June 5 Gameday: Trey Yesavage hopes for better outing as Blue Jays host Orioles
Photo credit: © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Jun 5, 2026, 18:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 5, 2026, 18:44 EDT
After not playing an American League East opponent for the first month of the season, the Toronto Blue Jays will have a whole bunch of in-division matchups.
The first AL East series of June for the Blue Jays is a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles. It’s the first of nine consecutive home games, where they’ll also host the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees. It’s time to see if they’ll sink or swim.
Thankfully, it seems as the Blue Jays will be healthy sooner rather than later, as Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber, Yimi García, Max Scherzer, and Alejandro Kirk have or will appear in a rehab game this week. That’s good news for a team that is currently 30-33, albeit just a half game back of the wild card.
This is the second consecutive weekend that the Blue Jays are facing the Orioles. Last time, they won the first two to get to 29-29, but lost the next two, the start of a four-game losing streak. Both of Friday evening’s pitchers, Trey Yesavage and Brandon Young, pitched head-to-head last Saturday.
It’s odd to say given his 2.19 ERA and 2.45 FIP in 37 innings, but Yesavage hasn’t dominated like he did a couple of games during the 2025 postseason. On Saturday, Yesavage walked seven over his five innings of work, but only gave up one run and leaving with the Blue Jays’ leading. Getting out of trouble is a hallmark of a good pitcher.
On the other side, Brandon Young allowed two earned runs over six and two-thirds innings pitched on Saturday. The righty managed to strikeout seven, bringing his season ERA to 3.35 and his FIP to 4.34. Of the Blue Jays currently on the 26-man roster, Jesús Sánchez has had the greatest success against the non-drafted free agent.
Sánchez returns to the starting lineup and bats sixth. He’s one of four left-handed batters in the lineup, as Nathan Lukes bats second, Daulton Varsho cleanup, and Andrés Giménez eighth. George Springer leads off, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits third, and the scorching hot Ernie Clement bats fifth.
Kazuma Okamoto leads the team with 13 home runs, and he’s batting seventh after clean up duties on Thursday. Brandon Valenzuela is the backstop set to catch Yesavage’s game.
Let’s set up Friday’s series opener!
Location: Toronto
First Pitch: 7:07 PM ET
Watch/Listen: Sportsnet One, SN590
Starting Pitchers
Toronto Blue Jays – Trey Yesavage: 2-2 record, 2.19 ERA, 37 IP, 39 SO, 17 BB
Baltimore Orioles – Brandon Young: 3-1 record, 3.35 ERA, 43 IP, 33 SO, 17 BB
Lineups:
Blue Jays:
- George Springer – DH
- Nathan Lukes – RF
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – 1B
- Daulton Varsho – CF
- Ernie Clement – 2B
- Jesús Sánchez – LF
- Kazuma Okamoto – 3B
- Andrés Giménez – SS
- Brandon Valenzuela – C
Orioles:
- Taylor Ward – LF
- Gunnar Henderson – SS
- Adley Rutschman – C
- Pete Alonso – 1B
- Samuel Basallo – DH
- Coby Mayo – 3B
- Colton Cowser – RF
- Leody Taveras – CF
- Jackson Holliday – 2B
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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