Three Blue Jays takeaways: Pitch-tipping prevalence, Bichette’s power and more

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TORONTO — The Blue Jays wrapped up a six-game homestand on Sunday with a 5-4 loss to the Guardians. Toronto had Bo Bichette standing on third base as the hopeful tying run in the ninth inning, but instead fell two games under .500 at 16-18.

Here’s three takeaways from the homestand as the Blue Jays prepare for the team’s first West Coast swing against the Angels and Mariners.

1. Blue Jays sidestep pitch-tipping paranoia

There’s a fine line between vigilance and paranoia.

Bowden Francis’ three-inning, seven-run outing against the Red Sox on Tuesday is the type that could send you down the wrong path. After going 16-straight starts without allowing more than three earned runs, Francis let up five home runs on eight hits to Boston. With eight balls hit over 100 mph, it’s the kind of start that sends pitching coaches and video analysts looking for tells — potential pitch-tipping.

“You have to change your contacts in the afternoon because you’re looking at it so much,” manager John Schneider said of pitch tipping. “But, yeah, I mean, you don’t want to be paranoid, but it’s prevalent in today’s game.”

After poring over video angles and the pitcher’s delivery, the Blue Jays didn’t find any indication of tipping, Francis said. Schneider, too, said he didn’t believe the right-hander was giving away all his pitches, though acknowledge the potential. The issue in Francis’ case was, perhaps, predictable patterns. Jarren Duran’s game-opening homer came on a third-straight fastball. Rafael Devers’ third-inning bomb on a fourth-straight splitter at the bottom of the zone. Wilyer Abreu homered off a second consecutive curveball, after Francis backed up the first one.

So, Francis’ routine between starts didn’t devolve into changing glove placement and hiding pitch grips. His side session focused more on feeling the spin of his pitches, two-strike execution, and planning for specific Guardians batters for his Sunday start — normal stuff.

While Francis still allowed four runs to Cleveland on Sunday, he mixed his pitches more effectively to keep the ball in the yard. There were no jumped fastballs or repeat curves crushed to the seats.

Bowden Francis, Dirty 83mph Splitter. ✌️ pic.twitter.com/u6n1Rh0cRO

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 4, 2025

“It’s something I’m not going to overthink, that outing,” Francis said of his struggles against the Red Sox. “I’m just going to keep rolling.”

In Francis’ case, pitch-tipping paranoia didn’t overwhelm. But it’s still prevalent across baseball. The Yankees and Dodgers are seen as the best at picking up opposing tells, catcher Tyler Heineman said. The rest of the league is fighting to catch up.

There are some batters that don’t want tipping information, Heineman said, unless it’s certain. Toronto’s catcher will take all the help he can get, he said, going into nearly half his at-bats with at least something to look for from opposing pitchers. Executing on those tells is the hard part.

“It’s almost to the point where you don’t even know if you pick it up yourself,” Heineman said. “They show it to you on video, and they’re like, ‘hey, you see this?’ But can you see it from the box?”

It’s a constant game of offence and defence. The Blue Jays, like every other franchise, regularly use cameras stationed just outside the dugouts to find tips from opposing pitchers and put together a plan. But after hard-hit outings like Francis’ against the Red Sox, you have to make sure you’re not on the wrong side of the chess game.

2. Bichette flashes old form with streak-snapping power

Bo Bichette looked skyward. Though Rogers Centre’s closed dome separated Toronto’s shortstop from gazing upon the heavens, Bichette put his hands together in a grateful prayer as he rounded the bases. His long wait was over. After 63 games and 256 at-bats, Bichette on Saturday launched a homer.

The deep fly into the Blue Jays’ bullpen snapped the longest homerless streak of Bichette’s career, dating back to May 27, 2024. Since that last home run, Bichette has gone on the injured list three times for calf and hand ailments and finished the 2024 season worth minus-0.3 bWAR, easily the lowest of his career. In 2021 and 2022, the two seasons Bichette led the American League in hits and launched over 20 homers, the Blue Jays won over 90 games. When he’s right, Bichette is a lineup changer.

“I never, ever doubted my ability or what I can do on the field,” Bichette said earlier this year. “It’s just about getting back in the right mind frame.”

With the injuries behind him, Bichette’s All-Star potential has flashed this year. Entering Saturday’s game, the shortstop was hitting .285 with 10 doubles and three stolen bases. The only aspect of Bichette’s game yet to return was the power. With one cathartic swing, the final facet returned.

“Been a while for Bo,” Schneider said. “We were giving him a hard time a little bit. I think he’s a little bit relieved.”

3. Nathan Lukes is seizing his chance

Nathan Lukes scratched and clawed his way to the big leagues, debuting as a 28-year-old rookie with the Blue Jays in 2023. It was a winding path for the rotational outfielder, featuring nine seasons and 731 games in the minor leagues. So, when Lukes got to the majors, he felt the pressure to perform.

“I tried to do more than I was even asked to do,” Lukes said.

This year, Lukes has a sense of belonging. This version of Lukes can sit on the bench for two or three games and then rope a game-winning single, as he did on Friday against the Guardians to secure the Blue Jays’ third-straight win. He can work a seven-pitch, bases-loaded walk to score Toronto’s second run as he did on Saturday. This version of Lukes understands his job, finding the ability to perform with sporadic playing time and pinch-hit appearances. In his last 10 games entering Sunday (seven starts), Lukes hit .350 with an OPS over .900.

The Blue Jays required someone to step up, rising beyond the mass of options at the bottom of the roster. Lukes, Alan Roden, Addison Barger, Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner all entered the season jockeying for the same two or three roster spots, with Toronto hoping a few could click. So far, Lukes is the one turning sporadic opportunity into results.

(Top photo of Bowden Francis delivering a pitch earlier on Sunday against the Guardians: Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)

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