The Toronto Blue Jays went the distance last night against the Miami Marlins and found a way to secure the win. A smart play by Bo Bichette at shortstop caught former Jay Otto Lopez looking at second base as the ghost runner, and it was Tommy Nance who was able to lock down the 12th inning, sending Jays fans home happy.

The Jays are now handing the ball off to Kevin Gausman as they look for another sweep on the season.

Gausman is making his 26th start of the season and owns a 3.78 ERA and a 3.78 FIP through 147 2/3 innings this year. Coming into today’s contest, the right-hander owns an 8.7 K/9 and a respectable 2.6 BB/9, limiting the walks and keeping hitters to a tidy 7.0 H/9. He also has amassed a 1.063 WHIP.

In his last outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he allowed five hits and two earned runs over five innings of work, and he has been solid in his last three starts. Across 19 innings, he has allowed just five runs and 11 hits while walking five and striking out 15, good enough for a 2.37 ERA. A rocky start against the Royals to kick off August skewed his monthly numbers slightly (3.60 ERA, 4.19 FIP, and 10 earned runs through 25 innings), but overall, the veteran starter has been effective for Toronto this year.

Opposite Gausman today will be fireball-throwing right-hander Eury Perez.

Perez is making just his 14th start of the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery early into the 2024 season, missing all of last season. Perez has been one of the Marlins’ top arms, amassing a 3.48 ERA through 64 2/3 innings while posting a 1.005 WHIP and a 3.73 FIP in the process.

He continues to be a strike thrower and attacks the zone, evident by his 9.2 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9, and has limited opponents to a 5.7 H/9 and a .590 OPS. Perez works with five pitches, but his four-seam fastball makes up the bulk of his work (52.2%). Sitting in the upper 90s, his fastball has limited opponents to a .207 xBA. When they sit on the heater, he drops in his slider for swings and misses, evident by the 40.5% whiff rate and the .169 xBA on 21.6% usage. His fastball ranks with a +14 pitching run value, and he complements his arsenal with the curveball, changeup, and sweeper to go along with the two pitches mentioned earlier.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remains out of the lineup while he deals with a hamstring injury, and the Jays made a roster move before today’s game to get a fresh arm in the bullpen. Right-hander Paxton Schultz returns to the roster, with Mason Fluharty being optioned to Buffalo.

Location: loanDepot Park – Miami, Florida

First Pitch: 1:40 PM EST

Watch/Listen: Sportsnet / Sportsnet 590 The Fan

Toronto Blue Jays – Kevin Gausman: 8-9 record, 3.78 ERA, 147 2/3 IP, 142 SO, 42 BB

Miami Marlins – Eury Perez: 5-3 record, 3.48 ERA, 64 2/3 IP, 66 SO, 24 BB