It&#8217;s safe to say that this might be one of the most important games of the year for the Toronto Blue Jays.

And while yes, it&#8217;s only game 70 of the season, the Jays have a chance to do something they haven&#8217;t yet this year: win a series against the Baltimore Orioles.
A win today would not only give them the series here, but it would mark their third series win against AL East teams all season. They previously won a three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays two games to one, and another against the New York Yankees two games to one, each coming back in April.
But as May came around, Toronto dropped consecutive series against Boston (0-4), New York (0-4), Baltimore (0-3) and Tampa Bay (1-3) in downright ugly fashion.
Going 6-15 against your division opponents is far from a great thing at this time of year, and so far in this series against Baltimore, they tacked another win and another loss to that record.
Yusei Kikuchi takes the mound for the Jays this morning opposite of Tyler Wells for the Orioles for a little day game action.
First pitch: 1:05 p.m. EST
Weather: 27C. Winds 8 km/h pushing left to right.
Toronto Blue Jays: 38-31, 10.0 GB, 1.0 WCGB, +22 DIFF.
Baltimore Orioles: 42-25, 5.0 GB, +4.0 WCGB, +41 DIFF.
<a href="https://www.betano.ca/sport/baseball/north-america/mlb/1662/">Odds via Betano:</a>
Moneyline: TOR +107; BAL -125.
Starting pitchers:
TOR: Yusei Kikuchi LHP — 6-2, 13 GS, 66.1 IP. 4.34 ERA, 5.87 FIP, 1.342 WHIP, 8.7 K/9, 0.3 bWAR.
BAL: Tyler Wells RHP — 5-3, 12 GS, 75.0 IP. 3.24 ERA, 437 FIP, 0.853 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, 1.9 bWAR.
Lineups: 

<table style="border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%">
Toronto 
<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/george-springer-543807" target="" rel="noopener">G Springer</a> (R) DH</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/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/vladimir-guerrero-jr-665489" target="" rel="noopener">V Guerrero Jr.</a> (R) 1B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/whit-merrifield-593160" target="" rel="noopener">W Merrifield</a> (R) 2B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/matt-chapman-656305" target="" rel="noopener">M Chapman</a> (R) 3B</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/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/cavan-biggio-624415" target="" rel="noopener">C Biggio</a> (L) RF</li>
</ol>
</td>
<td style="width: 50%">
Baltimore
<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/austin-hays-669720" target="" rel="noopener">A Hays</a> (R) LF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/adley-rutschman-668939" target="" rel="noopener">A Rutschman</a> (S) DH</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/anthony-santander-623993" target="" rel="noopener">A Santander</a> (S) RF</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/gunnar-henderson-683002" target="" rel="noopener">G Henderson</a> (L) 3B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/ramon-urias-602104" target="" rel="noopener">R Urías</a> (R) 1B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/james-mccann-543510" target="" rel="noopener">J McCann</a> (R) C</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/jorge-mateo-622761" target="" rel="noopener">J Mateo</a> (R) SS</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/joey-ortiz-687401" target="" rel="noopener">J Ortiz</a> (R) 2B</li>
<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/ryan-mckenna-663630" target="" rel="noopener">R McKenna</a> (R) CF</li>
</ol>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Need to bide the time until first pitch?</h2>
<a href="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/2023/06/12/bjn-radio-ep-152-looking-for-arms-vladdys-puzzling-home-and-away-splits-an-all-star-update-and-more/">Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio</a> as the crew talks about the Jays&#8217; latest series against the Minnesota Twins and so much more.
<iframe title="Spotify Embed: Looking for arms, Vladdy&amp;apos;s puzzling home and away splits, an All-Star update, and more!" 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/episode/0OBsSG7AMZ5SkD2XSYeyzJ?utm_source=oembed"></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 />
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It's safe to say that this might be one of the most important games of the year for the Toronto Blue Jays.



And while yes, it's only game 70 of the season, the Jays have a chance to do something they haven't yet this year: win a series against the Baltimore Orioles.

A win today would not only give them the series here, but it would mark their third series win against AL East teams all season. They previously won a three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays two games to one, and another against the New York Yankees two games to one, each coming back in April.

But as May came around, Toronto dropped consecutive series against Boston (0-4), New York (0-4), Baltimore (0-3) and Tampa Bay (1-3) in downright ugly fashion.

Going 6-15 against your division opponents is far from a great thing at this time of year, and so far in this series against Baltimore, they tacked another win and another loss to that record.

Yusei Kikuchi takes the mound for the Jays this morning opposite of Tyler Wells for the Orioles for a little day game action.

First pitch: 1:05 p.m. EST

Weather: 27C. Winds 8 km/h pushing left to right.

Toronto Blue Jays: 38-31, 10.0 GB, 1.0 WCGB, +22 DIFF.

Baltimore Orioles: 42-25, 5.0 GB, +4.0 WCGB, +41 DIFF.

<a href="https://www.betano.ca/sport/baseball/north-america/mlb/1662/">Odds via Betano:</a>

Moneyline: TOR +107; BAL -125.

Starting pitchers:

TOR: Yusei Kikuchi LHP — 6-2, 13 GS, 66.1 IP. 4.34 ERA, 5.87 FIP, 1.342 WHIP, 8.7 K/9, 0.3 bWAR.

BAL: Tyler Wells RHP — 5-3, 12 GS, 75.0 IP. 3.24 ERA, 437 FIP, 0.853 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, 1.9 bWAR.

Lineups: 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%">
Toronto 

<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/george-springer-543807" target="" rel="noopener">G Springer</a> (R) DH</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/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/vladimir-guerrero-jr-665489" target="" rel="noopener">V Guerrero Jr.</a> (R) 1B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/whit-merrifield-593160" target="" rel="noopener">W Merrifield</a> (R) 2B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/matt-chapman-656305" target="" rel="noopener">M Chapman</a> (R) 3B</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/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/cavan-biggio-624415" target="" rel="noopener">C Biggio</a> (L) RF</li>
</ol>
</td>
<td style="width: 50%">
Baltimore

<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/austin-hays-669720" target="" rel="noopener">A Hays</a> (R) LF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/adley-rutschman-668939" target="" rel="noopener">A Rutschman</a> (S) DH</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/anthony-santander-623993" target="" rel="noopener">A Santander</a> (S) RF</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/gunnar-henderson-683002" target="" rel="noopener">G Henderson</a> (L) 3B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/ramon-urias-602104" target="" rel="noopener">R Urías</a> (R) 1B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/james-mccann-543510" target="" rel="noopener">J McCann</a> (R) C</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/jorge-mateo-622761" target="" rel="noopener">J Mateo</a> (R) SS</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/joey-ortiz-687401" target="" rel="noopener">J Ortiz</a> (R) 2B</li>
 	<li class="starting-lineups__player"><a class="starting-lineups__player--link" href="https://www.mlb.com/player/ryan-mckenna-663630" target="" rel="noopener">R McKenna</a> (R) CF</li>
</ol>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Need to bide the time until first pitch?</h2>
<a href="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/2023/06/12/bjn-radio-ep-152-looking-for-arms-vladdys-puzzling-home-and-away-splits-an-all-star-update-and-more/">Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio</a> as the crew talks about the Jays' latest series against the Minnesota Twins and so much more.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0OBsSG7AMZ5SkD2XSYeyzJ

<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 />

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GDB 70.0: Toronto Blue Jays look to steal series from Baltimore Orioles

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