Mark your calendars: Spring Training is almost complete.

The Jays are in the back half of Grapefruit League play, as less than two weeks remain until opening day on March 28th. Toronto will open the season with a four-game set visiting the Tampa Bay Rays, followed by two three-game series against the Houston Astros and New York Yankees on the road.
It&#8217;s to give the Rogers Centre a chance to finalize offseason improvements, and Toronto will play their home opener on April 8th.
But today, the Jays take on the Pittsburgh Pirates as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. returns to the lineup. He suffered a left knee contusion over the weekend against the Phillies, missing two games of action.
Toronto will send Chris Bassitt to the mound opposite the Pirates&#8217; Roansy Contreras.
<hr />
First pitch: 1:07 p.m. EST — TV: Sportsnet. Radio: MLB.com.
<a href="https://www.betano.ca/sport/baseball/north-america/mlb/1662r/">Odds via Betano:</a>
Moneyline: TOR -227; PIT +180. 
Spread: TOR -1.5 -250; NYY +1.5 +102. 
Over/Under: o9.5 +105; u9.5 &#8211;128.
*Odds available at the time of writing. Odds subject to change.
<h2>Starting pitchers:</h2>
TORONTO — RHP Chris Bassitt
PIRATES- RHP Roansy Contreras
<h2>Lineups:</h2>
TORONTO:
<blockquote>
<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--home">
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/george-springer-543807" target="" rel="noopener">G Springer</a> (R) RF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/bo-bichette-666182" target="" rel="noopener">B Bichette</a> (R) SS</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/vladimir-guerrero-jr-665489" target="" rel="noopener">V Guerrero Jr.</a> (R) DH</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/justin-turner-457759" target="" rel="noopener">J Turner</a> (R) 1B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/daulton-varsho-662139" target="" rel="noopener">D Varsho</a> (L) LF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/danny-jansen-643376" target="" rel="noopener">D Jansen</a> (R) C</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/kevin-kiermaier-595281" target="" rel="noopener">K Kiermaier</a> (L) CF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/isiah-kiner-falefa-643396" target="" rel="noopener">I Kiner-Falefa</a> (R) 3B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/cavan-biggio-624415" target="" rel="noopener">C Biggio</a> (L) 2B</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
PIRATES:
<blockquote>
<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--away">
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/oneil-cruz-665833" target="" rel="noopener">O Cruz</a> (L) SS</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/liover-peguero-678894" target="" rel="noopener">L Peguero</a> (R) 2B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/rowdy-tellez-642133" target="" rel="noopener">R Tellez</a> (L) DH</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/henry-davis-680779" target="" rel="noopener">H Davis</a> (R) C</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/edward-olivares-658668" target="" rel="noopener">E Olivares</a> (R) CF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/jake-lamb-571875" target="" rel="noopener">J Lamb</a> (L) RF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/gilberto-celestino-665482" target="" rel="noopener">G Celestino</a> (R) LF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/alika-williams-675961" target="" rel="noopener">A Williams</a> (R) 3B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/joe-perez-669309" target="" rel="noopener">J Perez</a> (R) 1B</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Need to bide the time until first pitch?</h2>
Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio as the crew talks about all the happenings in Toronto and beyond.
<iframe title="Spotify Embed: Blue Jays Nation Radio" style="border-radius: 12px" width="100%" height="152" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/show/00f5Twxj4i9KG1WXzdOiG1?go=1&#038;sp_cid=b3195c716641dffe5ac518f4b2755cdc&#038;utm_source=oembed&#038;utm_medium=desktop&#038;nd=1"></iframe>
<hr />
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/zjlaing">@zjlaing</a>, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
<hr />
<h2 class="mb-5 text-2xl font-bold" style="text-align: center;"><a class="text-accent" href="https://switchboard.actionnetwork.com/offers?affiliateId=931&amp;campaignId=6242&amp;context=web-book-review-page&amp;stateCode=ON&amp;propertyId=324" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ARTICLE PRESENTED BY BETANO</a></h2>
<a href="https://www.betano.ca/sport/baseball/north-america/mlb/1662r/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-61491 size-full" src="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/04/Betano_ON_Base_727x404-1.png" alt="" width="727" height="404" srcset="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/04/Betano_ON_Base_727x404-1.png 727w, https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/04/Betano_ON_Base_727x404-1-300x167.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 727px) 100vw, 727px" /></a>

Mark your calendars: Spring Training is almost complete.



The Jays are in the back half of Grapefruit League play, as less than two weeks remain until opening day on March 28th. Toronto will open the season with a four-game set visiting the Tampa Bay Rays, followed by two three-game series against the Houston Astros and New York Yankees on the road.

It's to give the Rogers Centre a chance to finalize offseason improvements, and Toronto will play their home opener on April 8th.

But today, the Jays take on the Pittsburgh Pirates as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. returns to the lineup. He suffered a left knee contusion over the weekend against the Phillies, missing two games of action.

Toronto will send Chris Bassitt to the mound opposite the Pirates' Roansy Contreras.

<hr />

First pitch: 1:07 p.m. EST — TV: Sportsnet. Radio: MLB.com.

<a href="https://www.betano.ca/sport/baseball/north-america/mlb/1662r/">Odds via Betano:</a>

Moneyline: TOR -227; PIT +180.
Spread: TOR -1.5 -250; NYY +1.5 +102.
Over/Under: o9.5 +105; u9.5 --128.

*Odds available at the time of writing. Odds subject to change.
<h2>Starting pitchers:</h2>
TORONTO — RHP Chris Bassitt

PIRATES- RHP Roansy Contreras
<h2>Lineups:</h2>
TORONTO:
<blockquote>
<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--home">
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/george-springer-543807" target="" rel="noopener">G Springer</a> (R) RF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/bo-bichette-666182" target="" rel="noopener">B Bichette</a> (R) SS</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/vladimir-guerrero-jr-665489" target="" rel="noopener">V Guerrero Jr.</a> (R) DH</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/justin-turner-457759" target="" rel="noopener">J Turner</a> (R) 1B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/daulton-varsho-662139" target="" rel="noopener">D Varsho</a> (L) LF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/danny-jansen-643376" target="" rel="noopener">D Jansen</a> (R) C</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/kevin-kiermaier-595281" target="" rel="noopener">K Kiermaier</a> (L) CF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/isiah-kiner-falefa-643396" target="" rel="noopener">I Kiner-Falefa</a> (R) 3B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/cavan-biggio-624415" target="" rel="noopener">C Biggio</a> (L) 2B</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
PIRATES:
<blockquote>
<ol class="starting-lineups__team starting-lineups__team--away">
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/oneil-cruz-665833" target="" rel="noopener">O Cruz</a> (L) SS</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/liover-peguero-678894" target="" rel="noopener">L Peguero</a> (R) 2B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/rowdy-tellez-642133" target="" rel="noopener">R Tellez</a> (L) DH</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/henry-davis-680779" target="" rel="noopener">H Davis</a> (R) C</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/edward-olivares-658668" target="" rel="noopener">E Olivares</a> (R) CF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/jake-lamb-571875" target="" rel="noopener">J Lamb</a> (L) RF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/gilberto-celestino-665482" target="" rel="noopener">G Celestino</a> (R) LF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/alika-williams-675961" target="" rel="noopener">A Williams</a> (R) 3B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/joe-perez-669309" target="" rel="noopener">J Perez</a> (R) 1B</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Need to bide the time until first pitch?</h2>
Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio as the crew talks about all the happenings in Toronto and beyond.

https://open.spotify.com/show/00f5Twxj4i9KG1WXzdOiG1?go=1&amp;sp_cid=b3195c716641dffe5ac518f4b2755cdc&amp;utm_source=embed_player_p&amp;utm_medium=desktop&amp;nd=1

<hr />

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/zjlaing">@zjlaing</a>, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.

<hr />

<h2 class="mb-5 text-2xl font-bold" style="text-align: center;"><a class="text-accent" href="https://switchboard.actionnetwork.com/offers?affiliateId=931&amp;campaignId=6242&amp;context=web-book-review-page&amp;stateCode=ON&amp;propertyId=324" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ARTICLE PRESENTED BY BETANO</a></h2>
<a href="https://www.betano.ca/sport/baseball/north-america/mlb/1662r/"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-61491 size-full" src="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/04/Betano_ON_Base_727x404-1.png" alt="" width="727" height="404" /></a>

GDB -18.0: Toronto Blue Jays enter second half of Spring Training as opening day nears

Recent articles from Zach Laing

Breaking News