August 11 Gameday: Dylan Cease starts looking to continue dominance over Red Sox
Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Aug 11, 2026, 18:41 EDT
The Toronto Blue Jays are doing their best to keep their dream of playoff baseball alive.
Following Monday night’s 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox, the Blue Jays now sit at 57-63, good for 3.5 games back of the Texas Rangers for the American League’s final Wild Card spot.
Winners of nine of their past 14 games, the Blue Jays are finding ways to win close games, and have given some fans the same nostalgic feeling that captivated the nation during the 2025 season, when the Blue Jays never felt like they quit on a game.
On Tuesday, the Blue Jays will turn to Dylan Cease as they look to make it two wins in a row against the Red Sox. Cease continues to build on his case for the AL Cy Young Award. Over the right-hander’s 21 starts this year, he has gone 7-5 with a 2.28 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Across 126.1 innings pitched, Cease has struck out 184 batters, the third most in MLB, and has held opponents to a .179 average.
Tuesday night will mark Cease’s third start against the Red Sox this season. In his most recent outing against the club at Fenway Park on July 25, Cease absolutely dazzled. The 30-year-old tossed a complete game shutout on 120 pitches, allowing only one hit and three walks while striking out 12.
Countering Cease for the Red Sox will be left-hander Patrick Sandoval. After missing all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Sandoval returned to the Red Sox rotation in early July and has looked strong over his first five starts.
Across his five outings, Sandoval has gone 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. The 29-year-old has struck out 25 batters over his 24 innings pitched, but has been hit at a .309 clip, giving the Blue Jays an opportunity to put runners on base.
Sandoval faced the Jays back on July 24, in what was his third start since being activated off the injured list. Sandoval turned in a pitching line of 4.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K and threw 84 pitches in a no-decision.
While not many of the Blue Jays have much experience against Sandoval, one player who has seen some success in limited at-bats is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Guerrero is 3-for-6 off Sandoval, and is hitting .275 off left-handers this season.
Currently mired in a stretch that has seen him bat .207 over his past seven games, the Blue Jays’ offence could take on a whole new level if their superstar first baseman gets hot over these final 42 games.
For the second straight game, Kazuma Okamoto was removed from the lineup as he deals with a left knee contusion. Through 116 games this season, Okamoto is batting .225 with 24 home runs and 70 RBIs.
Here’s how the lineups look Tuesday at Rogers Centre:
Location: Rogers Centre – Toronto, Ontario
First Pitch: 7:07 PM ET
Watch/Listen: Sportsnet, SN590
Starting Pitchers
Toronto Blue Jays – Dylan Cease: 7-5 record, 2.28 ERA, 126.1 IP, 184 SO, 52 BB
Boston Red Sox – Patrick Sandoval: 1-0 record, 3.38 ERA, 24 IP, 25 SO, 10 BB
Lineups:
Blue Jays:
- Charles McAdoo – 3B
- Brett Bateman – CF
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – 1B
- George Springer – DH
- Alejandro Kirk – C
- Ernie Clement – 2B
- Andrés Giménez – SS
- Myles Straw – LF
- Nathan Lukes – RF
Red Sox:
- Masataka Yoshida – DH
- Ceddanne Rafaela – CF
- Adley Rutschman – C
- Willson Contreras – 1B
- Wilyer Abreu – C
- Caleb Durbin – 3B
- Jarren Duran – LF
- Andruw Monasterio – SS
- Nick Sogard – 2B
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Breaking News
- August 11 Gameday: Dylan Cease starts looking to continue dominance over Red Sox
- Blue Jays place Jameson Taillon on IL with right forearm tendonitis, recall Chase Lee
- Trey Yesavage undergoes surgery to repair meniscus, Blue Jays still hopeful of late-season return
- Breakdown of Red Sox-Blue Jays seventh inning run-scoring delay, explanation of “fourth out” rule
- Bradley Wilson promoted to High-A Vancouver