Blue Jays booed off field in blowout loss to Rangers

Toronto Blue Jays fans aren't happy with how their team is playing in the biggest series of the season, and they let the players hear it on Wednesday during a 10-0 loss to the Texas Rangers.

Two days after recording their poorest attendance of the year (23,451), the Blue Jays drew the third-smallest crowd of 2023 (25,495). The fans who were at Rogers Centre repeatedly voiced their displeasure, as Toronto fell behind early and never posed any legitimate offensive threat en route to a third consecutive defeat.

Manager John Schneider didn't like listening to the boos but can see where the team's supporters are coming from.

“I understand fans want to see exciting, winning baseball,” Schneider told reporters after the game. “Us as competitors, staff, players, you don’t like to hear it, but at the same time we appreciate when they are voicing their frustration when it is deserved.”

Closer Jordan Romano, a native of Markham, Ont., also understands the negative fan reaction, having grown up cheering for the Blue Jays.

"I’ve been there. I don’t know if I’ve ever booed, but I understand it for sure,” Romano said, per Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun.

Outfielder George Springer also chimed in on the vitriol from the crowd.

“They expect us to win, and that’s fair,” Springer said, according to MLB.com's Julia Kreuz. “And I think everybody understands that. There’s nobody that wants to win more than us in this locker room. I don’t think it’s for lack of effort, I know that the guys in here are trying, we’re doing our best.

“It may not seem that way because of the result, but at the end of the day, it’s understandable. Guys expect to play better and I know the fans do, too.”

Toronto began this four-game series in the American League's second wild-card spot, but the poor showing against Texas has dropped the club outside of the playoff picture. The Rangers now rank as the second wild card, while the Seattle Mariners occupy the final AL postseason position, one game ahead of the Blue Jays.

Schneider's team still has a chance to salvage the finale of this critical series, with ace Kevin Gausman drawing the start on Thursday. Texas counters with All-Star Nathan Eovaldi, who has looked shaky since returning from a forearm strain.

With 16 games remaining in the 2023 campaign, the Blue Jays still have time to right the ship. But if they don't do it quickly, there will likely be more boos raining down in the coming days.