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Instant Reaction: Andrés Giménez homers twice but Rays’ early offence too much to overcome
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Photo credit: © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
May 12, 2026, 07:30 EDTUpdated: May 12, 2026, 07:36 EDT
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The Tampa Bay Rays continued their 2026 dominance over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night. 
The Rays defeated the Blue Jays 8-5, moving their record to 4-0 against the Blue Jays this season, and dropping the Blue Jays’ overall record to 18-23 through 41 games. 
The Rays got to Blue Jays’ starter Kevin Gausman early and often on Monday, tagging the right-hander for 10 hits and seven runs (six earned) across 4 2/3 innings pitched. The Rays jumped on Gausman in the first inning, opening the top half of the game with three runs on four hits. 
In the top of the second inning, the Rays added two more runs on three hits, extending their lead to 5-0 as Gausman struggled to keep the Rays’ lineup off balance through the game’s early innings. 
Gausman was able to set the Rays down quietly in the third before the speedy Chandler Simpson wreaked havoc on the base paths during the following frame. After recording a two-out single, Simpson stayed in Gausman’s head, forcing the right-hander to use all three disengagements. The Jays’ starter was unable to pick off Simpson, advancing him to second base. Simpson didn’t stay there for long, stealing third base on the first pitch, and scoring on a throwing error by catcher Brandon Valenzuela. 
Simpson ended his night by going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two stolen bases, improving his season average to .314 and stolen base total to 14. The 14 steals place Simpson fourth overall among all MLB players. Simpson was removed following his final at-bat in the eighth inning, after he appeared to injure himself on a swing. If Simpson were to miss anytime, it would create a hole at the top of the Rays’ lineup, as Simpson has found a home in the leadoff spot. 
Jonathan Aranda had the biggest swing of the night for the Rays, launching a solo home run off Gausman, leading off the top of the fifth for his eighth home run of the 2026 season. Aranda has enjoyed hitting off the Blue Jays’ pitching staff to open 2026, going 7-for-12 with one home run and four RBIs through four games. 
Gausman turned in his worst start of the season, finishing with a pitching line of 4 2/3 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. While the result wasn’t what the 35-year-old wanted, he picked up his 2000th career strikeout in the top of the fourth inning by getting catcher Hunter Fedducia swinging on a fastball. Gausman’s career strikeout total now sits at 2002, the sixth most among active MLB pitchers. 
When Gausman takes the mound for his next start, projected to come against the Detroit Tigers, he will bring a record of 2-3, an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.09 over nine starts. 
For the second time in under a week, Drew Rasmussen tossed a quality start against the Blue Jays. The right-hander picked up the win by pitching to a line of 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, with the only damage coming off the bat of Andrés Giménez, who slammed a three-run home run to right field in the bottom of the second inning. 
Giménez was the only source of offence for the Blue Jays on Monday, following his three-run home run with a two-run shot of Rays’ left-hander Ian Seymour. The two home runs raised Giménez’s season total to five, two off the total he hit last year during his first season in Toronto. 
The Blue Jays’ shortstop has been a bright spot in an offence that has struggled for much of 2026. Giménez is batting .252 with five home runs and 23 RBIs over his first 135 at-bats through the early portion of the regular season. Giménez sits in a tie for second in home runs and second in RBIs on the Blue Jays, trailing only Kazuma Okamoto. 
The Blue Jays will look for better results on Tuesday when Patrick Corbin faces off with Shane McClanahan in a battle of the lefties. The two met last Wednesday at Tropicana Field, when McClanahan fired 5 2/3 shutout innings to help the Rays complete the sweep over the Blue Jays. 
 First pitch is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. EST at Rogers Centre. 

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