DETROIT, Mich. - The Toronto Blue Jays entered Detroit this weekend desperately needing a series win. Toronto (68-61) is on the narrow edge of playoff contention; entering Sunday, they trailed Boston by 6.5 games for the 2nd Wild Card spot with both Seattle and Oakland ahead of them.

Meanwhile, the Tigers (62-68) have given the Blue Jays trouble this year despite a lackluster season overall. After splitting the first two games of this series, the Tigers improved to a record of 3-2 over the Blue Jays in 2021. They needed just one win to clinch the season series with Toronto.

However, the Blue Jays needed this win more and they got it, sneaking out of Detroit with a 2-1 victory and a series win. Solo homers from Bo Bichette (21st of the year) and Kevin Smith (1st of the year) were just enough to outlast the Tigers' offense.

Tigers' starter Matthew Boyd (3-7) made his first start for the Tigers since going on the injured list in mid-June. The Blue Jays gave him a warm welcome back, handing him the loss after grabbing 2 runs on 4 hits off the Tigers' lefty. Boyd looked decent in his return, but the two long balls crushed his chances of avoiding the loss.

The two runs were enough of a cushion for Blue Jays' starter Jose Berrios (9-7) to pick up his ninth win of the season. He pitched his best outing since being acquired at the trade deadline, racking up 11 Ks through 7 innings with no earned runs allowed. 

The series win is crucial as Toronto looks to climb back into the Wild Card hunt. They now sit 5.5 games back following Boston's loss to Cleveland.

Toronto Looking to Put It All Together

This Toronto Blue Jays team is somewhat of an enigma this season. Looking at the stats alone, you would think they would be comfortably in the playoffs at this point. Their +114 run differential is almost double the total for any other Wild Card team. Since the All-Star Break, the Blue Jays starting pitchers have a combined 3.37 ERA, the 2nd best mark in the American League.

However, the Blue Jays have been unable to turn their impressive stats into wins like they did this weekend. Despite taking two of three games in Detroit, the Blue Jays are still 6-10 over their last 16 games. With three teams (Boston, Oakland, Seattle) all ahead of them as the season winds down, the Blue Jays will need to put it together quickly if they want to make the postseason.

Close games, like the ones they won in this series, have been their sore spot this season. Despite two one-run wins and an extra-innings win against Detroit, the Blue Jays are 11-15 in one-run games and 3-9 in extra-innings games in 2021.

Bichette Homers, Commits Bad Error

Toronto's shortstop Bo Bichette continues to deliver an up-and-down season for the Blue Jays. He was the first to get to Matthew Boyd on Sunday, crushing a 1-0 fastball 401 feet to right field for a solo homer. Later in the game, however, he would commit a bad throwing error on a routine groundball. Jose Berrios would work out of the inning, but he cost his pitcher more work on the mound. A later fielding error by Kevin Smith allowed the Tigers to score their only run of the day, unearned.

Both plays are good examples of what Bichette has brought to the table in the 2021 season. The homer was his 21st of the year, the most for any shortstop in the AL. The error was also his 21st of the year, giving him the most of any player in the MLB.

In fairness, Bichette had gone all August without committing an error, and Sunday's error was inconsequential. But it goes to show the kind of player Bichette is; a productive offensive player and a below-average fielder. According to Baseball Savant, he ranks in the 89th percentile in expected batting average but in the 3rd percentile in outs above average.

Boyd Falters Against Former Team

Tigers left-hander Matthew Boyd was ready to get back on the right foot in Detroit. The Tigers' ace had been on the IL since mid-June with triceps issues, as he had been working on his best season before that. Through his first seven starts, he posted a 1.94 ERA as he cemented himself in the No. 1 spot in the starting rotation.

There was no better team to welcome Boyd back to the MLB than Toronto; the Blue Jays drafted Boyd in 2013 before dealing him to Detroit in the David Price trade.

Boyd pitched a solid game, striking out 5 Blue Jays in his 4 innings of work. The home runs, however, were the difference as the Tigers failed to overcome the two-run lead. Still, the Tigers have to feel good about getting their best left-handed pitcher back. Boyd echoed that sentiment after the game.

"More than anything it was a good step. Obviously, unfortunately, that second home run was the difference in the game. But yeah, got some things to work on and we'll keep moving forward with it," said Boyd.

Up Next

Blue Jays vs. Orioles, Monday, August 30, Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario

Tigers vs. Twins, Monday, August 30, Comerica Park, Detroit, Mich.