OOTP Season Sim: Jays Win Game One

I’m going to run a hands off simulation of the Blue Jays season and report on the games here:

Opening Day:

Red Sox 5 Blue Jays 6

The Jays opening day roster:

Pitchers:

Even with an extra roster spot, but I still hate the idea of an 8 man bullpen.

Hitters:

Rowdy Tellez loses his roster spot to the extra pitcher, but Anthony Alford makes the team. I think they could use another bat.

Opening Day lineups:

I hate the idea of Fisher as DH.

Ryu did not have a good start. He went 6 innings, allowed 6 hits, no walks and had 5 strikeouts, but 3 of the 6 hits were home runs. Red Sox first baseman Michael Chavis had 2 of the home runs, and a single, driving in 3 of the Sox 5 runs. J.D. Martinez had the other home run against Ryu.

Jordan Romano pitched 2 innings of relief. He gave up 2 hits and a walk and a run on a Jackie Bradley Jr. solo homer. He started the 9th, but gave up base runner and Ken Giles pitched the rest of the 9th, stranding the runner

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On the offensive side, after the Sox went up 1-0 in the top of the inning, on the Bradley homer, the Jays got 2 in the bottom of the inning. Bichette lead off with a walk, got first at second on a Hernandez ground out, and then Vlad hit a 2-run homer.

That was all the scoring we’d do until the 9th. Rodriguez went 8 innings, for the Sox, allowing just 3 hits, 2 earned, 2 walks with 3 strikeouts.

To start the bottom of the ninth, Matt Barnes came in to pitch with the Jays trailing 5-2. Barnes walked the bases loaded. Brandon Workman took over with the tying run at the plate and no outs. He wasn’t any better than Barnes. He gave up a 2-run single to Gurriel, making the game 5-4. A wild pitch tied the game.

Two walk, to load the bases (I hate intentional walks) set up a Cavan Biggio single to walk off the game.

Jays of the Day: Vlad (2 for 3, homer, walk), Biggio (walkoff single) and Gurriel (2 for 4).

It seems a rather improbable finish, but the Red So do look like they would have troubles in the bullpen.

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After opening day: Yankees (and Blue Jays) have a win. Rays, Orioles (and Red Sox) have a loss.

Of note for the Red Sox:

Chris Sale is out for the season. Dustin Pedroia (he hasn’t retired?) is out for 6 months. Collin McHugh is our for 3 weeks. Alex Verdugo is out for 3 weeks with a stress fracture.

Yankees:

Domingo German is on the restricted list. James Paxton is out for 7-8 weeks. Luis Severino out for 14 months after Tommy John. Aaron Judge out for 3 weeks stress fraction.

Rays:

Blake Snell out 2 weeks.

Orioles:

Trey Mancini out 3 weeks. DJ Stewart out 3 weeks.

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In the game, no one has signed Yasiel Puig yet. There are some decent free agents out there.