July 21 Gameday: Kevin Gausman gets the ball as Blue Jays try to even series with Rays

Photo credit: © Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Jul 21, 2026, 16:27 EDT

The Toronto Blue Jays are in desperate need of a win.

Monday night’s 7-1 loss against the Tampa Bay Rays dropped the Blue Jays a season-worst eight games below .500, and with only 12 games left to play before Major League Baseball’s trade deadline, time appears to be running out on 2026’s playoff hopes.

Over the past three games, the Blue Jays have been held to two runs, and coupled with a three-error game in the field on Monday, the club appears to be playing its worst brand of baseball at the wrong time.

Per FanGraphs projections, the Blue Jays’ playoff odds sit at 11.4%, and while a Boston Red Sox-esque winning streak could completely turn that number around, the 2026 version of the Blue Jays haven’t shown any signs that they have a big win streak in them.

Looking to snap their two-game slide, the Blue Jays will hand the ball to veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman. Through 20 starts this season, Gausman is 4-8 with a 4.33 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. The 35-year-old has struck out 116 batters across his 112.1 innings pitched and held opposing teams to a .244 average in that span.

A free agent at season’s end and coupled with the Blue Jays’ 46-54 record, this has the potential to be Gausman’s final start at Rogers Centre if management chooses to go down the route of selling.

One player who has given Gausman fits in his career is Rays leadoff man Yandy Díaz. Over 18 at-bats, Díaz is a career .389 hitter with one home run and four RBIs. After Monday’s 2-for-5 showing, the two-time All-Star is batting .311 with 13 home runs and 57 RBIs across 95 games in 2026.

Squaring off for the Rays against Gausman will be right-hander Drew Rasmussen. Through 18 starts this season, Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 3.26 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. Named to his second straight American League All-Star team, the 30-year-old has struck out 98 batters over his 99.1 innings pitched and has limited teams to a .209 average.

July hasn’t been kind to Rasmussen over his first two starts as the right-hander has been tagged for 11 earned runs over 13.2 innings pitched, and has been hit to a tune of .382. This comes after a June in which Rasmussen had a 0.82 ERA, so maybe the Blue Jays are catching him at the right time.

Stuck on six home runs this season, and with none of those coming at home, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s frustration appears to be growing with each passing at-bat. Tuesday’s matchup between Guerrero and Rasmussen has favoured the Rays righty in the past as the Blue Jays’ slugger is hitting only .222 with one home run and three RBIs against his AL East counterpart.

Here’s how the lineups look for Tuesday’s matchup in Toronto:

Location: Toronto, Ontario – Rogers Centre

First Pitch: 7:07 PM ET

Watch/Listen: Sportsnet, SN590