September 20 Gameday: Spencer Miles starts as Blue Jays look to avoid sweep against Rangers
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Sep 20, 2026, 13:56 EDT
The Toronto Blue Jays’ postseason hopes are dwindling by the game.
Following Saturday night’s 6-2 loss against the Texas Rangers, the Blue Jays sit 3.0 games back of the Chicago White Sox for the American League’s final Wild Card spot with seven games remaining.
After losing the first two games of the series against the Rangers, in which Dylan Cease and José Soriano both started, the Blue Jays will turn to Spencer Miles as an opener in the series finale.
Through 47 games (seven starts), Miles is 6-2 with a 2.65 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. The 26-year-old Rule 5 draft pick has struck out 87 batters across 91.2 innings and has limited opponents to a .222 average.
The last time Miles opened was on September 12 during a 7-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. During that outing, Miles turned in a pitching line of 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K and threw 44 pitches, so the right-hander could be an option for two or three innings if all goes according to plan.
Likely to follow Miles is Spencer Arrighetti. Arrighetti worked 2.2 innings in relief the last time Miles was used as an opener. Since joining the Blue Jays at the trade deadline, Arrighetti has pitched in six games (two starts) and has gone 1-4 with a 6.20 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. Arrighetti has struck out 17 batters across 20.1 frames and has been hit at a .238 clip.
Countering the bullpen day for the Rangers is right-hander Jacob deGrom. Through 29 starts this season, deGrom is 11-9 with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. The 38-year-old has struck out 194 batters over 154.1 innings and has held opponents to a .218 average.
While not many of the Blue Jays have faced deGrom, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has found some success against the future Hall of Famer in limited at-bats. Guerrero is 3-for-8 in his career against deGrom with an RBI. Over his past seven games, Guerrero is batting .308 and has an on-base percentage of .419.
Here is how the lineups look Sunday in Texas:
Location: Arlington, Texas
First Pitch: 2:35 p.m. ET
Watch/Listen: Sportsnet, SN590
Starting Pitchers
Toronto Blue Jays – Spencer Miles: 6-2 record, 2.65 ERA, 91.2 IP, 87 SO, 24 BB
Texas Rangers – Jacob deGrom: 11-9 record, 3.79 ERA, 154.1 IP, 194 SO, 39 BB
Lineups:
Blue Jays:
- Brett Bateman – CF
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – 1B
- Nathan Lukes – RF
- Kazuma Okamoto – 3B
- Sean Keys – DH
- Josh Smith – LF
- Andrés Giménez – SS
- Brandon Valenzuela – C
- Ernie Clement – 2B
Rangers:
- Wyatt Langford – LF
- Corey Seager – DH
- Josh Jung – 3B
- Ezequiel Duran – SS
- Alejandro Osuna – RF
- Jake Burger – 1B
- Nicky Lopez – 2B
- Danny Jansen – C
- Evan Carter – CF
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