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"Got to do it right f**king now": Schneider says Blue Jays need to take advantage of upcoming schedule

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Aug 25 2023, 4:08 pm
"Got to do it right f**king now": Schneider says Blue Jays need to take advantage of upcoming schedule
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

If you were to ask a Toronto Blue Jays fan how the 2023 season has been, you would likely hear some frustration.

Despite a relatively solid 70-58 record, this team has struggled to score runs all season long and is far from the powerhouse many had envisioned. If the playoffs were to start today, they would be on the outside looking in, as they sit 1.5 games back of the Houston Astros for the final wild-card spot in the AL.

The good news for the Blue Jays is that they have an easy schedule coming up, at least as far as the standings are concerned. With their next 15 games coming against teams with a record below .500, they have a great opportunity to make up a ton of ground. That said, an easy schedule only matters if you take advantage of it, something manager John Schneider is well aware of.

“There’s no time to wait at all,” Schneider told reporters. “We got to do it right f**king now.”

The first of those 15 games will kick off tonight, as the Blue Jays are at home to take on the 60-68 Cleveland Guardians in a three-game series. After that, they will go up against the Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, and the Kansas City Royals. These are all teams they are extremely capable of beating, though with this Blue Jays team this season, it is very hard to know what you’re going to get on any given night.

Despite what shapes up to be a friendly schedule, tonight’s game will be no easy task for the Blue Jays. They are set to face rookie pitcher Tanner Bibee, who owns a 3.01 ERA through 113.2 innings pitched this season. Up for the Blue Jays is Chris Bassitt, who has a 3.92 ERA on the season, and an even better 2.83 ERA at home. The Blue Jays will be hoping those stellar home results are on display tonight as they look to snap a two-game skid.

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