June 6 Gameday: Blue Jays look to bounce back with a bullpen game
Photo credit: © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Jun 6, 2026, 12:31 EDT
Any momentum the Toronto Blue Jays thought they had built, avoiding a sweep against the Atlanta Braves Thursday night, was thrown completely out the door 24 hours later.
The Baltimore Orioles entered Toronto on Friday for a rematch after splitting a series with the Jays last weekend and handled business, winning 13-3. The pitching finally fell to earth, and the bats just couldn’t keep up, with the Jays being outhit 13-8.
The biggest concern offensively for this team has been their lack of extra-base hit power, which was apparent in last night’s affair. A George Springer double and Brandon Valenzuela home run were the only XBH on Friday, whilst the Orioles put up five, including a home run and two doubles from Adley Rutschman.
The Jays now sit at 30-34, a game back of the Orioles in the AL East, and 1.5 games back of a wild card spot in the American League. Reinforcements are on the way, but the healthy bats have to get going if the Jays want to go on a run during their nine-game homestand.
After Spencer Miles went head-to-head with Kyle Bradish last Sunday in Baltimore, the Blue Jays will deploy a different strategy Saturday, using Miles in a bulk role following the opener Braydon Fisher. Miles has been excellent as a reliever, posting a 2.37 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. When used as a starter last weekend, he recorded his worst outing of the season to date, allowing six runs across three innings on five hits.
On the other hand, Bradish was the best starter for the Orioles in their series against the Jays last weekend, going seven scoreless innings and striking out four en route to a win. He’s currently riding a hot stretch during his last five starts, posting a 1.72 ERA across 31.1 innings with 30 strikeouts.
The Blue Jays will be without Daulton Varsho on Saturday, after being removed from Friday’s contest with left wrist discomfort.
The lineup will still feature multiple lefties, with Nathan Lukes batting second, Jesus Sanchez batting cleanup, and Andres Gimenez batting eighth. George Springer leads off, with a career .421 average against Bradish, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the three hole and the red-hot Ernie Clement batting fifth.
Kazuma Okamoto hits seventh again as he continues to lead the team in home runs, with Valenzuela catching his second straight game behind Braydon Fisher.
Let’s set up the second matchup of this series!
Location: Rogers Centre – Toronto, Canada
First Pitch: 3:07 PM EST
Watch/Listen: Sportsnet One, SN590
Starting Pitchers
Toronto Blue Jays – Braydon Fisher: 2-1 record, 2.62 ERA, 34.1 IP, 35 SO, 12 BB
Baltimore Orioles – Kyle Bradish: 3-6 record, 3.44 ERA, 65.1 IP, 65 SO, 33 BB
Lineups:
Blue Jays:
- George Springer – DH
- Nathan Lukes – RF
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – 1B
- Jesus Sanchez – LF
- Ernie Clement – 2B
- Brandon Valenzuela – C
- Kazuma Okamoto – 3B
- Andres Gimenez – SS
- Myles Straw – CF
Orioles:
- Taylor Ward – DH
- Gunnar Henderson – SS
- Adley Rutschman – C
- Pete Alonso – 1B
- Coby Mayo – 3B
- Leody Taveras – CF
- Colton Cowser – RF
- Blaze Alexander – LF
- Jackson Holliday – 2B
Breaking News
- June 6 Gameday: Blue Jays look to bounce back with a bullpen game
- Jake Bloss tosses four scoreless innings in latest rehab start in Dunedin
- Blue Jays: Max Scherzer strikes out six in final rehab outing with Buffalo
- Instant Reaction: Orioles put up 13 runs to take series opener against the Blue Jays
- Blue Jays hoping to avoid yet another IL case after Daulton Varsho departs with wrist inflammation