The Toronto Blue Jays’ playoff hopes rapidly diminished over the weekend after two of three games to the Texas Rangers. Though they haven’t been mathematically eliminated, it would take a miracle to see this team playing October baseball.

The first two games in Arlington could not have gone worse, with Dylan Cease tossing just two and two-thirds innings and struggling mightily to keep his fastball above 90 mph. He is dealing with some sort of shoulder fatigue, and if the Jays do not have a realistic chance to make the postseason come the final series at home against the Cincinnati Reds, it would be wise to shut Cease down for the remainder of the season.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was removed from Sunday’s game with back tightness, adding to the unfortunate list of injuries the Jays have dealt with in 2026. Luck simply has not been on the Blue Jays’ side this season, and it may very well cost them a chance at making it back into the playoff picture.

The offence as a whole struggled across the first two games against the Rangers, scoring three runs on 11 hits and going 2-10 with RISP, before finding a way to get to two-time Cy Young winner Jacob DeGrom and score seven runs on Sunday. Inconsistencies in offensive production – apart from injuries – have arguably been this team’s greatest weak point, and it has not corrected itself one bit.

The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox remain neck-and-neck in the American League Central, with the Guardians holding a one-game lead over the White Sox for the division. Entering Monday, the Blue Jays are three games back of the final Wild Card spot in the American League, at a 77-79 record, and hold the tiebreaker against the Guardians but not the White Sox. Their magic number to be eliminated sits at three.

Trey Yesavage returns to a big league mound for the first time since August 4th, when he exited a game in Houston due to a knee injury. His lone rehab outing last week with Buffalo didn’t go smoothly, having to throw 34 pitches to get just two outs in the opening frame before being removed from the game.

Results don’t tend to be a primary focus for players working their way back from injury, and more importantly, Yesavage’s fastball got up to 93.3 mph. He’s set to face a strict pitch limit this evening of around 50 pitches, with no time to build up to a typical starter’s workload should the Jays squeak into the playoffs.

Location: Oriole Park at Camden Yards – Baltimore, Maryland

First Pitch: 6:35 p.m. ET

Watch/Listen: Sportsnet, SN590

Toronto Blue Jays – Trey Yesavage: 5-5 record, 3.65 ERA, 93.2 IP, 91 SO, 46 BB

Baltimore Orioles – Shane Baz: 6-15 record, 4.11 ERA, 173 IP, 152 SO, 60 BB