BOSTON -- The Blue Jays’ pitching staff is red hot and frozen.
It’s been a cold, wet, miserable week in New York and Boston. The Blue Jays have been bundled in sweaters, jackets, ski masks and gloves that look like puffy oven mitts. It’s not baseball weather, but it has to be.
The rotation has been absolutely dominant, though. This last trip through the rotation -- prior to Thursday’s 4-3, 10-inning walk-off loss against the Red Sox -- the five starters combined for a 0.84 ERA with 35 strikeouts over 32 1/3 innings. Chris Bassitt owns no share of that loss, either, tossing 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball.
New York was uncomfortable, but it only got worse on this leg of the road trip. By the time it got to Tuesday in Boston, the first pitch temperature was 35° Fahrenheit (2° Celsius), the third-coldest recorded temperature at Fenway Park, just one degree above the record.
How each pitcher has handled it feels like a perfect reflection of their personalities.
Chris Bassitt -- 7° Celsius (45° Fahrenheit)
Bassitt led the way, but he could have pitched barefoot with shorts on. This is what he does for fun.
“I guess my offseason program, being out in the woods all the time, helps me with this,” Bassitt said before channeling Frozen’s Queen Elsa. “The cold doesn’t really bother me.”
Bowden Francis -- 11° C (52° F)
Francis paused, thought for a bit and tried to explain what’s important on these cold days.
“I feel like … What’s the right word? Muscle elasticity? Is that a big word?”
Francis is one of baseball’s most unique and genuine personalities. Yes, Francis, muscle elasticity is a great way to describe the challenge of these cold days on the road.
“When you feel looser, you step on it a little bit more. When you get a sweat, you can grip the ball a little better,” Francis explained. “It’s just part of the leagues you play in. I’m a Florida guy, so it’s something I had to get used to when I got drafted. The first year, I went to Wisconsin, so I had to figure it out quickly. You learn how to adapt and stay warm. It’s better to be on this side than the hitters. They’re the ones holding a cold bat.”
José Berríos -- 3° C (38° F)
Next, we have Berríos, and La Makina is a diesel engine that runs at any temperature. He won’t just pitch through the cold, he’ll wrestle it into submission.
“Honestly, no one wants to play out there with that weather, but I think I beat the weather mentally,” Berríos said. “Yesterday, when I got here, I started thinking that maybe it was going to snow or be rainy. I saw that the weather was going to be rainy all day. I tried to beat the weather with my mind from the hotel yesterday, and I did it.”
Easton Lucas -- 2° C (35° F)
“Warming up before the game it was like, ‘Oh … this is cold.’ Being in the dugout, you have the heater right there, then going out there and having a lot of adrenaline helps. The slippery [ball] was a bit of a factor, but I was blowing on my hands for moisture and using the rosin to get a little bit of tack, so I was good to go.”
Kevin Gausman -- 8° C (46 ° F)
Between innings, Gausman had a large wrap on his shoulder that’s usually stuffed with ice packs. This time, heat packs were spilling out.
“As a starter, getting used to sitting down and getting up is the biggest thing, and when it’s cold, that magnifies everything,” Gausman said. “Sitting down, you’re down just as long, but it feels like you sat down twice as long. To be honest, I grew up in Denver, so I’m pretty used to pitching in the cold. I actually love it, because I don’t think the hitters like hitting in the cold too much.”
Jeff Hoffman -- 8° C (46 ° F)
Hoffman may have had it harder than anyone, sitting in the bullpen for eight innings before throwing a single pitch. The space heater is a reliever’s best friend.
“Listen, it’s not fun to hit in the cold. I know that because I’ve had to do that. It’s a mental game when you’re out there in the cold. If you can execute your pitches and hold your stuff -- just fairly, somewhat hold your stuff -- I’m out there throwing 95-plus and unless they’re really clipping it on the barrel, then it’s going to hurt when they make contact. I know that. It’s in the hitter’s head when you’re out there.”