The Toronto Blue Jays' curiously dormant offense finally broke out Thursday night at Rogers Centre. All it needed was a matchup against Derek Holland.
Making his first start against Toronto since getting shellacked in Game 4 of the American League Division Series, the Texas Rangers' goofy left-hander was little more than a glorified batting-practice pitcher, serving up a career-high 11 runs on 11 hits and three walks before being mercifully lifted for reliever Cesar Ramos with two outs in the third.
For Holland, who hadn't allowed a run in 16 1/3 career innings at Rogers Centre prior to Thursday's outing, it marked just the second time he's coughed up double-digit runs since debuting with the Rangers in 2009. The last team to put up 10 against him? The Toronto Blue Jays.
Holland's starts w/8+ runs allowed (2009-2016)
| Date | Opp | R | IP | HR | WPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/5/2016 | TOR | 11 | 2.2 | 1 | -0.481 |
| 9/7/2013 | LAA | 8 | 5.2 | 1 | -0.423 |
| 5/30/2012 | SEA | 8 | 1.2 | 2 | -0.416 |
| 8/31/2009 | TOR | 10 | 3 | 2 | -0.397 |
Toronto's hitters probably relished tormenting Holland, too. Back in October, after the Rangers grabbed a quick lead in the best-of-five division series, Holland was filmed wiping his nether regions with a Blue Jays flag in the Rogers Centre bullpen. Then, after Jose Bautista posterized Sam Dyson with his indelible homer and bat flip in Game 5 of the ALDS, Holland made some pointed remarks about the beloved Blue Jays icon.
Related: Rangers' Holland 'not a big fan' of Jose Bautista
Coming into Thursday's series finale, then, Holland knew he was persona non grata at 1 Blue Jays Way.
"I'm definitely up there with them," Holland told Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News on Wednesday. "I'm well aware of how they feel."