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Five questions surrounding Blue Jays ahead of make-or-break second half

Thomas Hall — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:00:09 GMT

These 2026 Toronto Blue Jays will have a lot to prove when the unofficial second half commences on Friday, marking the beginning of a pivotal make-or-break stretch for their dwindling playoff hopes.

At 45-51 with 66 games remaining, this club has just over a third of the season left to turn things around and surge from the American League East’s basement to post-season contention. Not an easy assignment, of course, considering five teams separate them from the final wild-card seed. But it’s not impossible.

The rest of the AL — outside of the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees — isn’t exactly pulling away from the pack, which is why the Blue Jays, despite being six games under .500, are only 2.5 games out of a playoff spot — but are 12 back of the division-leading Rays.

The goal has never been to “sneak in through the wild card,” especially coming off a World Series appearance. However, given the franchise’s current position, it’s fair to assume the goal posts have shifted here. Now, the focus is likely: make it to the dance and see what happens.

For that to happen, the Blue Jays must answer these five important questions in the two-plus weeks leading up to the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Can Blue Jays (finally) get hot?

Last season, Toronto’s longest winning streak spanned 10 games. This year, meanwhile, they haven’t strung together more than four straight wins.

That 10-game heater from last summer, which included a season-turning four-game sweep of the Yankees, helped propel the Blue Jays towards their first division title in a decade — and also meant avoiding an unpredictable best-of-three wild-card series, earning a first-round bye straight to the division series.

But they just haven’t been able to generate that type of momentum in ’26 thus far.

It’s felt like a constant battle between taking steps forward and backward, with the latter prevailing more often than not. Let’s rewind to May, for example. The Blue Jays enjoyed a pair of four-game winning streaks over the final two weeks of that month. The second, which marked a return to .500, was immediately undone by a four-game losing skid that carried over into June, and they’ve struggled to keep their heads above water ever since.

For as big a deficit as they’ve dug themselves, there’s still time to climb out of it should a long-awaited hot streak follow out of the All-Star break. Maybe it won’t be as long as last season’s 10-gamer, or match the franchise record of 11 straight wins, but even a six or seven-game heater would be meaningful in this case.

Needless to say, the Blue Jays need to catch fire soon to make up ground in the muddy AL standings.

Is another second-half surge coming for Vladdy?

Boy, the Blue Jays certainly hope there is.

That’s been the script through the previous seven seasons of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s major league career, as he’s routinely heated up at the plate post-ASG following respectable, albeit underwhelming, first-half performances. And this year, more than any, he could badly use a second-half bump.

	AVG/OBP/SLG	OPS	wRC+
Career 1st half (excluding ’26)	.281/.365/.480	.846	134
2nd half	.297/.366/.513	.880	141

Despite homering twice in four games before the break, Guerrero remains on pace to endure the worst offensive season of his career, projected to finish with 10 home runs — the only time he’s finished with fewer than 15 came during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. Even if his bat ignites, his streak of 20 or more homers in five consecutive seasons is very much in jeopardy.

The 27-year-old’s slash line of .262/.346/.357, accompanied by a wRC+ that’s one per cent below league average (100) through 91 games, offers the impression of a middling complementary, down-the-roster hitter — not that of a franchise cornerstone, who’s in the first season of a 14-year, $500 million extension.

All it can take is one swing for everything to click. But it doesn’t appear that Guerrero is anywhere close to breaking out of the worst stretch of his professional career. The arrow is a long way off from pointing upward, particularly amid a season-low average bat speed (75.1 m.p.h.) for July.

Who becomes the fifth starter?

This is a debate between sticking with Spencer Miles or giving it one last shot with Max Scherzer. Neither scenario is particularly ideal, but these are the only two options Toronto can choose from at the moment.

We’re running out of ways to describe Miles’ excellent rookie campaign, which, of note, currently sits at 60.0 innings this season. There isn’t a blueprint that can tell the Blue Jays’ brass how to thread the needle here regarding the 25-year-old’s workload. No pitcher has ever been in this position before, having arrived to the majors as a Rule 5 selection without throwing more than 14.2 career innings.

Miles is the guinea pig of this experiment, one that other teams will likely attempt to replicate in future seasons, considering how well the original has gone — he’s pitched to a 2.85 ERA and 3.02 FIP with a 15.6 per cent strikeout-minus-walk rate (K-BB%) in 26 games (three starts + several bulk appearances), worth 0.9 fWAR. But back to the matter at hand.

Coming out of the All-Star break, the Blue Jays will need a fifth starter twice, on July 21 and 26, before their next off-day following a 13-game stretch. After that, should they become buyers at the trade deadline and fortify the starting rotation, additional help should be on the way.

Manager John Schneider has already stated his preference is to locate a traditional starter for those spots. With Scherzer expected to make a rehab outing in the Florida Complex League this week, the 41-year-old is already lined up as a potential candidate. Results matter here, too, and if the future Hall-of-Fame hurler’s struggles continue, they might call upon another Miles-featured bullpen day or let him start altogether to provide the former with an extra rehab start.

How close is George Springer to heating up?

One of the biggest departures from last season’s offence to this year’s has been Springer’s return-to-decline performance, with his wRC+ plummeting from 166 — top three among baseball’s best in 2025, behind only Shohei Ohtani (172) and Aaron Judge (204) — to 91, the lowest of his career.

As a full-time DH (or offensive player), Springer’s woes have kept his fWAR rating at an even zero this season, meaning his contributions — or lack thereof — are equal to those of a replacement-level player. For context, he accounted for 5.2 fWAR a season ago, the second-highest of his 13 major league seasons.

If you’ll remember, Springer’s bat also started slow last season, until his multi-homer performance against the Yankees on Canada Day paved the way for the hottest three-month stretch from an age-35 season in baseball history. And now that we’re three months removed from when he initially fractured his big left toe, his offensive results have started to trend upward again.

In 20 games since June 10, the 36-year-old slugger owns four home runs — nearly half of his overall total of nine — and is slashing .253/.348/.443 with a 122 wRC+. He’s also swinging harder (season-high average bat speed of 74.5 m.p.h. this month), hitting balls harder (41.7 per cent hard-hit rate since June 10) and missing less (season-best 10.7 per cent whiff rate this month).

Source: Baseball Savant

If you had to choose between Guerrero and Springer right now, you’d probably select the latter as the player who’s closest to a second-half offensive surge, and the final tally likely wouldn’t be close.

The Blue Jays, in reality, need both of these guys to level out closer to their career norms to have any chance of making a run this season. But, at the very least, a red-hot George Springer — even if it’s only for a few weeks — would make quite the difference for this lineup.

Will Blue Jays sell, buy or do a little of both?

The next few weeks will determine how aggressive the Blue Jays’ front office ends up being by the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

They’re currently stuck in the middle of a crowded, albeit mediocre, AL wild-card race with their post-season odds sitting at a season-low 20.9 per cent, according to FanGraphs. Only three teams feature shorter odds of making the playoffs in the AL: the Athletics (1.4 per cent), Royals (0.2 per cent) and Angels (0.1 per cent).

Source: FanGraphs

If Toronto’s odds dip below 20 per cent near the end of July, the organization will have no choice but to explore selling impending free agents such as Kevin Gausman, Daulton Varsho, Shane Bieber and even Springer. In an extreme sellers’ market, they’d be looking to replicate the success of their 2024 sell-off that helped replenish a farm system that’s been impactful two years later.

We’re not there quite yet, though. The Blue Jays serving as buyers — perhaps modest ones — is still the likeliest Aug. 3 scenario. With a Competitive Balance Tax payroll north of $300 million, positioned inside a relatively weak AL, there won’t be much appetite for selling if they remain in the wild-card hunt.

Barring an extended losing skid, there’s a pretty high chance of Toronto acquiring a starting pitcher either under club control or signed through at least 2027 — and a high-leverage reliever who meets those requirements, too.

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Blue Jays sign Isaiah Magdaleno to UDFA deal

Michael Coyle — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:04:40 GMT

The Toronto Blue Jays’ 2026 MLB Draft strategy was clearly centred around selecting collegiate-level pitchers to bring into their organization.

During the draft, the Blue Jays selected nine players who fit that description before adding four undrafted free agents the following day who also competed at the NCAA level last season.

After signing four pitchers immediately following the draft, the Blue Jays added one more on Monday evening, Isaiah Magdaleno, from the University of Hawai’i.

Magdaleno joins the Blue Jays’ organization after spending the previous three seasons with the Rainbow Warriors, where he spent time as both a starter and a reliever. The right-hander made 15 starts last season and went 7-5 with a 2.36 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. Over 95.1 innings pitched, Magdaleno struck out 116 batters and walked only 31. For his efforts this past season, Magdaleno was named to the All-Big West first team and to the third team of two All-America lists.

Isaiah Magdaleno has signed with the Toronto Blue Jays 🇨🇦

Mags capped off a storied career on the island with All-American Honors and a 3.17 ERA + 221 strikeouts in 179 innings pitched. The California native held batters to a .216 average over three seasons.#GoBows pic.twitter.com/Kvmoow3QFP

— Hawai'i Everything (@HawaiiHuddle) July 14, 2026

The 21-year-old finished his NCAA career by pitching in 51 games (19 starts) and went 12-8 with a 3.17 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. Across his 179 innings pitched, Magdaleno struck out 221, walked only 50, and limited teams to only 144 hits.

Magdaleno was one of the more shocking players to go undrafted over the weekend, so the Blue Jays struck quickly to bring another successful collegiate arm into their organization to see how his repertoire translates to professional baseball.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Magdaleno works with a fastball that hovers around 90 MPH and off-speed pitches that sit in the low 80s, giving himself strong separation between his pitches.

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Blue Jays: An overview of the 2026 MLB Draft haul

Tyson Shushkewich — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 16:00:22 GMT

The Toronto Blue Jays had 19 picks for the 2026 MLB Draft this past weekend, looking to add some fresh faces to the farm system.

The club lost two picks (gained one for Bo Bichette signing with the Mets) as compensation for signing Dylan Cease this past winter, and also boasted the second smallest bonus pool of all 30 big league teams.

Overview

The Jays went very college-heavy this time around, with 16 of their picks coming from the post-secondary ranks. The first high schooler they selected was backstop Will Brick, who was available for the club in the fourth round (more on that later) and then with their 19th (Cole Travers) and 20th (Eddie Rosado Jr.) selections.

This is likely a calculated move given the smaller bonus pool the Jays had to work with, but also bodes well for the farm system side in terms of adding some more experienced players into the minor league rankings. The Jays have a lot of younger players – JoJo Parker, Blaine Bullard, Johnny King, etc – who are filling out the Single-A to High-A ranks, and adding some more college bats and arms helps provide some flexibility from a development standpoint.

Position-wise, the breakdown is as follows:

RHP: 6
LHP: 3
C: 2
INF: 4
OF: 4

Of the group, Toronto drafted eight college players who are four-year seniors or higher, and didn’t select a single JUCO bandit this time around. Picks like Nolan Higgins (4th), Gable Mitchell (5th), Jake Bennet (8th), Joey Urban (9th), and Bryce Chance (10th) are likely going to help with giving the Jays some money to work with for signing someone like Brick, and this group of seniors should sign underslot in some areas to continue living the baseball dream.

Blue Jays select Jake McCoy 552nd overall in 2026 MLB Draft https://t.co/7UiTozoS02

— Blue Jays Nation (@thejaysnation) July 12, 2026

With the limited pool of money to work with, there weren’t really any surprise picks this time around. If there was one pick that fits this category, it was the club selecting Jake McCoy in the 18th round, which is a bit of a slide for the #152-ranked left-hander.

Undergoing Tommy John surgery this past January dropped his stock, and while he will 100% cost more than the $150K slot that comes with this pick, McCoy can be a steal if he can find his strikeout ability post surgery and if the Jays can actually sign him. He’s transferred to Tennessee for the 2027 college season, so he may choose to try to up his stock next season if he can rehab in time and find some time back on the hill.

Names to know:

Cole Carlon (1st) / LHP

The Jays took Arizona State product Cole Carlon in the first round, and from the front office standpoint, they were surprised the left-hander was still on the board. He posted a 3.87 ERA across 83.2 innings last season for the Sun Devils with a stellar 14.3 K/9, with Carlon utilizing a fastball that flirts with triple digits and a slider that was his main strikeout pitch.

His 6-foot-5 frame and four-pitch mix could see Carlon be a quick riser in the Jays system if he keeps the command in check.

Will Brick (4th) / C

The Tennessee product being available for the Jays in the fourth round has ‘handshake deal’ written all over it. He was arguably the top prep backstop heading into the draft, and he boosted his stock this year by repping the USA U18 squad and winning the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year honour.

He’s committed to Mississippi State, so the Jays will definitely have to surpass the $581K bonus slot allotted for where he was drafted, but there is a lot to like with this pick if Brick continues to find his rhythm behind the plate.

Mathis Nayral (13th) / RHP

Born in Montpellier, France, Nayral learned to play baseball at the age of 10 and found his way to Kansas after spending two seasons with Cochise College.

Across 17 starts and 69 innings, he posted a 4.96 ERA with a 1.435 WHIP. While the stats might make some question the pick, Nayral fits the category of ‘really good stuff that needs to find consistency’, something the Jays’ pitching development line has done well with over the past two seasons. Nayral had moments of greatness (7 IP with 1 run and 11 K’s against Cincinnati) and some moments where he struggled, so finding that middle ground will go a long way for the 6-foot-5 right-hander.

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Canadian Sean Duncan gets drafted by the New York Yankees

Nick Prasad — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:00:08 GMT

Canada’s top-ranked MLB draft prospect for 2026 is heading to the AL East.

Left-handed pitcher Sean Duncan was selected by the New York Yankees this past weekend with the 63rd overall pick in the second round of the 2026 MLB Draft. Duncan entered the draft ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 66 prospect, the highest-ranking Canuck.

The British Columbia native established himself as Canada’s premier draft prospect and carried that distinction throughout the scouting process. Duncan played his summer baseball with the Langley Blaze organization, where he consistently impressed evaluators.

Beyond his travel ball commitments, Duncan also represented Canada on the Junior National Team, earning MVP honours multiples time, and participated in the Canadian Futures Showcase, an annual event hosted by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Adversity did not stop Duncan from finding his landing spot

Duncan faced two significant obstacles during the draft process.

The first centred around his physical profile. Some evaluators believed he was undersized despite his production on the mound, leading to questions about his long-term projection and future development.

The second obstacle ultimately impacted his draft position. While Duncan was selected 63rd overall, many believed he was a first-round talent before undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier this year, which caused his draft stock to slide. Even so, being selected in the second round represents an excellent outcome and is well above where some projected he might land following the injury.

Draft profile

The Vanderbilt University commit is a 6-foot-3, 184-pound left-handed pitcher who features a three-pitch mix. He possesses plenty of projectable traits, and his performance has steadily improved over time. The primary concern surrounding his profile has been his frame.

Earlier in his development, Duncan sat in the upper 80s with his fastball before making the velocity jump scouts wanted to see. He now consistently sits at 92-93 mph and has touched 95 mph while continuing to demonstrate strong pitchability and improved consistency.

With the 63rd pick in the 2026 Draft, the @Yankees select Terry Fox (BC) left-handed pitcher Sean Duncan, No. 66 on the Top 250 Draft prospects list.

Watch live: https://t.co/XWNTXiKgPC pic.twitter.com/Yp07Yjf4Cl

— MLB Draft (@MLBDraft) July 11, 2026

His command, which was once considered inconsistent, has also taken a step forward. Duncan attacks the strike zone and has the confidence to throw all three of his pitches for strikes. Along with his fastball, he features a slider and a changeup.

The changeup is his best secondary offering, generating plenty of chase and changing hitters’ eye levels effectively. Duncan repeats a simple, efficient delivery that allows him to stay on line to the plate while creating plenty of arm speed through release.

If not for the Tommy John surgery, Duncan likely would have been selected much earlier. Even so, the Yankees have added a highly projectable left-handed arm with the potential to develop into a major league starter.

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Blue Jays enter All-Star break facing defining stretch of 2026 season

Ben Wrixon — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 23:00:18 GMT

It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to call the unofficial first half of the 2026 season an unmitigated disaster for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Whatever magic propelled last year’s squad to the World Series is nowhere to be found. Instead of authoring an exciting follow-up, the reigning American League champions have stumbled into last place in the division with a dismal 45-51 record.

The baseball world is understandably curious as to which direction the Blue Jays’ front office will take at the trade deadline on August 3rd. Will they add players hoping to spark their team, or waive the white flag and sell? Their decision could shape the future of the franchise.

There is no singular reason why the Blue Jays find themselves in such a state. It’s been a combination of factors that has contributed to their disappointing season, including injuries, regression, bad luck, and poor decision-making.

The persistent injuries have been the toughest pill to swallow. Cody Ponce, suffering a season-ending knee injury in the third inning of his Blue Jays debut, was an omen of bad things to come. Addison Barger has barely played, José Berríos is out for the year, Alejandro Kirk and Shane Bieber both missed several months—and that’s just the beginning.

Yet, for all the injuries, the Blue Jays have managed to hang around and remain competitive in many of their games. The defining story of their season thus far is actually the opportunities that the healthy players have squandered over the last few months.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, and Daulton Varsho all haven’t played anywhere near the level they are capable of playing at. Not having the versions of them that they expected has hurt the Blue Jays far more than losing people to injuries.

In 2025, the Blue Jays made a name for themselves as a scrappy, do-the-little-things-right kind of team that won games as a collective. This year’s squad has consistently fallen flat on its face whenever it’s had to execute fundamentals both offensively and defensively.

But it’s not over yet. Somehow, the Blue Jays are still just 2.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot in the American League. This team is a five-game winning streak away from being right back in the thick of the playoff race. Do they have it in them?

This crossroads is without a clear answer. This Blue Jays team checks all the boxes of a should-be seller at the trade deadline on most nights. Yet, when Dylan Cease is flirting with a no-hitter or Kazuma Okamoto is blasting a clutch home run, it’s almost impossible to imagine giving up with October baseball still very much in reach.

The most maddening part of this season is that the Blue Jays would be running away with a playoff spot had they just been average over the past few months. Being an average lineup with an average pitching staff looks like all it will take in this version of the AL, and it’s certainly a standard that this talented group should meet. Yet it hasn’t.

The deciding stretch is coming up after the All-Star break—this team has just a few weeks to prove which path the front office should take.

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John Schneider reveals AL starting lineup for 2026 All-Star Game, Ernie Clement hitting ninth

Thomas Hall — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 19:00:39 GMT

Toronto Blue Jays infielder and first-time All-Star Ernie Clement will bat ninth and start at second base in Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia, American League manager John Schneider revealed on Monday.

Clement, who led all AL players in fan voting and was automatically named the starter at his position, will round out a star-studded lineup at Citizens Bank Park in this season’s best-on-best event. He’ll act as the second leadoff hitter, if you will.

Mike Trout will lead off in front of AL MVP front-runner Yordan Alvarez, Shea Langeliers and Junior Caminero. This year’s starting lineup will also include Bobby Witt Jr., a pair of New York Yankee sluggers in Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice, and Riley Greene.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider unveils the AL all-star lineup, Ernie Clement bats ninth at second base … pic.twitter.com/mUEXuDy7tS

— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) July 13, 2026

The 30-year-old Clement entered the All-Star break with the third-most hits (106) among AL batters, trailing only Alvarez and Yandy Díaz — both of whom are tied for first with 111 each. He’s enjoying arguably the best offensive performance of his career, hitting .296/.318/.433 with a 108 wRC+ (100 league average) across 93 games, and is on pace for 14 home runs — a new career-high.

Sitting alongside Schneider as he officially unveiled the AL’s starting lineup was Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease, another first-timer at this event — as is fellow All-Star Louis Varland — who was named the starting pitcher by his skipper on Sunday.

Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez will oppose Cease, starting for the NL in front of a sell-out home crowd in the City of Brotherly Love.

Many figured it’d be Yankees young phenom Cam Schlittler — the leading favourite for this season’s AL Cy Young Award — who’d receive that honour. But as Schneider told reporters ahead of Sunday’s series finale against the San Diego Padres, it would’ve been Cease “regardless” if Schlittler were available.

Clement, Cease and Varland are all expected to appear during Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

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Blue Jays sign 4 free agents following 2026 MLB Draft

Michael Coyle — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:25:30 GMT

Following the 2026 MLB Draft, in which the Toronto Blue Jays selected nine pitchers, the club dipped into the undrafted free agent pool and added four more arms to the organization.

The Blue Jays signed Reese Bassinger, Dax Dathe, Devon King, and Gavin Seebold to undrafted free agent contracts as the club continues to stock the cupboards full of arms that possessed enough talent to represent schools in the NCAA.

Reece Bassinger

Bassinger spent the past two seasons at the University of West Virginia after transferring from Tarleton State following the 2023 season. The right-hander pitched in 31 games with the Mountaineers this season and went 4-3 with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Bassinger tossed 60 innings in 2026 and was able to punch out 64 batters across that span while also picking up two saves.

In three NCAA seasons, Bassinger pitched in 88 games (one start) and went 16-6 with a 3.52 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Bassinger reaches the mid-90s with his fastball and has a slider that sits in the low 80s. With his strong 2026 season, Bassinger earned himself an All-Big 12 Honourable Mention.

No outs. Bases loaded.

No problem for Reese Bassinger 💪@bassinger29 x @WVUBaseball pic.twitter.com/cheu8ax8NS

— D1Baseball (@d1baseball) June 16, 2026

Dax Dathe

Dathe was signed by the Blue Jays after spending the past four seasons in the NCAA, with his final year coming at Louisiana State University. Last season with the Tigers, Dathe worked in 12 games and tossed only 6.1 innings, posting an 8.53 ERA and a 2.05 WHIP.

While Dathe’s action was limited in 2026, the right-hander put together a strong 2025 season while pitching at Angelo State University. Dathe pitched in 15 games (13 starts) and went 8-1 with a 2.99 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP before committing to LSU. Dathe picked up 98 strikeouts in his 72.1 frames, relying on a fastball that reached 95 MPH to go along with a low-80s slider.

For his work during the 2025 season, Dathe was named to the All-Lone Star Conference First Team. Over his four NCAA seasons, Dathe pitched in 50 games (26 starts) and went 17-5 with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.

Devon King

The Blue Jays signed King after he pitched three seasons at the University of California, San Diego. In three seasons with the Tritons, King pitched in 54 games and went 3-0 with a 5.21 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP.

King’s 2026 season was his best to date as the right-hander went 3-0 with a 3.48 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Over 33.2 innings pitched, King struck out 37 batters, walked 11, and held opposing teams to a sparkling .197 average.

Gavin Seebold

Another NCAA free-agent reliever the Blue Jays signed following the draft was the University of Indiana’s Gavin Seebold. Seebold spent the past two seasons at Indiana after previously pitching for the University of Southern Indiana.

An extended look at RHP Gavin Seebold (@IndianaBase)… https://t.co/N1qzbdBFft pic.twitter.com/EyH5iIeH0P

— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) March 5, 2026

In 17 games with the Hoosiers last season, Seebold went 2-4 with a 4.67 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. The right-hander picked up two saves in his 44.1 innings pitched and posted a 27.9% strikeout rate during the 2026 campaign. Seebold brings a fastball that sits around 93-94 MPH and a slider that gets into the mid-80s to the Blue Jays’ organization.

In his four NCAA seasons, Seebold pitched in 63 games (24 starts) and went 14-15 with a 5.75 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Over his 208 innings pitched, the 24-year-old struck out 189 batters and walked 91.

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2026 MLB Draft: Canadians Beck and Lascelles hear their names called early

Nick Prasad — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:00:59 GMT

Canadian baseball talent continues to earn recognition, as two more homegrown players heard their names called early in the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft.

Outfielder Carter Beck and infielder Elliot Lascelles were the first two Canadians selected in this year’s draft.

Beck was the first Canuck off the board, going to the Atlanta Braves with the 26th overall pick in the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) round. The PPI awards extra draft selections after the first round to organizations that promote top prospects to the major leagues instead of delaying their service time.

The second Canadian-born player selected was highly regarded high school infielder Elliot Lascelles, who was taken 60th overall in the second round by the San Diego Padres.

Carter Beck becomes the first Canadian selected in the 2026 MLB Draft

Beck is a polished collegiate outfielder from Estevan, Saskatchewan, who spent the 2026 season at Indiana State University and became the highest drafted player from the province of Saskatchewan.

He began his collegiate career at the University of Mary in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. During the 2024 season, Beck recorded 66 hits, 12 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a .355 batting average in 186 at-bats. He later played in the West Canadian Baseball League, where he slashed .374/.458/.587 before transferring to Indiana State in the Missouri Valley Conference.

While his production remained consistent during the 2025 campaign, Beck elevated his game in 2026. He finished the season with 82 hits, 16 home runs, 59 RBIs, 62 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases in 237 at-bats.

Across his three collegiate seasons, Beck slashed .345/.432/.611, establishing himself as one of the top Canadian baseball prospects in the draft class.

Offensively, Beck is known for his advanced bat-to-ball skills, consistently barreling baseballs while limiting swing-and-miss. He also possesses above-average speed and strong baseball instincts on the bases, traits that translate well defensively as he covers plenty of ground in the outfield. His offensive ability is his standout tool and projects to be what carries him through professional baseball.

Elliot Lascelles goes to the San Diego Padres

The next Canadian-born player selected was Elliot Lascelles, a shortstop from the Canadian Premier Baseball League and Upper Canada College in Ontario.

Like several current Canadian big leaguers, Lascelles developed with the Toronto Mets Baseball Club. He also represented Canada as a member of the Junior National Team and impressed scouts at the Canadian Futures Showcase, hosted annually by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Lascelles is a compact left-handed hitter with emerging power and the ability to drive the ball to all fields. He demonstrates advanced strike-zone discipline and consistently hunts pitches he can drive. Defensively, he possesses excellent athleticism and range, allowing him to cover significant ground on the infield. While he has primarily played shortstop, some evaluators believe his arm strength may ultimately fit best at second base at the professional level.

Lascelles is committed to Yale University, but he is widely expected to sign with the Padres and begin his professional career.

With Beck and Lascelles leading the way, Canadian baseball continues to produce high-end talent. Both players are expected to sign with their respective organizations and begin the next chapter of their careers in professional baseball.

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When will the Blue Jays finally get to host another All-Star Game?

Ian Hunter — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 11:14:42 GMT

In July 1991, the SkyDome was the centre of the baseball universe. At the peak of the multi-purpose stadium craze, baseball fans from all over the world feasted their eyes upon the modern marvel that was the Blue Jays’ new home.

It’s been 35 years since the Toronto Blue Jays hosted MLB’s All-Star Game, and it still looks like it may not happen anytime soon.

The Philadelphia Phillies will host their fourth Midsummer Classic this week, although it’s the first to be played at Citizens Bank Park, since the Phils last hosted at Veterans Stadium in 1996.

The Athletics have the longest All-Star Game streak going in the majors, with 39 years since the last festivities, but with their home ballpark in limbo as they construct a new stadium in Las Vegas, the absolute earliest the A’s would move to Vegas would be for the 2028 season.

After Philadelphia, Chicago is next on deck to host MLB’s All-Star Game in 2027. With a potential lockout looming and a collective bargaining agreement yet to be signed between the owners and players, there’s a chance there may not be a 2027 season at all, let alone an All-Star Game.

And yet, here are the Blue Jays, with a fresh coat of paint on their newly renovated stadium, $400 million poured into the ballpark over several years, patiently waiting for Major League Baseball to give them some sign that they’re next on deck to host an All-Star Game.

The last word from MLB came earlier this year, when the Blue Jays were told “they aren’t on the immediate list for an All-Star Game,” via Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.

Mark Shapiro says MLB has told Blue Jays they aren’t on the immediate list for an All-Star Game

Mentioned the 28 LA Olympics as a factor but declined to speculate on timeline for when ASG would return

“It’s been put, frankly, on hold,” Shapiro said. “Things have pushed it back”

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) March 25, 2026

If not now, then when? Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro also cited the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles as another roadblock for Toronto, but the fact that the Blue Jays have received no word of confidence from commissioner Rob Manfred is slightly concerning.

In August 2025, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reported the Blue Jays had been having an open dialogue with Major League Baseball about the All-Star Game, and they were hoping for clarity in six to eight months. Those months came and went, and the only clarity the Blue Jays received was that they weren’t on the short list to host an All-Star Game in the near future.

The Blue Jays don’t have it as bad as the Tampa Bay Rays, who have yet to lay claim to an All-Star Game, but considering the quality of Tropicana Field, it’s no wonder MLB isn’t clamouring to showcase its game to the world inside a stadium whose biggest features are catwalks dangling above the outfield and a tank with stingrays.

At this point, everyone has had their turn. The Chicago Cubs were the next logical choice for the 2027 Midsummer Classic, considering they last hosted in 1990, the year before the Blue Jays. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the next season and beyond, but why haven’t the Blue Jays been assured they’re next in line?

Here’s a list of teams that have hosted two All-Star Games since the Blue Jays last got a shot in 1991: the Cleveland Guardians, the Atlanta Braves, the Texas Rangers, the Philadelphia Phillies, the San Diego Padres, and the Colorado Rockies.

Perhaps most egregious of all, the Seattle Mariners came in as an expansion team the same year as the Blue Jays in 1977, and the Mariners have hosted three All-Star Games. Three! Sure, T-Mobile Park is one of the most beautiful ballparks in the league, but they get three All-Star Games and the Blue Jays have only gotten one?

During the early 2000s, there was no case to be made by the Blue Jays to host a jewel event like the All-Star Game at Rogers Centre. It was one of the most outdated facilities in the league, as MLB distanced itself from the multi-purpose stadium model, instead focusing on the retro-ballpark style popularized by Camden Yards in Baltimore.

But the Blue Jays organization has done everything it can to transform Rogers Centre from a stadium into a ballpark. They replaced all the seats in the entire stadium; they opened up the concourses; they installed new outfield districts in the 500 level, like Park Social and the Corona Rooftop Patio.

At long last, the stadium is leaning into the historical aspect of the franchise, with new displays around the concourse, a new Hall of Excellence to be unveiled at the end of August, and a long-overdue statue of Joe Carter celebration happening later this week.

There’s only so much that can be done to a 37-year-old stadium, and Rogers Centre isn’t going to look any better than it does in 2026. Eventually, the team will need to find a new home, but that could be a decade-plus down the line.

If you’re MLB, why not strike while the iron is hot and show off Rogers Centre now before it suffers the same fate as SkyDome before it? The longer this song and dance drags on, the more remote the possibility seems of Toronto being a host city for the All-Star Game.

PRESENTED BY THE BLUEJAYSNATION NEWSLETTER

Instant Reaction: Blue Jays drop series finale in San Diego

Michael Coyle — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 23:30:11 GMT

The Toronto Blue Jays are entering the All-Star break on a two-game losing streak.

On Sunday afternoon, the San Diego Padres defeated the Blue Jays 5-4 to claim the series victory and drop the Canadian club to 45-51 through 96 games played.

Sunday’s effort was a gutty one by the Blue Jays as they rallied back from 3-1 to take a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning before the wheels fell off. In the top of the eighth inning against Padres reliever Adrian Morejon, the Blue Jays took a lead that looked like it would be enough to head into the All-Star break on a high note.

With Daulton Varsho on second base with two outs, Blue Jays manager John Schneider pinch-hit Alejandro Kirk for rookie Sean Keys. With first base open, the Padres opted to walk Kirk to bring up switch-hitter Jonatan Clase. After getting ahead 1-0 in the count, Clase stroked a line drive single to center field to bring home Varsho and give the Blue Jays a boost heading into the bottom half of the inning.

JONATAN CLASE WITH ANOTHER CLUTCH RBI! THE BLUE JAYS LEAD 4-3!

🎥: Sportsnet | #BlueJays50 pic.twitter.com/oIB4cwGJYD

— Blue Jays Nation (@thejaysnation) July 12, 2026

With a one-run lead, Schneider turned to right-hander Jeff Hoffman. Xander Bogaerts opened the inning with a single before stealing second base to put a runner in scoring position with nobody out. Manny Machado stepped up and won an eight-pitch battle with Hoffman by singling up the middle to tie the game at 4-4.

After a miscommunication on a groundball to Andrés Giménez allowed Machado to advance to second base, the Padres put in Jase Bowen to run for the veteran third baseman. Bowen stole third base, then came around to score on a Ty France sacrifice fly to center field.

For the second straight night with a one-run lead, the Padres summoned Mason Miller from their bullpen. Miller made quick work of the Blue Jays on Sunday, requiring only eight pitches to get Ernie Clement to ground out, get Myles Straw to pop out, and set down Vladimir Guerrero Jr. swinging on a wipeout slider in the dirt.

The loss takes away a strong bounce-back effort from Kevin Gausman. After allowing seven runs (four earned) during a 10-1 loss against the San Francisco Giants in his previous outing, Gausman rebounded by turning in a pitching line of 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 8 K. All three of the runs came during the second inning in which the 35-year-old battled control issues, and was charged with a questionable balk call.

Gausman enters the All-Star break after having made 20 starts. The veteran right-hander is 4-8 with a 4.33 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Gausman leads the club with 112.1 innings pitched and has punched out 116 batters over those frames.

The Blue Jays’ offence relied on the long ball on Sunday as Nathan Lukes smacked his fifth home run of the season in the top of the first inning before Ernie Clement launched a game-tying two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning. Clement will head to Philadelphia to be the American League’s starting second baseman after batting .296 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs.

After four days off, the Blue Jays will open the unofficial second half of the regular season at Rogers Centre against the Chicago White Sox. As of July 12, the Blue Jays sit 2.5 games back of the AL’s final Wild Card spot with 66 games to play.