Brian Cashman met with reporters just a few weeks ago to answer questions about why the New York Yankees underperformed and, on Monday, before the Blue Jays’ 5-4 Game 11 victory over Chicago Cubs. 26,473 fans at the Rogers Centre, GM Ross Atkins did the same. However, when asked if he was following that familiar protocol of a team in crisis, Atkins dismissed that notion and said he agreed with the decision to finally meet with the media even before an ugly weekend that saw the Blue Jays swept from the humble Los Angeles Angels. Atkins exuded positivity during his 15-minute chat in front of cameras and tape recorders, maintaining confidence that his team will be on the mend. The Blue Jays entered the day in third place in the American League wild card, trailing Tampa Bay and Seattle and just ahead of Baltimore. “We come into September with our destiny in our control,” Atkins said. “A lot of games against teams we’re competing against for these finals [wild-card] spot me and I feel like we’re going to warm up and have a nice run.” Mental mistakes, physical mistakes, along with poor defense and hitting contributed to a weekend that saw the Blue Jays outscored 22-3 by the Angels, raising questions about the team’s lack of focus. Atkins, however, expressed confidence and trust in his club’s overall preparation and internal discussions about accountability, noting that players have been honest with each other in assessing their recent performances. “How they talk about moving things forward and getting better, how they can get better individually and collectively,” Atkins said. “I think that’s the key. If we can continue to focus on our collective success and our collective failures and not show and focus too much when we have an intellectual gap.” Blue Jays manager John Schneider echoed the sentiment that communication within the clubhouse remains strong, despite how it has appeared at times to outsiders. “All the confidence in the world in this group,” Snyder said. “The talent, the communication we have both with them as a staff and between players that not everyone sees. It’s still a very tight group and it’s a very good group.” Such confidence was handsomely rewarded with Monday’s emphatic win that snapped a three-game skid and added another high to the rollercoaster that has been the 2022 season for the Blue Jays (69-58). “It was a big win,” Snyder said. “We needed that and much, much more,” added Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios, who won the no-decision. However, it didn’t look promising from the start. The Blue Jays’ lineup remained quiet early, largely hypnotized by Cubs right-hander Javier Assad, who was making just his second major league start. He relied on a cutter that averaged 87.3 mph and a sinker that averaged 92.5 mph to keep hitters off balance, allowing just four hits in five scoreless innings with no walks and achieve one. The Cubs jumped out to a 4-0 lead against Berrios, who was unable to capitalize on his recent impressive outings against the Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Alfonso Rivas scored on a homer’s choice in the third inning to put Chicago up 1-0, and the visitors added another run in the fourth when Nico Hoerner singled to right field to drive in Seiya Suzuki. The Cubs added two more runs in the sixth inning to extend their lead. Berrios, whose fastball topped out at 96.3 mph, allowed four runs on 10 hits (nine singles) over 5.2 innings of work, walking one and striking out four. The Blue Jays offense looked poised to face more questions about its lackluster performance until Danny Jansen changed the narrative by blasting an 84-mph slider off Cubs right-hander Erich Uelmen into left-center field in the seventh inning for a three-run homer that cut the deficit to one run. “It’s fun to go out there and compete and try to swing at a pitch that I can handle,” Jansen said. “And he happened to go over the fence. Something to build. I was really excited about it.” The bomb also brought the Blue Jays dugout to life relieving some serious tension. “I don’t know if the cameras caught it, but [the players] they kind of came alive there a little bit,” Snyder said. “And, you know, sometimes it takes a period.” Matt Chapman, who drew a 10-pitch walk to start the rally in the seventh, tied the game at 4-4 in the next frame with a single that scored Cavan Biggio. Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano then tossed a scoreless inning and Jimmy Garcia added two more to keep the game tied and set the stage for Jansen’s heroics. Facing Cubs reliever Mark Leiter Jr. in the bottom of the 11th, Jansen hit a single to left field to secure the win. And to make this victory even sweeter, there were several sparkling defensive plays by the Blue Jays throughout the game, highlighted by a diving catch by George Springer, an assist out of Raimel Tapia and a nice double play turned by the Wladimir Guerrero Jr. and Janssen. . All in all, it was a cathartic night for the Blue Jays that will no doubt add to Atkins’ resolve. “It can become easy to fall into the trap of expecting perfection from people, which just isn’t going to happen,” the GM said, when asked about concerns fans might have about the club. “We have the advantage of being able to see under the hood and you can see the work that goes into it on a daily basis – their preparation, their discussions about responsibility. And that gives me a lot of confidence in where this team is at. NOTES • The Blue Jays claimed Bradley Zimmer off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday. Atkins said the outfielder, who spent 77 games with the Blue Jays earlier this season after being traded from Cleveland in April, will occupy one of two additional roster spots that will open on Sept. 1. • Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez was not in the lineup Monday as he was dealing with a left foot problem that was evident at times during Sunday’s game. “I just want to make sure he’s 100 percent healthy,” Snyder said. “Obviously he’s grinding.” • Reliever Julian Merryweather, currently on a rehab assignment in Buffalo as he recovers from an oblique injury, could be considered for the other spot. “He’s bounced really hard,” Atkins said of the right-hander. Merryweather has allowed just three hits over 7.2 scoreless innings since starting his triple-A rehab assignment, walking four and striking out 10. • Right-handed reliever Nate Pearson (lat injury) will take live batting practice Wednesday and could go on a rehab assignment soon after, according to Atkins.
