Blake Snell, Bo Bichette Earn Dominant Wins in MLB: The Show Players League

MLB The Show Players League continued growing on Thursday with two games showcased on ESPN2 in a first for the virtual tournament. 

Lucas Giolito and the Chicago White Sox faced off against Blake Snell and the Tampa Bay Rays, while Toronto's Bo Bichette and Minnesota's Trevor May battled in the second leg of the doubleheader. Giolito and May probably wished their games weren't highlighted.

The two American League Central teams were dealt blowout losses as Snell won, 9-2, before Bichette notched an 8-1 victory of his own. 

To make matters worse, Giolito was pitching with himself in the game when Snell began to tee off. 

"Hit the showers, loser," The White Sox ace yelled at his virtual representation as he pulled him from the game. 

As May was falling apart in his matchup, he joked it'd be a bad look if he, as commissioner of the virtual league, wound up winning the first iteration of the tournament. 

Here's how the rest of the day's action finished up:

Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays (12-4)

at Smith Jr. (BAL): 4-3 Win

vs. Happ (CHC): 7-3 Win

at Luzardo (OAK): 2-1 Loss

at May (MIN): 8-1 Win

Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals (9-10)

at McCullers Jr. (HOU): 1-0 Loss

vs. Duplantier (ARI): 2-0 Win

at Lux (LAD): 1-0 Loss

Jon Duplantier, Arizona Diamondbacks (10-9)

vs. Lux (LAD): 4-3 Win

at Carpenter (STL): 2-0 Loss

vs. McCullers Jr. (HOU): 5-1 Win

Carl Edwards Jr., Seattle Mariners (4-14)

at Phillips (KC): 3-0 Win

vs. Tatis Jr. (SD): 5-2 Loss

at Gallo (TEX): 1-0 Loss

vs. Smith Jr. (BAL): 5-1 Loss

Joey Gallo, Texas Rangers (19-4)

at McNeil (NYM): 9-2 Win

vs. Phillips (KC): 5-2 Loss

vs. Edwards Jr. (SEA): 1-0 Win

Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox (14-8)

vs. Luzardo (OAK): 6-0 Loss

at Tatis Jr. (SD): 7-5 Win

vs. May (MIN): 4-3 Loss

vs. Snell (TB): 9-2 Loss

Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs (9-9)

at Luzardo (OAK): 4-2 Win

at Bichette (TOR): 7-3 Loss

Jesus Luzardo, Oakland Athletics (12-8)

vs. Happ (CHC): 4-2 Loss

at Giolito (CWS): 6-0 Win

vs. McNeil (NYM): 4-3 Win

at Tatis Jr. (SD): 3-1 Loss

vs. Bichette (TOR): 2-1 Win

Gavin Lux, Los Angeles Dodgers (16-6)

at Duplantier (ARI): 4-3 Loss

vs. McCullers Jr. (HOU): 2-1 Win

vs. Carpenter (STL): 1-0 Win

Trevor May, Minnesota Twins (12-9)

vs. McNeil (NYM): 3-0 Loss

at Phillips (KC): 4-3 Win

at Giolito (CWS): 4-3 Win

vs Bo Bichette (TOR): 8-1 Loss

Lance McCullers Jr., Houston Astros (9-13)

vs. Carpenter (STL): 1-0 Win

at Lux. (LAD): 2-1 Loss

at Duplantier (ARI): 5-1 Loss

Jeff McNeil, New York Mets (15-6)

vs. Gallo (TEX): 9-2 Loss

at May (MIN): 3-0 Win

at Luzardo (OAK): 4-3 Loss

Brett Phillips, Kansas City Royals (11-12)

vs. Edwards Jr. (SEA): 4-2 Loss

at Gallo (TEX): 5-2 Win

vs. May (MIN): 2-1 Win

Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres (15-7)

at Edwards Jr. (SEA): 3-1 Win

vs. Giolito (CWS): 7-5 Loss

vs. Luzardo (OAK): 3-1 Win

Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays (14-3)

at Giolito (CWS): 9-2 Win

            

The biggest matchup of the evening of the evening wasn't immune to a blowout, either. League leader Joey Gallo demolished fourth-place Jeff McNeil, 9-2, in what should be a playoff preview. 

Heading into Friday's slate, Gallo, Snell, Gavin Lux, McNeil, Fernando Tatis Jr., Bichette, Giolito and Dwight Smith Jr. are all still in prime position to make the postseason, but Bichette, Giolito and Smith Jr. still have plenty of work to do. 

Sixth place and 12th place are currently separated by 1.5 games in the standings as Amir Garrett, May and Tommy Kahnle are still looking to become one of the eight teams to advance to the playoffs. 

The league resumes at 9 p.m. ET with Snell, Kahnle and Garrett among those in action. All games are streaming live on Twitch.