Once again, the Toronto Blue Jays have an opportunity to win a series.

Dating back to the start of the series in Anaheim on April 20th, the Blue Jays have dropped just two series in their last 10, winning six. Wednesday afternoon’s series finale against the Miami Marlins is a rubber match, losing the Monday’s game 8-2, but responding with an 8-1 victory on Tuesday.

Starting Wednesday’s game for the Blue Jays is Kevin Gausman, who has pitched great over his last two starts. His last time out, the right-handed pitcher allowed just one earned run over six and two-thirds innings pitched, striking out eight. Those eight strikeouts are the most he’s had since his second start of the season. Over his last two starts, he’s pitched 12.2 one-run innings.

They’ll surely get a good start out of Gausman, but the Blue Jays will be in tough against the Marlins’ starting pitcher, Eury Pérez. The 23-year-old, 6’8 righty has made two career starts against the Jays, allowing just two earned runs over 12 innings of work.

On August 24th, 2025, Pérez allowed two earned runs over six innings of work, as the Marlins defeated the Jays 5-3. Two years before that, he pitched six scoreless innings, striking out nine, but the Marlins ended up losing that game 2-0.

The big news heading into this game is that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is back in the lineup, batting second and playing first base. It’s nice to see him back in action after being plunked in the elbow on Sunday’s series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Batting before Guerrero Jr. is left-handed batting outfielder Nathan Lukes, who went 3-4 with a HBP in his return to the lineup on Monday. Daulton Varsho, who is also a LHB, bats third. Jesús Sánchez, who hit the grand slam that put the Marlins away on Tuesday, bats clean up.

Kazuma Okamoto moves downs a spot and bats fourth, while another left-handed batting outfielder is in the lineup, with Yohendrick Piñango batting sixth. The rookie hit his second career home run on Tuesday. Rounding out the bottom third is Ernie Clement, LHB Andrés Giménez, and switch-hitting catcher Tyler Heineman.

Let’s set up Wednesday’s series finale against the Marlins!

Toronto Blue Jays – Kevin Gausman: 4-3 record, 3.23 ERA, 64 IP, 61 SO, 10 BB

Miami Marlins – Eury Pérez: 3-6 record, 4.91 ERA, 58.2 IP, 63 SO, 28 BB