While the Toronto Blue Jays recorded a much-needed 2-1 win over the Oakland A’s on Wednesday, many questions hover over the team heading into an important weekend series in Seattle against the Mariners.
With Western Canadians expected to flock to Seattle to see the Blue Jays for the first time since 2019 (border restrictions prevented the annual invasion the past two years), Toronto hopes to put on a good show after what has been a challenging stretch.
The Blue Jays’ pitching staff is in a state of flux (more on that later) and the surging Mariners are threatening to become a factor in the wild-card race.
Here’s a look at the four-game series.
Probable pitchers
Thursday, 10:10 p.m. ET / 7:10 p.m. PT (Sportsnet ONE): Toronto LHP Anthony Banda (1-0, 6.10 ERA) vs. Seattle LHP Marco Gonzales (4-9, 3.29 ERA)
Friday, 10:10 p.m. ET / 7:10 p.m. PT (Apple TV): Pitchers TBD
Saturday, 10:10 p.m. ET / 7:10 p.m. PT (Sportsnet): Pitchers TBD
Sunday, 4:10 p.m. ET / 1:10 p.m. PT (Sportsnet): Pitchers TBD
Latest on the Blue Jays
The Blue Jays (45-38) snapped a five-game losing streak with their win over the last-place A’s in Wednesday’s matinee.
Jose Berrios gave up one run in six innings, an essential performance for a Jays pitching staff that has had all sorts of problems recently.
Adam Cimber pitched two innings of shutout relief, while Jordan Romano closed it down.
Offensively, former A’s third baseman Matt Chapman and Bo Bichette hit solo home runs for the Blue Jays in the victory.
While pitching has been the bigger concern, Toronto’s bats aren’t exactly thriving lately as the Blue Jays have scored just 16 runs in the past six games.
Latest on the Mariners
The Mariners (41-42) have crept into the wild-card conversation after winning 12 of their past 15 games.
They enter this series four games behind Toronto for the third and final wild-card spot — Cleveland is closest to the Blue Jays, 3.5 games back.
Seattle has won five series in a row, including this week’s two-game mini-sweep of the Padres in San Diego.
The good news for the Jays is Logan Gilbert, who is tied for the MLB lead 10 wins, started in Tuesday’s season-ending 6-2 win — meaning he’s unlikely to go this weekend.
The pitching situation
Call-up Casey Lawrence is the bulk pitcher for Toronto on Thursday with newly acquired left-hander Anthony Banda scheduled to open. They're taking the place of Kevin Gausman, who is not 100 per cent after taking a comebacker off his ankle last Saturday.
Assuming the rotation stays the same, Ross Stripling would go Friday with Alek Manoah on Saturday.
Sunday is where it gets interesting. It was the struggling Yusei Kukuchi’s spot, but he was placed on the 15-day injured list with a neck strain on Thursday.
If Gausman improves, the Blue Jays could slide him in Sunday.
What about Seattle’s pitchers?
The Mariners also have been quiet about their plans.
However, former Blue Jays ace Robbie Ray, if their rotation holds, figures to go Saturday — which would create quite the matchup with Manoah.
Remember, the 2021 Cy Young winner with the Blue Jays did not come to Toronto for a series in Mav — and the Mariners did not explain his absence. It led fans to wonder about Ray’s vaccination status.
After a slow start this year, Ray (7-6, 3.62 ERA) has been sharp recently. He’s allowed just three total runs in his past five starts.
Rookie sensation
Mariners centre fielder Julio Rodriguez (.277/.336/.487, 15 HR, 43 RBI, 21 SB) is the favourite to win the AL rookie of the year award.
The 21-year-old Dominican is the first player to have 15 or more homers, 15 or more doubles and 20 or more stolen bases in the first 81 games of his MLB career.
Rodriguez certainly is in the mix to go to the All-Star Game.
Season series
The Blue Jays won two of three against the Mariners at Rogers Centre in May.
Berrios pitched seven shutout innings in a 3-0 win, while Kikuchi was the starter for a series-opening 6-2 triumph.
Gausman took the loss in a 5-1 setback in the series finale. That night, Gonzalez held the Blue Jays to one run over six innings.
Close connections
The Mariners have three former Blue Jays on their pitching staff – Ray and relievers Ryan Borucki and Ken Giles.
And Seattle also has a Canadian in infielder Abraham Toro, who hails from Longueuil, Que.
Toro has been struggling this year, slashing .185/.237/.333 with seven homers and 22 RBI.
Meanwhile, newly signed Blue Jays reliever Sergio Romo could face his old team. He was released by the Mariners last month.
Up next
After an off day on Monday, the Blue Jays start a six-game homestand prior to the all-star break.
The Philadelphia Phillies, with new Canadian manager Rob Thomson, are at Rogers Centre for two games before the Kansas City Royals touch down for a four-game series.
