Blue Jays Morning Brew: Big wheel keep on turnin’

The Blue Jays picked up win number 88 last night against the Tampa Bay Rays as starter R.A. Dickey settled into a fantastic groove after stumbling in the first. Josh Donaldson smashed his 40th home run of the season while Kevin Pillar and Jose Bautista added on of their own, and the push towards October just keeps gaining steam. David Price takes this mound this afternoon for a dream pitching matchup with Chris Archer, and we’ll get you started with the Morning Brew!

5 reasons the Blue Jays are better than the New York Yankees

One-on-one with Pillar  –  Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar joined Tim & Sid yesterday on Sportsnet for a great interview. After rubbing some fans (and possibly his manager) the wrong way in 2014, Pillar has quickly become one of the easiest Jays to root for with his all-effort, all the time approach to the game. One of the many unsung heroes on this roster.

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Rotation talk  –  Steve Phillips of TSN has a different take on the Blue Jays playoff rotation. Whereas I’d like to see David Price followed by R.A. Dickey and Marcus Stroman, Phillips predicts that Stroman will follow Price in game two. He then sees Marco Estrada in game three before landing on Dickey in game four, which could potentially throw off the opposing hitters if a fifth and deciding game is needed. Not sure I’m on board with that, but the argument has legs.

Tulo update  –  Your daily Troy Tulowitzki update here from Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. The shortstop continues to progress as he eyes a late-season return to the lineup. “I felt great out there. Ground balls went well. I feel like I’€™m moving a lot better,” Tulowitzki said. “I felt more like myself out there, more aggressive. I felt normal.”

Bo knows  –  A great look at Blue Jays reliever Bo Schultz here by Kristina Rutherford, who she aptly describes as the “outfielder-turned-journalist-turned-pitcher who thought his baseball career was over at least three times. And yet, here he is, in a pennant race.” Schultz has been a welcome surprise in the Jays ‘pen this season, and while there may not be a role for him in the playoffs, he’ll have every opportunity to crack the roster in 2016.

The final out  –  A great idea here from the team over at Blue Jays Plus, as they ask who you’d like to see make the division-clinching play to end a ball game. Personally, I know that Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and the stars atop this roster have had their moments. Instead, I’d love to see a homegrown member of the supporting cast like Pillar or Ryan Goins make the highlight snag and grab some spotlight.

Next: How do the Blue Jays plan on using Hendriks in 2016?

More from Jays Journal

• Matt Chapman has been exactly what the Blue Jays needed
• Blue Jays: The goalposts are moving in the right direction
• Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays advance to the Championship Series
• Blue Jays: Comparisons for Alek Manoah’s Second Season
• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King