TORONTO — The tying run stood on deck in Sunday’s eighth inning as the Toronto Blue Jays threatened yet another comeback. Toronto’s history of late-game heroics gave fans hope — even down four runs, they slid forward in their seats. This time, though, Alejandro Kirk’s lazy foul fly found a Texas Rangers glove and hope finally faded away.

Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman details spat with Pirates’ Tommy Pham, saying it was “weird and unprovoked” in benches-clearing game.

The Toronto Blue Jays and Pittsburgh Pirates got into an altercation on Monday night stemming from a Tommy Pham walk in the seventh inning.

Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays have heard it before. The team had a bad and underwhelming offseason. Two years ago, it was losing out on Shohei Ohtani. This past offseason they pursued Pete Alonso, Corbin Burnes,

Toronto entered the game with a five-game lead over the Boston Red Sox in the AL East standings, while the Yankees sat 5.5 games back. The Blue Jays are pushing for their first division title in a decade, and losing Guerrero for any length of time would make that climb much harder.

The Toronto Blue Jays are projected to part ways with their franchise shortstop after a sudden decline in his on-field play.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/bluejays as Blue Jays Star Has Proven To Be MVP-Caliber Player for Franchise. After a successful week, the Toronto Blue Jays will be looking to build momentum with the team getting set to play some weaker opponents.

Usually when benches clear during a Major League Baseball game, it's in response to an obvious provocation: a hit batsman or a display of unsportsmanlike conduct. That wasn't the case during the seventh inning of the Pirates' victory against the Blue Jays (box score) on Monday night.