Tag Archives: Bowden Francis

April 23, 2025

Games of the Day

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Bowden Francis leads the Blue Jays against the Astros in Houston, Ryan Gusto going for the home team. Francis limits hits, with just 16 allowed in 23 innings this season, but five of those left the park for home runs. Gusto showed fine control in his first seventeen MLB innings, with 17 K and just three BB.

Freddy Peralta and Logan Webb battle as the Brewers visit the Giants. Peralta continues his career strength of combing a high strikeout rate with a low BABIP. This season, opponents own a BABIP of .254 against him. Webb’s career strength comes from preventing home runs, and he allowed just one this season in 30 innings.

Enjoy!

April 12, 2025

Games of the Day

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With bad weather in Baltimore on Friday, Bowden Francis of the Blue Jays and Tomoyuki Sugano Orioles try to get the game in today. I discussed the matchup yesterday.

The Angels are smacking the ball as they send Tyler Anderson against the Astros and Ryan Gusto. With three batters in the top five of the AL in home runs, the Angels rank second in the AL in home runs with 25, one behind the Yankees. Opponents own a .167 BABIP against Anderson this season, but part of that is due to three of the seven hits against him going for home runs. Gusto makes the first start of his MLB career after four relief appearances. He allowed five hits in eight innings, striking out nine. In 148 1/3 AAA inning he owned a 3.70 ERA.

Given the ERAs of some of the starters today, we might see a Saturday with a lot of offense.

April 11, 2025

Games of the Day

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The Blue Jays visit the Orioles with Bowden Francis taking on Tomoyuki Sugano. Francis does a good job preventing hits, while also turning about 20% of his double play opportunities into GDPs. Sugano, in his first season, allows balls in play. He faced 41 batters so far with one home run, three walks and five strikeouts allowed. The BABIP against him, however, is just .258.

The Rockies send German Marquez against the Padres and Nick Pivetta. Marquez walked six and struck out seven in eleven innings of work this season, but by limiting power he owns a 2.45 ERA. Pivetta greatly lowered his BABIP since the start of 2023, .271 over that time period versus .301 for his career.

Finally, Matthew Boyd of the Cubs battle Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Boyd has yet to allow a run in eleven innings, but is a bit short of innings to qualify for the league lead in ERA. The opposition is 0 for 9 against him with runners in scoring position. Yamamoto struck out 19 in 16 innings of work, leading to just eleven hits against him.

Enjoy!

September 11, 2024

Francis in the Ninth

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Bowden Francis of the Blue Jays comes out for the ninth inning, scheduled to face Mets top of the order, Francisco Lindor, Jose Iglesias, and Mark Vientos. Iglesias was hit by a pitch to go along with the one walk and one strikeout. Twenty four of the twenty seven Mets batters put the ball in play.

This is the second time in two weeks he goes into the ninth with a no-hitter.

The Blue Jays lead the Mets 1-0.

Update: Lindor falls behind 0-2. He hits the next pitch for a home run to tie the game. That’s how Francis lost the no-hitter against the Angels.

September 11, 2024

Francis Again

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Bowden Francis of the Blue Jays is once again working on a no-hitter. Wednesday afternoon saw the Mets draw just one walk, but only one strikeout as well through seven innings. At 102 pitches, he might not come out for the eighth.

In his six previous starts, he allowed one hit three times, giving up just 15 hits in 40 innings.

The Blue Jays lead the Mets 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh in Toronto.

Update: Francis comes out for the eighth. Yes!

Update: Francis throws five pitches to get all three batters in the eighth, and he’ll take the no-no to the ninth. He’s giving the defense a work out, and so far the Blue Jays fielders have been up to the task.

September 1, 2024

Players of the Month

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Once again, Aaron Judge blows away the field in August. He posted a .389/.530/.856 slash line in 117 plate appearances. He led in OBP by 49 points. He led in slugging percentage by 156 points. Oneil Cruz tied him in batting average, but was not close in the other categories.

If Judge didn’t exist, it would be a very tough choice as a number of players posted great months. No one came close to Judge, who is the Baseball Musings Offensive Player of the Month for August 2024. Judge was also player of the month in June and May.

Eleven pitchers posted sub 2.00 ERAs in August at the 26 innings level, led by Bowden Francis of the Blue Jays. In five starts and one relief appearance he allowed 10 hits, four walks, and one hit batter in 34 1/3 innings. In three of the five starts he pitched at least seven innings with one hit allowed. All that was good for a 4-1 record and an ERA of 1.05. He ranked fourth in walks per 9 IP. It’s tough to find someone who clearly beat those numbers. Bryan Woo pitched 40 1/3 innings, the most in the month, but with a 2.23 ERA and a low K rate. Spencer Arrighetti struck out 13.08 batters per 9IP, with a 1.95 ERA, but in fewer innings than Francis. Chris Sale and Osvaldo Bido did not allow a home run.

Sale’s three true outcomes are all very good. He posted a 2.05 ERA, a run higher than Francis, and in fewer innings. My feeling is that Sale places in this race. There is a very good case for Framber Valdez as well, but just not quite at the top level

Bowden Francis wins the Baseball Musings Pitcher of the Month for August 2024.

August 29, 2024 August 24, 2024

Francis in the Ninth

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Bowden Francis of the Blue Jays comes out to pitch the ninth inning with a no-hitter on the line against the Angels. He walked three and struck out 12 so far, throwing 111 pitches. He is scheduled to face the top of the Angels order, Taylor Ward, Zach Neto, and Kevin Pillar. The Blue Jays lead 3-0.

Update: Ward falls behind 1-2. He works the count to 3-2, then hits a home run to just the top of the centerfield wall. Francis gets a standing ovation from the crowd and his teammates as he comes out of the game.

From listening to the broadcast, Francis developed a split finger pitch when he was sent down to the minors this year, and it’s working well for him.

He also hit a batter in the game, to be complete.

Update: The Blue Jays win 3-1.

August 24, 2024

Bowden Oh-n

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Bowden Francis of the Blue Jays held the Angels hitless through six innings. He found himself in his three previous starts, allowing three runs in 19 innings while walking one and striking out 22 batters. He walked two and struck out ten so far as Toronto leads 2-0 at the end of six.

Update: Francis walks one and strikes out two in the top of the seventh to keep the no-hitter intact. His pitch total stands at 97. He’s only in his third season, but he is seasonal age 28, so the Blue Jays might give him a chance to go the distance. He’s hardly a prospect.

Update: There were no handshakes or congratulations in the dugout, so it looks like Francis will pitch the 8th.

Update: It’s raining in Skydome as the roof is open.

Update: Francis gets three air outs in the eighth, and the no-hitter goes to the ninth. Francis is now at 111 pitches.

Update: Francis is in the dugout meditating. He is the current AL Player of the Week. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. just homered to make the score 3-0.