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That big fifth inning was a major breakthrough for the Jays, featuring Alan Roden’s first major-league home run聽鈥� a no-doubt two-run blast to right field聽鈥� and a three-run homer by Anthony Santander, his first at home with his new team.

The homers came off right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach, who came into the game with a 0.45 ERA and had held the Jays to just two hits to that point. It was not only the first two-homer inning for the Jays this season, it was the first time they had homered twice in the same game.

The floodgates opened in support of Kevin Gausman, who held Atlanta to just two solo homers over six strong innings.

Fastballs

And he can run, too

Roden got a great jump from third on a high chopper by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the third inning and easily beat a throw home from Atlanta third baseman Austin Riley, tying the game 1-1.

Roden, who stung a double to deep left field leading off the inning, has put up an above-average sprint speed of 27.6 feet per second so far, fourth on the team behind Myles Straw, Ernie Clement and Andres Gimenez.

Building a bridge

Mason Fluharty, Nick Sandlin and Brendon Little combined to hold Atlanta hitless over the seventh and eighth innings, handing a four-run lead to Chad Green in the ninth.

Green allowed a solo home run to Ozzie Albies to lead off the frame but no further damage, keeping closer Jeff Hoffman out of the game and ready for Wednesday.

Welcome back

Addison Barger was called up Tuesday afternoon to replace Nathan Lukes, whose second child was born Monday in Arizona, and the 25-year-old got involved immediately.

Barger, starting in right field, had to make a leaping grab of a Michael Harris II rocket on just the third pitch of the game. The 111 miles-per-hour shot had an expected batting average of .710, but Barger went up and got it.

Mailbag

Steve asked me @wilnerness on Bluesky: “I’ve heard that next year the Jays have a lot of money coming off the books. Can you explain where that’s from and how much that could potentially be? Will it help with extending Bo Bichette?”

The Jays have four high-dollar earners coming off the books after this season. Chris Bassitt, Bichette, Max Scherzer and Green becoming free agents, along with Jacob Barnes and Erik Swanson, will shave about $70 million (U.S.) off the payroll.聽

Nearly half of that will be eaten up by raises to Gimenez, Guerrero, Jeff Hoffman, Alejandro Kirk, Santander and Straw, and Daulton Varsho will likely be due a big jump in arbitration if the Jays don’t lock him up first, which I expect they will.

So it’s not like there will be a ton of money to go shopping with. The extra space won’t necessarily help with a potential Bichette extension, but it certainly won’t hinder it.