After taking a thrilling series in Philadelphia and winning four consecutive three-game series, the Toronto Blue Jays travelled home to begin arguably the toughest stretch of their schedule thus far in 2026.

Thirteen straight games against division rivals, starting with the hottest team in baseball, the Boston Red Sox. If there was ever a time for this Jays club to prove they can remain in the Wild Card hunt, now is that time. The first game of this series didn’t go smoothly, but they managed to get the job done, picking up a 2-1 win and holding Boston’s offence to just one run on six hits.

Jameson Taillon got the ball for Toronto, making his first start at the Rogers Centre as a Blue Jay, coming off a subpar outing in Houston where he displayed shaky command at best. Finally back on a regular starter’s schedule, Taillon was masterful Monday night, holding the Red Sox to just one hit over four scoreless innings, striking out three. Unfortunately for the veteran right-hander, after completing the fourth inning, he appeared to be dealing with discomfort in his forearm and was subsequently removed from the game after throwing just 61 pitches.

As a result, the recently called-up Simeon Woods Richardson entered the ballgame in place of Taillon, making his first appearance with the Blue Jays since June 25. Given his inconsistencies this season, Woods Richardson did a formidable job keeping the Red Sox offence at bay, allowing just one run over three innings and striking out two. How the Red Sox scored that run, though, was where the confusion set in for this game. Ceddanne Rafaela was up with one out and two runners on base in the top of the seventh inning, when on the first pitch he flew out to centre field, which would have scored Anthony Seigler from third base via a sacrifice fly.

Instead, Seigler and Nick Sogard, running at first base, both started running as though there were two outs, which was evidently what had been shown on the jumbotron. Naturally, the ball was thrown to first to get Sogard out on an inning-ending double play, yet the call was later overturned, allowing Seigler to score and bringing the Red Sox to within one at 2-1. It took an extensive delay before a verdict was reached, and though it would be reasonable to assume Seigler should have been out due to not tagging up on a fly ball with one out, given the Jays did not appeal, the Red Sox were granted a run. A strange play that, in the end, had no impact on the outcome of the game.

Sonny Gray got the ball for the Red Sox, coming off a fantastic outing against the White Sox where he tossed six scoreless innings, striking out eight, en route to a victory. He cruised through his first four innings of work tonight before another recent call-up, Charles McAdoo, launched his second career home run to right field, giving the Jays a 1-0 lead at the time.

Then in the sixth inning, Andrés Giménez came up in the clutch once again, scoring George Springer on a single to right field, scoring the Jays’ second and final run of the night. Tyler Rogers worked a clean eighth inning before Louis Varland collected his 25th save of the season, securing a victory in the first of a four-game set.

It will be Dylan Cease on the mound for the Blue Jays tomorrow, going up against the first of three lefties the Red Sox will throw this series, Patrick Sandoval. First pitch flies at 7:07 p.m. EST, as Toronto looks to establish, at minimum, a series split.