logo
August 19 Gameday: Max Scherzer starts Vs. Rays as Blue Jays eye 7th straight series win
alt
Photo credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Tristan Morgan
Aug 19, 2026, 17:40 EDTUpdated: Aug 19, 2026, 16:46 EDT
Comments
Momentum continues to build for the Toronto Blue Jays as they take their chances at a series win against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field for the first time since 2021.
Coming off an offensive explosion in Tuesday night’s 10-5 series-opening victory, where Toronto hammered out 17 hits and had every starter record a hit, the Blue Jays are looking to capture a crucial road series win against the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday evening. 
Having won six of their past eight games, the Blue Jays (62-65) have surged right back into the thick of the postseason race, pulling within half a game of the final AL Wild Card berth. The postseason picture across the American League is defined by razor-thin margins as the regular season enters its stretch run. While Tampa Bay (75-50) holds a comfortable five-game cushion atop the AL East despite dropping four of its past five contests, the Wild Card standings remain completely jammed. 
Toronto enters Wednesday tied with the Minnesota Twins at 62-65, trailing the Texas Rangers (62-64) by just half a game for the third Wild Card slot, with the Cleveland Guardians, Baltimore Orioles, and Detroit Tigers lurking right behind at 61-65.
Toronto’s midseason sale at the trade deadline, moving expiring assets Kevin Gausman and Daulton Varsho to acquire controllable starters José Soriano and Spencer Arrighetti, along with rookie outfielder Brett Bateman, has positioned the club to remain highly competitive without sacrificing the future. With just 35 games remaining on the schedule, every divisional matchup carries massive leverage for Toronto’s postseason probability.
Taking the mound for Toronto is veteran right-hander Max Scherzer, who looks to extend his recent turnaround. While Scherzer’s overall 6.59 ERA reflects early-season struggles due to shoulder and back ailments, his recent performances show he’s bouncing back in a big way. To kick off August, across three starts spanning 16.1 innings, Scherzer has allowed just four earned runs, 13 strikeouts, and three walks, good for a 2.08 ERA in that span. 
Scherzer’s main vulnerability remains home run suppression, allowing 11 home runs through 41 innings, paired with just an 18.5 per cent whiff rate in 2026. Left-handed hitters have punished him to a .297/.385/.545 tune with seven homers, whereas righties have managed a far lighter .676 OPS. Tampa Bay’s left-handed producers, including Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson, won’t knock the cover off the baseball, but keeping the ball on the ground and controlling the running game is key for a successful night from Scherzer against a Tampa Bay offence that has the third-most stolen bases (126) in MLB. 
Tampa Bay counters with right-hander Drew Rasmussen, who is having an elite 2026 campaign. Rasmussen has struck out 133 batters against just 23 walks across 129.1 innings, posting a 2.78 ERA. He averages an efficient 15.43 pitches per inning, fuelled by a microscopic 4.5 per cent walk rate. Over his last four starts (25.0 IP), Rasmussen owns a sparkling 0.72 ERA (2 ER) with 27 strikeouts.
Rasmussen is an extreme challenge for right-handed hitters, holding them to a .163 average, .457 OPS, and just five walks over 52.2 innings. However, Toronto knocked him around for seven hits over five innings back on July 21, showing they can work against his arsenal despite his recent dominance.
Even with franchise cornerstone Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sidelined on the 7-day injured list with a concussion (suffered in an Aug. 15 collision with Yankees infielder George Lombard Jr.; currently progressing through light agility drills at Tropicana Field), Toronto’s offence has produced with remarkable efficiency. Over their past nine games, the Blue Jays have hit .269/.329/.367, scoring 39 runs despite hitting only five homers.
Catcher Alejandro Kirk has been a major force in this recent surge for Toronto. Since Aug. 9, Kirk is batting .429/.515/.714. Since the All-Star Break, he leads all MLB catchers with a 168 wRC+ and 1.6 fWAR while crushing four home runs with 16 RBIs in that time. On Tuesday, Kirk fell a triple short of the cycle, finishing 3-for-6 with a 414-foot homer and three RBIs while the rest of the lineup continues to find a way.
Tactically, Toronto needs to work deep counts on Wednesday night to elevate Rasmussen’s pitch count and force Tampa Bay to turn to its middle relief. With high-leverage relievers Griffin Jax (elbow) and Cole Sulser (back) sidelined, Tampa Bay’s bullpen carries a 4.38 season ERA and a bloated 6.67 ERA over the past week (requiring Steven Matz and Jesse Scholtens to cover 5.1 innings on Tuesday). In contrast, Toronto’s bullpen ranks fifth in MLB with a 3.53 ERA (3.27 over the past seven days), giving Toronto a distinct advantage if Scherzer can work beyond the fifth inning.
With postseason stakes mounting with every game, Wednesday is a chance for Toronto to secure a massive seventh series win in a row. If Scherzer can keep his fastball down and command the lower third of the zone against Tampa Bay’s offence and Toronto’s high-contact lineup continues to give opposing pitchers frustrating at-bats 1-9, the Blue Jays are well-positioned to keep their Wild-Card surge rolling.
 Location: Tropicana Field – St. Petersburg, FL
First Pitch: 6:40 PM ET
Watch/Listen: Sportsnet, SN590

Starting Pitchers

Toronto Blue Jays – Max Scherzer: 1-5, 6.59 ERA, 41.0 IP, 31 SO, 17 BB
Tampa Bay Rays – Drew Rasmussen: 12-5, 2.78 ERA, 129.1 IP, 133 SO, 23 BB

Lineups:

Blue Jays:
  1. Brett Bateman – CF
  2. Nathan Lukes – RF
  3. Alejandro Kirk – DH
  4. Kazuma Okamoto – 1B
  5. Andrés Giménez – SS
  6. Jesús Sánchez – LF
  7. Josh Smith – 2B
  8. Brandon Valenzuela – C
  9. Charles McAdoo – 3B
Rays:
  1. C. Simpson – LF
  2. J. Caminero – 3B
  3. J. Aranda – 1B
  4. Y. Díaz – DH
  5. L. Hicks – C
  6. C. Mullins – CF
  7. R. Vilade – RF
  8. R. Palacios – 2B
  9. T. Walls – SS

PRESENTED BY THE PERFECT 9 COLLECTION

Some baseball traditions never get old. The Perfect 9 Collection is our newest limited-edition collaboration with Blue Jays Today, inspired by the viral 9/9/9 challenge that has become a staple of baseball culture. Whether you’re taking on the challenge or just enjoying a day at the ballpark, this collection celebrates the moments that make baseball unforgettable. Featuring premium Levelwear apparel with elevated fabrics and modern fits, it’s designed for fans who live and breathe the game—on game day and beyond. Limited edition. Premium quality. Built for baseball fans. Shop the Perfect 9 Collection while it lasts. Exclusively at nationgear.ca


News
MORE NEWS. IN YOUR INBOX.
CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Breaking News