Bichette homers as Blue Jays dump Diamondbacks

TORONTO – Bo Bichette homered and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in three runs as the Toronto Blue Jays rolled to an 8-1 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

Bichette and Addison Barger had three hits apiece while Guerrero reached base five times. He had a single, double and three walks.

Toronto starter Eric Lauer (3-1) had eight strikeouts over five-plus innings to help the Blue Jays win for the 11th time in 12 games at Rogers Centre.

The Blue Jays (40-33), who have won 14 of 19 overall, will go for a three-game sweep on Thursday afternoon.

Bichette hit a leadoff homer off southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez (2-4). It was his 10th homer of the season.

Lauer threw five shutout frames before he was pulled after giving up a leadoff triple to Corbin Carroll in the sixth.

With Yariel Rodriguez on in relief, Carroll scored the lone run for Arizona (36-37) on a groundout by Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Lauer allowed one earned run, four hits and a walk.

Guerrero hit a two-run double as the Blue Jays scored three times in the bottom half of the inning. He added an RBI single in Toronto’s three-run seventh.

Announced attendance was 27,635 and the game took two hours 44 minutes to play.

STRAW SITS

Blue Jays outfielder Myles Straw was considered out on a day-to-day basis after suffering a right ankle sprain Tuesday, manager John Schneider said before the game.

Outfielder Jonatan Clase, who bruised his right knee when he was hit by a pitch in the series opener, didn’t start but was available if needed.

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SCHERZER START

Right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) threw 75 pitches in his start for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Wednesday night at Worcester.

Scherzer threw into the fifth inning and allowed one hit and two walks while striking out eight. It’s possible he could return to the big-league club next week.

“It would be huge just to have him, knowing that you have that calibre of pitcher waiting on your staff every fifth day,” Schneider said. “It would a nice shot in the arm.”

COMING UP

Toronto’s Kevin Gausman (5-5, 4.08 ERA) was scheduled to start the series finale against fellow right-hander Ryne Nelson (3-2, 4.14).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025.

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