The Blue Jays’ Biggest Meltdown Losses of 2017

Whether it’s by one run or ten runs, a loss is a loss in the eyes of the standings. But we all know that losses are not created equal.

There are some that smart a little bit and you forget about the next day. Then there are ones like yesterday’s brutal walk-off loss by the Blue Jays that stick around for a long, long time.

In these particular cases, it’s not just the fact that the Blue Jays lost these games in dramatic fashion; it’s that they were *this close* to turning those losses into wins.

In all but one of these cases, the Blue Jays were one measly out away from winning the game (in the case of the Cubs game, the Blue Jays basically had two out, had it not been for Raffy Lopez failing to throw the ball to first after Roberto Osuna struck out Javier Baez).

So hey, for all you masochistic types, let’s relive the six most heartbreaking losses of the season by the Toronto Blue Jays. One interesting note: Osuna was involved in five of six of these games.
 

July 31 vs White Sox: 98% win probability

 
Although yesterday’s meltdown is freshest in the minds of Blue Jays fans, this loss to the White Sox was the worst of the list. The Blue Jays had a six run lead entering the bottom of the seventh inning and a 98% probability of winning the game with six outs to go.

Even after giving up four runs in the bottom of the eighth, the Blue Jays still had a 80% win probability. Instead, the White Sox staged their comeback and wiped away a six run deficit. Talk about a punch to the gut.
 

August 8 vs Astros: 96% win probability

 
The Houston Astros are a really, really good team this year. They showed exactly why they’re the juggernaut of the American League by going after Osuna for four runs in a save situation during this game a few weeks ago.

The at bat sequence went as follows for the Astros – single/strikeout/single/single/groundout/triple/single. Again, yet another rocky outing by Osuna in which the Houston hitters made him look silly.
 

June 23 vs Royals: 95% win probability

 
This game was essentially the beginning of the end for Jason Grilli and his tenure as a Blue Jay. In classic Royals fashion, they nickle and dimed the Blue Jays to death in that final inning which consisted of a pair of singles and doubles, which cashed in four runs.

Grilli only threw four pitches to Whit Marrifeld before allowing the game-winning walk-off hit; a meatball over the heart of the plate which cashed in the decisive run.

 

April 27 vs Cardinals: 91% win probability

 
All I can really recall from this game was J.P. Howell surrendering a walk-off grand slam in extra innings. This was the first of several meltdowns by Roberto Osuna as Randal Grichuk hit a game-winning two run home run with two outs.

Prior to that fateful final pitch to Grichuk, the Blue Jays had a 95% probability of winning that game. However, Grichuk hit an Osuna fastball to the deepest part of the ballpark at Busch Stadium.
 

August 20 vs Cubs: 90% win probability

 
What do you get when two wild pitches, two batters who reached on a failed play at first base, a hit batsman and just an overall tire fire of an inning? You get the Blue Jays’ epic meltdown from yesterday.

It truly was a team effort between Osuna and Lopez as both of them combined to give the Cubs multiple chances to come back and win that game.
 

July 18 vs Red Sox: 85% win probability

 
Some might not even remember this game because true to form with any game played at Fenway Park, it took about six hours from start to finish. This game included a lengthy rain delay and it didn’t finish until the early hours.

There’s something to be said for taking the lead in extra innings only to give it right back the following turn. The Blue Jays and Red Sox were deadlocked at a 4-4 tie until Ryan Goins hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 11th.