Barger’s walk-off blast powers Blue Jays to comeback win

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Blue Jays fans were given a look at baseball life without Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the face of the franchise who was given a rare off day against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Friday night at the Rogers Centre.

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Minus their best hitter, it was Joey Loperfido and Addison Barger — who may or may not be part of the Jays’ future — stepping up in the ninth inning, doing their best Vladdy impersonations at the plate by clouting back-to-back solo home runs as the Jays pulled off a come-from-behind 5-4 victory, their fifth win in as many games over the Halos this season.

There’s a different feel to this Jays team with Guerrero not on the field because it’s already short on marquee names. But the ninth-inning power surge showed that life without Vladdy — if he is not re-signed or is dealt away before that — can be tolerated. For one night, that is.

Without Guerrero in the starting lineup, the lone fixture at the top of the order was George Springer hitting leadoff. While Daulton Varsho has been given a run in the No. 2 hole, his skills at the plate are best suited lower in the order. Spencer Horwitz was inserted in Vladdy’s familiar No. 3 hole.

Speaking of holes, the Jays found themselves in a large one early on when the Angels scored four runs in the second inning off starter Chris Bassitt. But they chipped away with two runs in the fourth and another in the sixth to make it 4-3 and set the stage for the ninth-inning heroics.

Loperfido, meanwhile, continued to open some eyes. Before his game-tying leadoff homer in the ninth, he made a fearless, running, leaping catch off the wall in left field in the fifth.

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Outside of the second inning, Bassitt pitched well in going six complete innings, an outing featuring six strikeouts and four hits surrendered, including three in the second.

Bassitt threw a total of 98 pitches.

There was also an encouraging scoreless inning produced by reliever Erik Swanson, who struck out two in his one and done appearance.

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HISTORICAL JANO

Beantown will usher in a different kind of history Monday when the host Red Sox and Blue Jays resume a June 26 game interrupted by rain that was subsequently suspended.

When it was suspended, Danny Jansen was in the middle of his at-bat for the Blue Jays.

One month later, three days prior to MLB’s trade deadline, the Jays dealt their veteran catcher to their AL East rivals for a package of prospects.

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Once the trade was engineered, it opened the possibility of Jansen appearing in a single game for both teams, a first in MLB history.

Red Sox skipper Alex Cora made it official when he dropped the news Friday to reporters prior to Boston’s game against Arizona.

“Yeah, he’s catching,” said Cora at Fenway Park. “Let’s make history!”

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The game will resume at 2:05 p.m., as part of a split doubleheader.

According to MLB, the lineup and batting order of both teams will be exactly the same as the lineup and batting order at the moment of the suspension. A player who was not with the club when the game was suspended may be used as a substitute.

Jose Berrios will be on the mound, but technically he’ll be making a relief appearance.

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Yariel Rodriguez started for the Jays on June 26 and is expected to get the start Tuesday, meaning he would have started on consecutive days, yet another oddity to Toronto’s upcoming stay in Boston.

Adding another layer is that Jays will be able to add a 27th player to their roster for Monday’s second game. No addition is allowed for the first game given it is the resumption of a suspended game.

CLASSY KEVIN

Kevin Pillar is making the most of what is shaping up to be his final visit to Toronto after hinting earlier in the season that 2024 will be his final year in baseball.

The popular ex-Jays centre fielder known for his highlight-reel catches, used his social media platform to reach out to fans with a challenge.

It went as follows: “Hello #Toronto. Love being back! Going to be giving away 4 tickets for Saturday’s game. First person to answer this question correctly will receive 4 tickets for Saturdays game. What former teammates jersey will I be wearing for batting practice tonight??”

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Turns out Pillar would wear Ryan Goins’ No. 17 Canada Day jersey in the hours leading up to Friday night’s first pitch. Goins serves as infield coach for the Angels.

When leading off the second inning, Pillar was hit by a pitch and came around to score the game’s first run on an Anthony Rendon double.

BRIEFLY

Offensive co-ordinator Don Mattingly, who had been away after having shoulder surgery in Cleveland earlier in the week, has returned and was sporting a sling … Canada’s star in the Paris Summer Olympics, Summer McIntosh, threw out the ceremonial first pitch with Guerrero serving as catcher. Once Vladdy caught the one-hopper, he signed the ball and presented it to her. The moment was punctuated when all three gold medals won in the pool were placed around the neck of McIntosh.

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