Oct 2, 2021; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher John Means (47) delivers a pitch against Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Oriole pitcher John Means’ season ended with a disappointing start. Means allowed seven runs, six earned, equaling his career high, in the Orioles’ 10-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday.
Means (6-9) gave up three home runs to the Blue Jays, who are in a four-team wild-card race. The New York Yankees, who lost to Tampa Bay, and the Boston Red Sox, who beat the Washington Nationals, are 91-70. Toronto is 90-71, as is Seattle, which defeated the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.
The Blue Jays put Saturday’s game away quickly.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run home run in the first, his 47th, and two batters later, Teoscar Hernández hit his 13th for a 3-0 lead.
After the Orioles scored in the top of the second on Ryan McKenna’s infield out that brought Trey Mancini in, George Springer hit a three-run home run, his 20th, to put Toronto up, 6-1.
“Meansy didn’t really have it today,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “He was dealing with an illness and it just felt like the fastball velocity wasn’t quite there. He just looked tired, to be honest with you. A lot of the changeups cut in the middle of the plate. He didn’t have the crispness to his breaking balls.
“They got on him right away. They hit him pretty hard. He just didn’t have the same zip to his fastball and changeup.”
Means, who has never complained about his lack of run support or the bullpen’s failure to hold leads, wouldn’t make an excuse about being ill.
“Maybe a little bit,” Means said. “I just wasn’t executing. It’s just a cold, so it’s not too bad. I just tried to give everything I had today, and it just wasn’t very much.”
Santiago Espinal’s RBI double in the third made it 7-1 and Means left after three. He gave up seven hits and struck out three. His ERA for 2021 is 3.62.
Alek Manoah (9-2) allowed only Mancini’s second-inning double, striking out 10 and walking one in seven innings.
“Manoah’s really good,” Hyde said. “He’s aggressive in the strike zone. He’s got great movement to his fastball. He’s got a good slider to go with it. We’re a majority right-handed. That’s a tough matchup for us. He came out with a purpose today, and he pitched outstanding.”
Bo Bichette hit his 29th home run, and Danny Jansen hit a two-run home run, his 11th, both against Konner Wade in the fifth for a 10-1 lead. Four of Jansen’s 11 home runs are against the Orioles.
Cedric Mullins, who was above .300 for most of the season, was hitless in four at-bats. He’s 0-for-12 and has a .291 average.
The Orioles (52-109) had just two hits, equaling their season low. Richie Martin had an eighth-inning single.
Means’ highlight of the season was his May 5th no-hitter against Seattle. Since then, he has lost eight of 10 decisions and missed six weeks because of shoulder fatigue.
“He gave us everything he had today,” Hyde said. “He really gave us everything he had all year. This is a small blip on Meansy’s season. I’m happy with his year. He’s still early in his career. Looking forward to his adjustments looking forward to spring training. Even though he didn’t have a good one today, he had a really nice year.”
Means will return to his Kansas home and begin working on next season.
“It’s hard for me to look back after this one and be satisfied,” he said. “I’m happy that I made it through. I’m really proud that I could make it through three years after the way I came up. To complete three years in the big leagues is something that was my goal from Day One.
“I look back, and I’m satisfied, but I have some things to work on in the offseason.”
Notes: The Orioles conclude the 2021 season on Sunday with Bruce Zimmermann (4-4, 4.66 ERA) facing Toronto’s Hyun Jin Ryu (13-10, 4.39). The game will begin at 3:07 p.m. … Austin Hays was hit by a pitch, extending his on-base streak to 19 games, longest in the majors.
Jon Heyman, of the MLB Network, had this tweet: This is the first time in the Wild Card era with 6 divisions that there’s a division with 4 90-game winners — Rays, Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays. The only other time it happened in the divisional era was 1978 — Yankees won 100 games, Boston 99, Brewers 93 and Orioles 90.
Call for questions: We’ll have our first offseason mailbag next week. Please put your questions in the comment box below or email them to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com
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Means made 14 starts on pretty much on schedule, no reason to go 15...I know, I know all pitchers should throw 300+ innings per season like Nolan Ryan did back in the good ole days when he struck out 400 each season uphill both ways. Maybe Means could have used a break and not started today...
Doesn’t seem totally healthy, 5.3 era since coming back from injury…go O’s…
"Maybe Means could have used a break and not started today…"
I can't believe you expect anyone to take that statement seriously .......think about it.
Hmm I think I’m one of the few that appreciate your stats that dispute the knee jerk reactions on this thread. But means could have used a break today? C’mon man he’s got a 5 month break after today. He got shelled. It happens. Maybe it’ll motivate him in the off-season leaving that sour taste in his mouth. Means is a competitor. He’ll work this offseason and I’m looking forward to seeing what he brings next year.
Can't wait for the off season housecleaning after the season!
If you look closely the picture above, you'll note that Meansy's pointy finger is at a 90º angle at the point of release. This would explain his loss of effectiveness on his changeup today. Any pitching coach worth his salt would tell you that that finger should be closer to a 135º angle at the POR for that pitch.
Drink Pepsi ... hicº
Geez John(Means) if you didn't wanna pitch all you had to do was tell us. Mullins,Mountcastle,Mancini putting up some flaccid numbers these last few weeks. Yeah,yeah I know Mountcastle's popped a few out. After tomorrow we can put this debacle to bed and prepare for next spring's debate--"65 wins,over/under". Trust the system--I guess. Is Wynns hurt or just getting shoved into the corner? Hyde looks like he needs a Ray Milland "Lost Weekend" when this all over. You youngens may have to Google that one. Aaron Boone's gotta be chewing his toenails at this point. Good night all.
I'll take the Under. Maybe we could reach 65 wins IF: we sign a couple of good free agent pitchers; some of the promising Bowie players make an immediate leap into MLB stardom; and the other four AL East teams deteriorate. Putting money on 65-plus wins in 2022 without triple digit odds is just dreamy silliness.
Holt is not the answer! Watched a little bit of Josh Rogers looking strangely like a pitcher with an ERA around 5 points lower than with the O’s. Tough to watch Means struggle when he didn’t need another start if not well! Just saying. Looking forward to next year. Couldn’t be any worse!
Cheap Grinchelos family did not want to pay Brocail, another penny pinching move!
Holt had an offer from another club to be Pitching coach. O's had right of 1st refusal. Couldn't have kept both.
Holt or Brocail?…go O’s…