch outing. At the end of the game, he led the major leagues with a 0.77 earned-run average and was fourth with 31 strikeouts.
“A good pitch mix and really good location,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider.
Strider made his season debut after being activated from the injured list before the game. He missed most of the 2024 season while recovering from right elbow surgery.
The right-hander allowed two earned runs and five hits over five-plus innings. Strider led the major leagues in strikeouts (281) in 2023.
The Blue Jays tacked on an insurance run in the seventh inning when Bichette drove in Myles Straw with a double. Toronto has won six of its last nine games.
“We’re playing good ball right now, but the key here is we’re together in this,” Guerrero said. “I mean since the time we get to the clubhouse (each day), we’re very united and the chemistry is very good right now.”
The Braves fell to 5-13 and dropped to 2-11 on the road. Toronto improved its home record to 7-3.
“I feel like everyone’s kind of doing their part,” Schneider said. “Our pitching has been really good and we’ve really leaned on them quite heavily, but it’s nice.
“I think that it says a lot about the guys in the room where they’re playing to win and that they don’t really care who does it.”
The Blue Jays have an off-day Thursday before kicking off a weekend series against the visiting Seattle Mariners on Friday night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
