Toronto Blue Jays fireballer Louis Varland is quickly earning respect, not just from fans, but from his manager as well.
After a 4–3 comeback victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, manager John Schneider appeared noticeably more relaxed, with his team finally snapping a six-game losing streak.
There was plenty for Schneider to be encouraged by, as contributions came from across the roster.
Starter Dylan Cease limited the Dodgers to two runs over five-plus innings before handing things off to Varland in a critical moment.
Entering with no outs and the bases loaded, Varland managed to contain the damage, allowing just one run on a Teoscar Hernández sacrifice fly.
Varland quickly becoming one of Schneider’s favorite players
Schneider didn’t hesitate to praise the young reliever’s composure and ability to perform under pressure.
“I love Louis Varland,” said John Schneider. “That situation, bases-loaded, nobody out against that team, it’s almost an impossible ask. But man, he is quickly becoming one of my favourite players. Not just pitchers but players, just because of his mentality, the kind of dude he is and what he can do.”
Varland has demonstrated he can be relied upon in virtually any situation or matchup, a versatility that could eventually earn him opportunities in save situations when Jeff Hoffman, or others in the role, are unavailable.
Some observers even believe Varland has the potential to become the Blue Jays’ closer of the future.
He has already proven to be a durable arm, logging 16 innings in the playoffs (all-time postseason record), in addition to a career-high 72.2 innings during the regular season, split between Minnesota and Toronto, his first year as a full-time reliever.
Veteran pitcher Kevin Gausman once described the acquisition of Varland as “one of the greatest” moves the organization has ever made, a statement few would dispute given his impact.
The Blue Jays now turn their attention to a three-game series against Varland’s former team, the Minnesota Twins, beginning Friday.
Next up is a three-game series against Varland’s former team the Minnesota Twins beginning Friday.
Written by: Nelson Anderson
Full article can be found at: https://www.bluejayscentral.com/mlb-team/toronto-blue-jays/toronto-blue-jays-reliever-louis-varland-emerging-as-one-of-john-schneider-s-favourite-players