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Instant Reaction: Blue Jays take down Royals in series opener to run winning streak to three
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Photo credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
Sep 4, 2026, 22:45 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays are back at the .500 mark for the first time since June 22.
Following Friday’s 9-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals the Blue Jays sit at 71-71 through 142 games. 
The Blue Jays sit 1.0 game back of the Cleveland Guardians for the American League’s final Wild Card spot as the playoff chase heats up through the month of September with 20 games remaining. 
The Blue Jays’ offence got off and running early against Royals starter Daniel Lynch IV. After Lynch hit Brett Bateman with the first pitch of the game, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. slashed a one-out single to right to set up runners on the corners for Alejandro Kirk. 
Kirk followed with a single to right field to bring home Bateman and keep the line moving for Kazuma Okamoto. After falling behind 0-2 in the count, Okamoto singled to left field to bring home Guerrero and make it a 2-0 game. 
Two batters later, Ernie Clement roped his 30th double of the season down the left field line to bring home both Kirk and Okamoto and extend the Blue Jays’ lead to 4-0 before they even took the field. 
The Royals answered with a run of their own in the first inning, as Bobby Witt Jr. slugged a solo home run off Blue Jays starter Jameson Taillon for his 17th long ball of the season. 
After Guerrero singled for the second time in as many at-bats, Kirk stepped up in the top of the second inning with runners at the corners and two outs. On an 0-2 count, Kirk lined a knuckle curve from Lynch into the left centre gap to bring home both Myles Straw and Guerrero to make it a 5-1 game. 
Unfortunately for Taillon, he was removed before taking the mound in the bottom of the third inning due to right elbow discomfort. Taillon finished the contest after throwing 29 pitches and turning in a line of 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. For the second time in three starts with the Blue Jays since being acquired from the Chicago Cubs, Taillon has had to depart early due to an injury. 
Joe Mantiply entered the game to replace Taillon and tossed two shutout frames, which earned him the victory on Friday. Signed to a minor-league deal this off-season, Mantiply has pitched in 19 games with the Blue Jays this season and is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. 
After Lynch was able to settle in and keep the Blue Jays off the board over his final three frames, Toronto jumped on reliever Nolan Hoffman to open the top of the sixth inning. Clement and Nathan Lukes worked back-to-back singles before Straw dropped down a sacrifice bunt to bring home Clement and extend the lead to 6-1.
After Bateman walked to put runners on first and second with one away, George Springer drilled a 2-0 sinker from Hoffman into the right-centre gap to bring home two more runs and make it an 8-1 game. 
Sean Keys entered the game as a defensive replacement at first base for Guerrero to begin the bottom of the eighth, and the 23-year-old made the most of his lone at-bat. Keys smashed a 1-0 curveball from reliever Easton McGee 399 feet down the right field line for his second career MLB home run. 
Following Mantiply, the Blue Jays used Braydon Fisher, Brendon Little, and Michael Lorenzen. Lorenzen tossed three innings of one-run ball to pick up his 16th career save. 
The Blue Jays will look to extend their winning streak to four games on Saturday when they hand the ball to Max Scherzer. The Royals will counter with Seth Lugo. 
First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET at Kauffman Stadium.
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