The Giants snap the Blue Jays' home streak in a 7-4 win on July 18. Justin Verlander outduels Chris Bassitt for his first win of 2025. Read how it unraveled.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Well, all good things must come to an end. The electric atmosphere at Rogers Centre finally hit a snag on Friday night as the Blue Jays' impressive seven-game home winning streak was snapped by the San Francisco Giants. In a classic 'that's baseball' moment, a struggling Justin Verlander found his old magic, leading the Giants to a 7-4 victory and reminding everyone just how tough it is to stay on top.
It took until July 18th, but Justin Verlander finally got his first win of the season, improving his record from 0-7 to 1-7 at the expense of the Blue Jays.
It was a tough night for starter Chris Bassitt, who just didn't seem to have his best stuff. He battled for five innings but ultimately surrendered five runs, with the big blows coming from a three-run homer by Heliot Ramos and a back-breaking two-run double from former Jay Wilmer Flores. Bassitt's record falls to 9-4, but it was one of those nights where the opponent simply capitalized on every mistake. The Giants came in hungry, and Verlander, despite his ugly 4.70 ERA coming in, pitched like the ace we all know, keeping the Jays' bats mostly quiet.
Despite the loss, there were definite silver linings. George Springer continues to look locked in at the plate, going 2-for-4 and launching a solo home run. He drove in two of the team's four runs, providing a much-needed offensive punch. Meanwhile, Alejandro Kirk is quietly becoming one of the best-hitting catchers in the league again. He added two more hits to his ledger, boosting his batting average to a stellar .303. Seeing Kirk consistently getting on base is a huge weapon for this lineup heading into the second half.
In more uplifting news, the Blue Jays added a piece for the future, signing undrafted free agent catcher Sam White. What makes this special? White is an Aurora, Ontario native, making this a hometown signing. The West Virginia University product is coming off a monster season where he hit .361 with 8 homers and 47 RBIs, earning First Team All-Region honours. He'll join fellow WVU Mountaineers Alek Manoah and Braden Barry in the organization, adding another intriguing Canadian talent to the pipeline.
Losing a streak is never fun, but let's keep some perspective. The Jays are still 55-42 and sitting comfortably atop the AL East by 1.5 games. One loss doesn't erase the incredible run they've been on. Now, the focus shifts to Saturday's game. It's a chance to wash away the loss, win the series against the Giants, and prove that Friday night was just a bump in the road. Let's start a new streak.
