Slumping Blue Jays won’t reinvent hitting style

TORONTO — The questions were tossed at Blue Jays manager John Gibbons early and often during his media availability on Sunday afternoon. What are the adjustments your hitters can make? How concerning is one run in two games? What pattern is being used by the Indians to effectively combat your lineup?

In a lot of ways, it felt like September all over again. Gibbons has been down this road before, so he can be forgiven if he was feeling a sense of deja vu on the podium on the eve of Game 3. The problem is hardly new, but the timing of its recurrence has left the Blue Jays facing a 2-0 deficit in the American League Championship Series.

• ALCS Game 3: Monday at 8 p.m. ET on TBS/Sportsnet/RDS

Gibbons’ answer, time and time again, was the same that it was during September when Toronto scored the fewest runs in the AL. This team is built around the home run, and asking its core players to change their approach at this time of the year isn’t just unrealistic, it’s almost impossible.

Game Date Time Matchup TV Gm 1 Oct. 14   CLE 2, TOR 0 Gm 2 Oct. 15   CLE 2, TOR 1 Gm 3 Oct. 17 8 p.m. CLE@ TOR TBS/SNET/RDS Gm 4 Oct. 18 4 p.m. CLE @ TOR TBS/SNET/RDS *Gm 5 Oct. 19 4 p.m. CLE@ TOR TBS/SNET/RDS *Gm 6 Oct. 21 8 p.m. TOR @ CLE TBS/SNET/RDS *Gm 7 Oct. 22 TBD TOR @ CLE TBS/SNET/RDS * If necessary | All times listed ET  • ALCS coverageShop for postseason gear: Blue Jays | Indians

“I don’t know, what’s the date today? October what?” Gibbons asked to no one in particular. “We played how many months? It’s the same team, same guys. For the most part, we approach it the same every night. They got to this point. It’s a slugging team, that’s how they’re built. Not a bunch of young guys. Some guys that have been around. And they’ve been sluggers for the most part their whole career.”

Gibbons went on to say: “If you’re a 3-point basketball …

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