logo
3 priorities for the Blue Jays in Opening Weekend clash with the Athletics
alt
Photo credit: © Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Ben Wrixon
Mar 26, 2026, 08:00 EDTUpdated: Mar 25, 2026, 16:52 EDT
Comments
Toronto Blue Jays baseball is back. 
After an unusually short offseason, Canada’s team is ready to retake the field and begin its quest to return to the World Series after falling just short of a championship.
The team will be looking a bit different this Opening Day compared to last season – no Bo Bichette or Chris Bassitt in the building – although the club did make some additions this winter to help supplement their losses. Emotions will be running high for what should be an exciting three games against an Athletics squad that has some sneaky good pop and power throughout the lineup. 
Here are three things the Blue Jays need to accomplish this weekend against the Athletics to kick off the 2026 season:

1. Reconnect with the fans

The last time the Blue Jays and their fans saw each other in person was at Rogers Centre for that heartbreaking seventh game of the World Series. While the Jays had an impressive run that came so close to winning it all, some healing needs to happen. Both sides need to reconnect.
For the players, that means coming out fired up and ready to put on a show. They need to show everyone in attendance that it’s okay to get excited again. The fans, meanwhile, need to do their part by packing the stadium and cheering loudly. That likely won’t be a problem considering all the festivities the club has planned for all three days, but it will go a long way to bring some positive energy into the building right from the get-go. 
It’s no secret how much the Blue Jays fed off the energy of their fans in 2025. They had a true home-field advantage at the Rogers Centre, and both sides must work together to ensure this remains the case.

2. A dominant debut from Dylan Cease

The Blue Jays jumped the market to sign Cease to a franchise-record seven-year, $210 million contract in November. Now it’s his time to show everyone why he was the guy the front office wanted so badly. 
Kevin Gausman is slated to make his first Opening Day start since signing with Toronto, and all signs point to Cease making his Jays debut on Saturday. He looked sharp in Spring Training and should come out of the gate with some extra motivation to prove himself. The Jays brought him in to bring some energy to the rotation and to throw strikes, something fans got accustomed to early during his outings in Dunedin these past two months. 
First impressions matter, even if the righty has seven years to endear himself to Blue Jays fans. A vintage Cease performance this weekend would go a long way to getting this relationship started on a positive note. 

3. Win the series in a convincing fashion

The Blue Jays could get swept by the Athletics, and while every game is important, there is always time to turn things around, considering the MLB season is a 162-game marathon. But wouldn’t it be great for them to pick up where they left off? 
Taking two of three games from the Athletics on the strength of a great debut from Cease, and then perhaps a strong showing from Gausman or Eric Lauer, would be the perfect way to start the 2026 season and put the Jays on the right path to winning the AL East again. It would be just what the doctor ordered after such a painful end to last year’s magical run. 
The Blue Jays started slowly last year, yet still ended up exactly where they wanted to be. Winning right off the hop would really set the tone for the rest of the season. 

CHECK OUT OFF THE ROSTER – NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEKDAY

Off The Roster is Toronto sports. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, this is the go-to morning conversation for everything happening in the 6ix – Hockey, Baseball, Basketball and everything in between. From breakout performances and questionable trades to throwback jerseys, viral moments, and the stories fans are actually talking about—it’s smart, sharp, and never scripted. Live weekday mornings on the Nation Network YouTube channel and available wherever you stream podcasts, the show delivers real opinions, real chemistry, and real Toronto energy. Missed an episode? Catch up anytime. Off The Roster—The new sound of the 6ix.

Featured

Editorials

Breaking News