The Blue Jays bullpen has done nothing but enhance its position as the worst relief corps in the American League during this 1-7 slide. Toronto’s is the only bullpen in the league with more blown saves (seven) than saves (six). A primary reason for that is the bullpen’s inability to strand inherited runners. Overall, the Jays bullpen went into Thursday’s game having allowed 26 of 64 inherited runners to score. That’s a 41% rate, worst in the league. In the last seven games, Jays relievers have inherited 10 runners and seven of them have scored.

Manager John Gibbons expects that trend to change.

“You can bring in a reliever with two outs and if he gives up a rocket hit right at somebody, you say he did his job,” said Gibbons. “Another guy comes in, makes a better pitch and jams a guy, breaks his bat. The ball drops in, a run scores and he didn’t do his job. But he actually made a better pitch. That’s kind of how the game works sometimes.

“We’re in a rough stretch. You can’t sugarcoat that. But we’re better than we’ve played so far.

“We’ve got a good group down there. They’ll keep working and we’ll be fine.”

'ON THE RADAR'



One option out of Buffalo to improve the bullpen is lefthander Luis Perez, who has missed most of the last three years with elbow problems. He underwent Tommy John surgery in July of 2012 and when he returned he needed another operation in 2014 to remove scar tissue from the site of the operation.

After spending 2014 in the Braves system, he re-signed with Toronto this past winter and has been pitching well, first at New Hampshire and now Buffalo.

Perez has appeared in 14 games and has allowed six earned runs over 19 innings, but all six runs came in the same game early in the season. The other 13 appearances have all been scoreless.

“He’s throwing good,” said Gibbons. “We like everything we’ve seen. So he’s on the radar, no doubt. I didn’t know him when he was pitching well here, but (talent evaluators) are all raving about him.”

NORRIS IMPROVING



Daniel Norris is slated to make his fourth start of the season for Buffalo on Friday in Toledo and if his improving trend continues, he could be back in Toronto in a week or two.

In his first three triple-A starts, Norris has tossed 18 innings, allowed 14 hits, nine walks and has struck out 20. Controlling the bases on balls is the factor that will influence when Norris gets his next promotion.

“We’re looking for some consistency,” said Gibbons. “His last outing was pretty good and we want to see him repeat that at least once, maybe a few times. That’s for his own benefit.

“We’re looking to get him back but he got here so quick and then struggled, you want to make sure that what you did by sending him down was worthwhile. You don’t want to rush him back if he’s not quite ready to take a step forward. If he wasn’t ready, then you’re back to square one again.”

Jose Reyes started at shortstop for the Bisons Thursday and is expected to play the entire weekend there before joining the Blue jays back in Toronto on Monday.

TRAVIS GOES ON 15-DAY DL



After missing five days with a bone bruise in his collarbone, Devon Travis was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday night, retroactive to last weekend. Munenori Kawasaki was promoted from Buffalo to take Travis’s place on the roster.