There is no easy solution coming for the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen

The Blue Jays' bats made it all irrelevant in Cincinnati. Toronto tallied 25 runs across the final two games of the series, earning the club a pair of needed wins. But the Jays' August bullpen struggles still leaked into September.

Toronto relievers allowed nine earned runs across 13 innings against the Reds. The relief group stepped up after José Berrios lasted just two innings Tuesday.

But it also cost Toronto Monday's opener, turning a dramatic comeback into a blown save. It also allowed Cincinnati to creep back into Wednesday's finale.

The edge-of-roster promotions of pitchers like Ryan Borucki and Easton Lucas won't suddenly save the bullpen.

Tossing Tommy Nance and Brendon Little into leverage situations doesn't cure all.

Starters pitching six innings, as they did twice against the Reds, doesn't eliminate the need for big outs.

A bold prospect promotion of Trey Yesavage wouldn't single-handedly correct the Jays' bullpen, either.

There is no easy solution for the Blue Jays' bullpen struggles. The Jays will continue to throw Louis Varland, Brendon Little, Jeff Hoffman and other late-inning relievers into the big spots.

They're the pitchers with the nastiest stuff and proven production in the final frames.

Each flashed signs of course correction in the last week. Little and Hoffman shut down Cincinnati's comeback in the finale, and Varland posted 1 2/3 frames Tuesday on just 15 pitches.

But they have to start stacking the good days. They are the pitchers who must correct the bullpen course if the Jays are going to push to October and hold a division lead.