TORONTO — After what happened to the Detroit Tigers at Rogers Centre, even the Kansas City Royals might not look so tough, even though they have the best record in the American League.
The Tigers left Toronto, not only being swept in three games by the Blue Jays, but being trounced. The only close game was Friday, a 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays. Then came a 15-1 loss on Saturday and a 9-2 loss on Sunday. Aggregate score: 29-6.
“We ran into the best offensive team in the league,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “They were swinging the bats extremely well and we didn’t pitch very well. That’s not a good recipe. They can put up runs in a hurry and they did that against us for three straight days.
“In all three of these games, these guys (Toronto) kind of threw a haymaker right out of the gates. They keep tacking on as the game goes on. You feel like you’re always digging yourself out of a hole.”
Not only that but the Blue Jays have as their ace left-hander David Price, acquired by the Blue Jays in a trade on July 30. Price did not start in the series against the Blue Jays. They also traded away outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to the New York Mets.
“We’ve gone through quite a transition since the trade deadline, trading those guys and then Sanchy (right-hander Anibal Sanchez) going down (with a rotator cuff strain). We’ve got a very different looking staff.”
“They’re just a very good hitting team,” Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos said of the Blue Jays.
Castellanos had three hits Sunday.
“Obviously I hate losing and I hate not playing how we’re supposed to play but you’re not going to be able to have a fantastic season every season,” he said. “They’re supposed to be the best-hitting team in baseball and this weekend they definitely played like it.”
The Tigers, who lost nine of their past 10 games, have a day off in the schedule Monday after suffering their first sweep at Toronto since 2003. They lost five straight games at Rogers Centre.
After the day off, Detroit visits the Royals, who are runaway leaders in the American League Central, where the Tigers used to rule.
