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There may not be much news around the Blue Jays, but at least we have games to watch. Here’s the latest:
The Blue Jays continued their losing streak yesterday, falling to the Pirates by a score of 2-1 for the fourth consecutive loss. At least they’re losing now, when no one is putting real stock in the outcome of the games they play. Still, things looked good - Marcus Stroman, in his spring debut, pitched two perfect innings and appeared in “midseason form,” as MLB.com writer Paul Hagen puts it.
The two runs that the Pirates scored came off of a walk and two hits from Aaron Loup, who struggled early and often in his one inning of work, and Danny Barnes, who allowed a run to cross the plate after a balk (see video). The Blue Jays only run was scored on a Jose Bautista single, driving home Dwight Smith Jr (pinch running for Kevin Pillar, who had hit a double).
Today’s ballgame, again facing the Pirates, is set to start at 1:05 ET at LECOM Park. Lucas Harrell will start for the Blue Jays, competing for one of two or three available major league bullpen positions.
Josh Donaldson’s injured calf is progressing well, per Jayson Stark of ESPN. He took a few swings in the batting cage yesterday, a sign that things are moving ahead of schedule. “We anticipate no problems at all in his recover,” shared Ross Atkins to ESPN. Donaldson was initially injured during Toronto’s first full squad workout and was expected to be ready within two weeks (by March 10th), but that seems to have been accelerated now.