The Toronto Blue Jays capped a disappointing season on Sunday afternoon with a 5-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Rogers Centre.
Veteran starter Max Scherzer delivered a vintage performance with seven strikeouts over seven-plus innings. Brandon Valenzuela and Charles McAdoo homered for the Blue Jays, who finished last in the American League East Division standings at 79-83.
Valenzuela hit a two-run shot in the second inning off Reds starter Brandon Williamson (5-5) and Toronto tacked on two more runs in the third. McAdoo added an insurance run with a solo shot in the eighth inning.
Expectations were high for the Blue Jays this year after they reached the World Series last fall. But injuries and underperformance helped prevent a return appearance in the playoffs.
The Blue Jays briefly held the final wild-card spot earlier this month but a recent stretch of seven losses in nine games sealed their fate.
The weekend interleague series provided a potential farewell for players not under contract next season.
Scherzer (4-9), who’ll decide on future plans in the off-season, tipped his cap to the adoring sellout crowd of 42,131 at the start of the game. He allowed six hits and issued one walk.
Designated hitter George Springer, in the final season of a six-year deal, received a standing ovation when he led off in the first inning.
TAKEAWAYS
Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had the day off after an eventful week that included an apology for his comments in a recent podcast interview. He was criticized after saying his 14-year, US$500-million contract was for what he had already accomplished in his career, not for what he was projected to do.
Reds: Cincinnati (75-87) started the season at 20-11 but struggles in May sent the Reds into last place in the National League Central. They spent all but eight days after that month in the division basement.
KEY MOMENT
Springer got another standing ovation when he was replaced by pinch-runner Sean Keys in the third inning. The spectators rose out of their seats again when Scherzer was pulled in the eighth.
KEY STAT
It was the 61st sellout of the season at Rogers Centre.
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