Ailing Josh Donaldson not starting in Blue Jays’ home opener

The last-place Blue Jays are 1-5, matching their worst start through six games. They totaled eight runs once, but lost that game, too.

With an off-day to get re-acquainted with his adopted city, Jose Bautista made a brief appearance at the Rogers Centre on Monday, cruising the outfield with some young family members and his feisty French Bulldog.

During Spring Training in 1988, then-Blue Jays Manager Jimy Williams announced that left-fielder George Bell would be the full time DH, both to save his knees and to improve the defense. “There’s no doubt in my mind that these guys are going to hit, but we need it quick”. Seems like we’ve been gone forever. In each of his first two seasons he posted the best WAR of any reliever on the club, with marks of 1.7 and 2.1.

Is it the Blue Jay way to struggle in the season’s first month, only to turn things around?

Erasmo Ramirez (1-0) got the win, pitching 1 2/3 shutout innings.

Osuna had been on the 10-day disabled list due to neck spasms. He said after the game he felt that he could be ready for Tuesday. “I don’t think I’m locating my fastball, but I’m really happy I don’t have any pain anymore”. With Wily Peralta set to face J.A. Happ in the pitching matchup, the over/under now sits at 9 runs. He allowed three runs on five hits while striking out nine over seven innings of work. Toronto comes into this series at 1-5, but again like the Brewers, have been competitive just about every night.

Lawrence was back in action on Sunday for Toronto, allowing two runs over 1 1/3 innings in a 7-2 Toronto loss. In 2016, he hit.284 with 37 home runs, 99 RBI and 122 runs scored, and his production became all the more important this offseason when Edwin Encarnacion departed in free agency. “There’s a lot of guys who don’t have long track records”.

The Jays took care of Baltimore and Texas last season before falling to the Cleveland Indians in five games in the American League Championship Series. “We haven’t got a great grasp on it, but we feel like we’re getting closer”.