Adam Macko is something between an opener and a starter on Friday. “He’s not going to go five,” says Blue Jays manager John Schneider. Austin Voth will pitch in a bulk role. Varland, Hoffman, Rogers all on back-to-back's. Current plan for Sunday is [opener] + Spencer Miles.
Blue Jays Gameday (May 29): Toronto looking for fourth straight win as Charles McAdoo makes MLB debut
Photo credit: © Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
May 29, 2026, 16:48 EDT
The Toronto Blue Jays enter Friday night’s contest against the Baltimore Orioles riding a three-game win streak
After Thursday night’s 2-1 win over the Orioles (26-31), the Blue Jays have pulled themselves one game back of .500 with a record of 28-29. The club hasn’t been at .500 or above since April 4, when they were 4-4.
The Jays’ pitching staff continued to pick up the team’s offence, a trend that has been evident through the Blue Jays’ opening 57 games. On Thursday, the Blue Jays rode an Andrés Giménez solo home run and Yohendrick Piñango’s bases-loaded walk to give them a one-run lead that was enough to pull out the victory.
After being called up from Triple-A Buffalo yesterday, infielder Charles McAdoo is set to make his MLB debut. The 24-year-old will play second base and bat sixth in the Blue Jays’ lineup. The Blue Jays’ 26th-ranked prospect has impressed this season with the Bisons, batting .250 with a team-leading eight home runs and 27 RBIs. Acquired at the 2024 MLB trade deadline in exchange for Isiah Kiner-Falefa, McAdoo has shown a strong eye at the plate this year, highlighted by his 29 walks in 50 games.
Although not in the starting lineup with a lefty on the mound this evening, Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes has been hot since coming off the injured list on Monday. Lukes has continued the success he flashed before going down with a hamstring strain. In his past three games, Lukes is 5-for-11 with one RBI. The 31-year-old is currently riding a five-game hit streak – even with the month-long injury – and has raised his season average to .286. Look for Lukes to enter if the Blue Jays can get into the Orioles’ bullpen.
Even in the midst of a slow start to the season, Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson always feels like a threat to do damage. The Blue Jays’ pitching staff held the 24-year-old in check last night, but Henderson leads the Orioles with 13 home runs and is not too far removed from the 2024 season in which he hit 37 long balls.
The Orioles will hand the ball to left-hander Trevor Rogers for Friday night’s contest. After compiling a 9-3 record and a 1.81 ERA over 18 starts last year, the 28-year-old has struggled to replicate that same success. Over nine starts this season, Rogers is 2-6 with a 6.96 ERA and 1.62 WHIP across 42 2/3 innings pitched. Opposing teams have been able to hit the lefty at a .295 clip, giving the Blue Jays’ offence a chance to turn some of their fortunes around.
Starting for the Blue Jays on Friday will be Adam Macko. Macko has gotten off to a great start to open his MLB career, posting 4 1/3 scoreless frames over his first six appearances. The 25-year-old enters tonight’s contest with a 1-0 record, 0.92 WHIP and has struck out four batters to this point.
Macko has worked exclusively as a reliever with the Blue Jays and in Triple-A with the Bisons this season. With the Blue Jays, Macko’s longest outing was 1 1/3 innings, topping out at 20 pitches, and with the Bisons, Macko completed 2 1/3 innings once, requiring 25 pitches to get through those frames.
With Macko likely topping out at two innings, look for Austin Voth and newly-acquired Connor Seabold to get into tonight’s contest for multiple innings as the Blue Jays look to cover as many frames as possible on what looks like a true bullpen game.
Here’s how the lineups look on Friday night:
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
First Pitch: 7:05 PM EST
Watch/Listen: Sportsnet One, SN590
Starting Pitchers
Toronto Blue Jays – Adam Macko: 1-0 record, 0.00 ERA, 4.1 IP, 4 SO, 0 BB
Baltimore Orioles – Trevor Rogers: 2-6 record, 6.96 ERA, 42.2 IP, 35 SO, 17 BB
Lineups:
Blue Jays:
- George Springer – DH
- Ernie Clement – SS
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – 1B
- Kazuma Okamoto – 3B
- Daulton Varsho – CF
- Charles McAdoo – 2B
- Myles Straw – LF
- Yohendrick Piñango – RF
- Brandon Valenzuela – C
Orioles:
- Taylor Ward – LF
- Gunnar Henderson – SS
- Adley Rutschman – DH
- Pete Alonso – 1B
- Samuel Basallo – C
- Leody Taveras – CF
- Colton Cowser – RF
- Coby Mayo – 3B
- Jackson Holliday – 2B
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