Toronto’s best relievers became part of the Blue Jays’ most painful losses in June

The Toronto Blue Jays needed June to be the month that pulled them back into the American League playoff picture. Instead, it became another wasted opportunity — and one that may prove costly if the standings continue to tighten around them.

Toronto went 11-15 during the month, getting outscored 129-101 and failing to take advantage of a schedule that included several teams the Blue Jays should have been beating if they were serious about climbing back into contention.

There were brief flashes that suggested the Blue Jays might finally be finding something. They put together a three-game winning streak and won back-to-back games on two other separate occasions. But every time momentum appeared to be building, the club gave it right back.

The month ended in the worst possible fashion. Toronto went 1-7 over its final eight games, a slide that included a six-game losing streak with two losses to the Houston Astros and four straight to the Texas Rangers. Those losses did more than damage the Blue Jays’ record; they allowed both Houston and Texas to leap over Toronto in the standings and push the Blue Jays further back in the Wild Card chase.

The most frustrating part was the fact the Blue Jays' bullpen seemed to be turning a corner amidst all the losing, especially the back end trio of Tyler Rogers, Jeff Hoffman and 2026 All-Star Louis Varland.

Between Jun. 1 and 30, Varland pitched 15 innings, with a 2.40 ERA and 1.85 FIP. He struck out 22 of the 57 batters he faced, allowing four earned runs and walking four on eight hits.

Hoffman appeared in 12 games, pitched 12 innings, racked up 15 strikeouts and posted a 0.75 ERA, giving up just one earned run (two total runs) and five hits. Rogers appeared in 13 games, pitched 13 innings and only allowed one earned run, although he gave up 15 hits and walked four hitters, but his ERA was down to 0.69 for the month.

Another layer of frustration though? It has to lie on the shoulders of these pitchers who made key mistakes that elongated the losing streak. Really it was the lone blemishes on Rogers, Hoffman and Varland for the whole month that stands out because of how everything unfolded in three separate outings.

On Jun. 23 Rogers entered the game in the ninth inning with the Blue Jays up 6-4. He was on for the save since Varland had worked the previous two games (getting saves against the Cubs and Astros). The Blue Jays were 39-39, and had overcome a 4-0 deficit to pull ahead with only three outs to go to finally get over the .500 mark, something they hadn't done since they were 4-3 on Apr. 3.

Unfortunately for Rogers, he gave some hard contact and the Blue Jays' defence committed two errors in the inning, leading the visiting Astros to tie the game. They would go on to win in 11 innings.

The next night, Hoffman was on in the series finale in the top of the eighth in a 1-1 tie. After striking out the leadoff hitter, he gave up a triple to former Blue Jays outfielder Joey Loperfido. Hoffman then tried to pick off Loperfido at third, but there was some miscommunication between him and third baseman Kazuma Okamoto and the ball sailed into left field, allowing Loperfido to score the go-ahead run, in a 3-1 loss.

Four days later, the Blue Jays still hadn't won a game, were 39-45 and trying to avoid the sweep at the hands of the Rangers. Nathan Lukes hit a game tying home run in the bottom of the eighth and Varland came on to try and keep the game at 2-2 to give the Blue Jays a chance to win in the bottom of the ninth. But a wild pitch allowed pinch runner Jared Kelenic to score from second and the Rangers completed the sweep with a 3-2 win.

You can't pin the losses directly on Rogers, Hoffman and Varland, but that just seems fitting for the way the Blue Jays' season has gone. Their biggest successes in the month were also the ones involved in three of the biggest, gut wrenching losses of the month as well.

The rest of the Blue Jays need to help turn the page

Pulling back the lense, these three players have done their job over the last four weeks. Really, over the course of the season, there's been very little to nit pick about what Varland and Rogers have brought to the table. Hoffman has had his ups and downs, but June was certainly a good month for the veteran reliever.

Meanwhile, the offence was buried in a month long slump. They hit just .239/.292/.382 with a -18.1 offensive fWAR. The starting pitching posted a 5.61 ERA, allowed 28 home runs and walked 72 batters.

It's these two areas that will need to improve over the month of July if the Blue Jays are going to make any kind of a push in 2026.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow