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September 4 Gameday: Blue Jays roll into Kansas City looking to extend winning streak to three

Photo credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

By Michael Coyle

Sep 4, 2026, 19:10 EDTUpdated: Sep 4, 2026, 18:24 EDT

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The Toronto Blue Jays head into Kansas City looking to exact some revenge on the Royals.

On the Blue Jays’ most recent homestand, the Royals took two of three games from Toronto and appeared to put a dagger in the club’s playoff hopes. Fortunately for the Blue Jays, they responded by winning five of their next six games to bring themselves right back into playoff contention.

With a 70-71 record through 141 games played this season, the Blue Jays sit 1.0 game back of the Cleveland Guardians for the American League’s final Wild Card spot. The Blue Jays have 21 games remaining and none of their opponents they are set to play currently have a record over the .500 mark.

Looking to make it three wins in a row, the Blue Jays will hand the ball to Jameson Taillon. Taillon was activated from the 15-day injured list this afternoon after missing nearly a month with right forearm tendinitis.

Since being acquired by the Blue Jays from the Chicago Cubs on August 2 in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations, Taillon has made two starts and has posted a 3.38 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.

Taillon made one rehab start in Triple-A with the Buffalo Bisons before being activated. In his start, Taillon tossed 3.1 innings and allowed four runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two.

Albeit a small sample size, Bobby Witt Jr. is 2-for-3 in his career off Taillon with one home run and two RBIs. Slumping a bit as of late, highlighted by a .207 batting average in his past seven games, the 26-year-old is batting .283 with 16 home runs and 50 RBIs to go along with 38 steals across 122 games this season.

Countering Taillon for the Royals is left-hander Daniel Lynch IV. Through 51 games (five starts) this season, Lynch is 4-4 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Lynch has struck out 46 batters across 61.2 innings pitched and held opponents to a .202 average.

A reliever for much of the season, Lynch was shifted to the Royals’ rotation in August and the results haven’t been great to this point. Across his five starts, Lynch has thrown 15.2 innings and allowed 11 earned runs on 15 hits and seven walks.

Throughout his career, Lynch has been hit hard by many of the Blue Jays, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Guerrero is 4-for-8 with a home run off Lynch and flexed his muscle against the last lefty the Blue Jays faced in Joey Cantillo by blasting both an RBI double and a three-run home run in an 11-0 Blue Jays victory.

Here is how the lineups look Friday night in Kansas City:

Location: Kauffman Stadium – Kansas City, Missouri

First Pitch: 8:10 p.m. ET

Watch/Listen: Sportsnet, SN590