RHP Trey Yesavage provides a rare quality start for pitch-poor Jays

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Two teams whose combined record was 20 games below .500 and one begins to understand why Monday night’s series opener had more to do with individual spotlights than the eventual outcome.

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To call it a referendum featuring Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette would be pushing the envelope.

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At the same time, the return of Bichette, who was feted by Toronto’s faithful, did allow for an interesting backdrop.

Whom should the Blue Jays have invested knowing the odds of retaining both were slim to virtually none?

It’s the what if game many have played, which brought us to Monday’s actual game, the first pitting the former Toronto teammates and franchise faces on opposing sides.

Two pitches into his first at-bat and Bichette sent a liner deep into right centre that was caught for an out, a ball Vlad Jr. has barely recorded this season at Rogers Centre, where he had yet to go yard.

Once the tribute and the outpouring of emotions were completed, the cries of, “play ball” were heard.

Two more games between two equally bad teams are on tap, two additional occasions to revisit the Vlad vs. Bo question.

Each hit third in their respective orders, Vlad Jr. bringing a better average into the evening, while Bichette had gone deep more often than Vlad Jr., driving in more runs.

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In terms of team records, the Mets were 35-49, while the Jays were sporting a 39-45 record, which included six losses in a row.

Given the state of the Blue Jays, the Vlad Jr.-Bichette debate did make for a convenient distraction.

Bichette went 0-for-4 on the night, while Vlad Jr. went 1-for-4 as each had a very uneventful day at the plate.

Bichette’s return to Toronto for the first time was the event.

As for the actual game, there weren’t many, if any, moments to relish.

What will be relished and remembered was the Jays’ 2-1 win.

For the record, this series is the only time these teams will meet this season.

The following are three takeaways on a night the Jays and Mets combined for three errors, which pretty much sums up why each is not good, a night when the teams combined for nine hits.

1. Trey day to build on

In his 12th start of the season, Trey Yesavage pitched much better.

While he struck out only three batters, the righty kept the Mets off balanced and only allowed three hits.

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One hit cleared the wall in right field when Francisco Lindor took Yesavage deep for a solo shot.

If you recall, it was Lindor’s leadoff homer in the ninth inning that ended Bowden Francis’ no-hit bid at a time when the righty would flirt with two no-nos.

Yesavage provided the Jays with something his fellow starters hadn’t been able to achieve in recent weeks.

Quality starts have been elusive for the past nine games.

Yesavage changed that narrative, coming within one out of completing seven innings.

Far from dominant, Yesavage was nonetheless good at a time when the club’s starting rotation has not been good.

At least Yesavage did not surrender a first-inning run.

2. Relief minus the grief

In one of oddest ways to lose a game, a wild pitch thrown by closer Louis Varland allowed the runner to score from second Sunday as the Texas Rangers completed their four-game sweep.

Once Yesavage’s day had ended, Mason Fluharty helped record the inning-ending out in the seventh.

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Tyler Rogers started the eighth inning and needed nine pitches to retire the side, even though he gave up a hit and issued a walk.

Varland came out to start the ninth inning and was introduced to a raucous ovation, tasked with recording his 17th save of the season.

A one-out single gave the Mets some life.

Additional life was provided by Varland when he issued a walk, allowing the runner at first to advance into scoring position.

New York was down to its last out night following a Varland strikeout.

Varland ended the game on a strikeout.

3. Springer’s dubious dinger

Regardless of how it was produced, the Jays finally were able to score first having seen their opposition post a run in the first inning in the past seven games.

In other words, the Jays have been forced to play on their toes, as they say in sports.

How the Jays scored first against the Mets is the stuff of ridicule.

Leadoff hitter George Springer stroked a sharply hit ball off Mets starter Sean Manaea that should have resulted in a triple.

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When centre fielder A.J. Ewing was charged with a fielding error, it allowed Springer to score, known as a little league homer.

It was Springer’s first triple of the season.

Following some tough stretches, the Jays were due for a break and it came courtesy of Ewing.

Up Next

All eyes will be on RHP Kevin Gausman, Toronto’s scheduled starter Tuesday night (7:07 p.m first pitch); his past two starts have not been good, beginning with a brutal outing in Chicago when the Cubs feasted on Gausman; compared to his start in Chicago, Gausman was better when facing the Texas Rangers, but it was well below his standard; Mets will counter with RHP Nolan McLean.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com

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