The Blue Jays have been seeking answers in their bullpen for most of the season, but after this weekend they may be a little closer to finding some solutions.
Not only did Louis Varland save Saturday’s game with a 30-pitch effort that included a few tense moments, he came back less than 24 hours later for another save on Sunday. The 30-pitch outing was the longest of Varland’s Blue Jays career, but Schneider spoke with the former starter Sunday morning and felt confident going back to him right away.
“Louis, he wants the ball,” Schneider said. “And he’s been here long enough and I’ve pitched him enough to understand when he’s good and when he needs a blow. … He just loves to pitch.”
Notably, Jeff Hoffman rebounded from some recent struggles with a scoreless eighth inning Sunday, working around a walk to preserve the Blue Jays’ lead. That led to Varland, who topped out a 99.3 m.p.h. in the 4-2 win.
“His stuff’s electric and just he’s a competitor,” starter Patrick Corbin said. “He’s fun to watch.”
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If a save chance arises Monday, the Blue Jays will surely turn to someone like Hoffman, Tyler Rogers or Braydon Fisher while Varland rests. But by earning the first three saves of his career this week, Varland certainly looked like he belonged.
“With this type of stuff, he easily could be a closer for a long time,” Corbin said. “When you have guys like that at the back of the line it makes it really hard on the other team.”
At a time that the Blue Jays are missing key some offensive players, they’re less likely to win by wide margins. Under those circumstances, these late-game bullpen performances are much needed.
Written by: Ben Nicholson-Smith
Full article can be found at: https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/blue-jays-notebook-louis-varland-impresses-at-back-of-bullpen/