That first series after the All Star Break could best be described as suboptimal. It's never fun to lead in three games and come out with just the one victory. 

Friday night's game was a step backward for Stroman after several steps forward right before the break. Stroman coughed up a four run lead versus the Athletics, a team that is just not very good.

Stroman didn't have a feel for his slider, a pitch that helped him shut down the Royals in his last start.

Pete Walker suggested part of it was because Stroman got out of his rhythm a bit due to the break. 

The A's, to their credit, kept attacking. 

As John Gibbons told Sportsnet.ca:

It was a messy game and no fun to watch, especially after what felt like an endless absence from a team that was red hot playing into the break. 

Some  argued that Stroman should never have gone to Cabo, flaunted it and then pitched poorly, people mentioned  things about tequila and girls, that the "optics" were bad. 

I would like to put forth the idea of Troy Tulowitzki setting up a four day booze fest that he brings his baby on because it amuses me how much I find it unlikely. I would also like to put forth the idea that girls and tequila are plentiful in Toronto. And remind people that Stroman worked through a very painful knee injury last season, and finished his degree from a prestige university while rehabbing it. So I'm not sure discipline and hard work is an issue. 

Even if none of those things are true, these guys are still allowed to leave town. I mean, really.

It was a messy game and no fun to watch, especially after what felt like an endless absence from a team that was red hot playing into the break. 

It was in the aftermath of this loss, the Jays announced that they signed Justin Smoak to a two year extension and people lost their minds.

The team announced the deal is for the 2017 and 2018 seasons with a club option for 2019. The contract will pay the 29-year-old Smoak $4.125 million per season in the first two years. There is a $6 million option in 2019 with a $250,000 buyout.

Apparently, a very boring, league average contract for a defensive first baseman with a bit of pop means the Jays expect Smoak to replace Edwin Encarnacion and have given up all hope of resigning either him or Bautista. 

I have no idea what this all means. It's not that puzzling, especially if the Jays expect Smoak to more or less play the role he's playing now: a defensive first baseman with a bit of pop. 

It does allow Ian Hunter to continue to use this GIF for a while longer, though.

Things improved slightly on Saturday. They still lost the game but they blew a smaller lead. 

Sunday's win was cleansing and the MVP delivered us all from a week of no baseball and then terrible baseball.

So the Jays roll into Arizona to face the Diamondbacks for two games. The only thing sure about this series is that it's hot as hell in Phoenix today.

I find that horrifying. At least they can play inside and have real grass. That's kind of magic.

Chris Colabello talked to Andrew Walker on the Fan590 yesterday.

Because there just isn't enough stupid trade talks being thrown around, Jon Morosi went on Tim & Sid and suggested the Jays should trade Josh Donaldson to the Dodgers in the off season. I had rage induced blindness yesterday, but Stoeten took it apart. Bless him. 

Arden Zwelling wrote about the minor league coordinators. 

Kyle Drabek, one of the key pieces the Jays received from the Phillies for Roy Halladay, signed a minor league contract with the Giants as a short stop. 

Drabek is the son a former Cy Young winner Doug Drabek, pitched for the Jays and their various affiliates, from 2010 to 2015. Drabek was an All American ranked high school baseball player as a pitcher and a shortstop.

Per the Toronto Star:

Huh.