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Instant Reaction: Blue Jays strand 10 base runners, lose Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Dylan Cease in 4-1 loss to Pirates
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Photo credit: © Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
May 24, 2026, 15:30 EDTUpdated: May 24, 2026, 15:55 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays dropped the series finale 4-1 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, but what transpired during the contest is more worrisome than the outcome. 
Both Dylan Cease and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left the game with injuries, continuing the injury trend the Blue Jays have been experiencing during the opening two months of the 2026 season. 
Cease was removed after throwing 76 pitches (49 strikes) and turning in a pitching line of 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. Later in the game, the Blue Jays announced that Cease had been remove with what they’re calling mild left hamstring discomfort. 
After striking out Pirates shortstop Jared Triolo to open the top of the fifth inning, Cease appeared to be shaking out his legs, which led to a visit from Blue Jays manager John Schneider and athletic trainer Jose Ministral. After throwing a few pitches under their supervision, Cease remained in the game to face Spencer Horwitz. Cease retired Horwitz on the third pitch of the at-bat on a soft line drive to second baseman Ernie Clement, but after only two more pitches, Cease was removed from the game after calling out the training staff.
Losing Cease for any period of time would be a major blow to the Blue Jays’ rotation, as the 30-year-old has opened the 2026 season on fire. Cease is 3-3 with a 3.05 ERA and 1.21, and leads Major League Baseball with 92 strikeouts over his first 62 innings pitched. 
The injury news took a greater turn for the worse in the bottom half of the fifth inning when Pirates starter Mitch Keller hit Guerrero Jr. on the right arm with a first pitch sinker clocking in at 92.1 mph. 
Guerrero immediately shook his head and walked off the field in visible discomfort. The 27-year-old was replaced by pinch-runner Lenyn Sosa after walking twice, scoring the Blue Jays’ lone run and being hit by a pitch. Later in the game, the Blue Jays announced that Guerrero was diagnosed with a right elbow contusion, with initial X-Rays coming back negative for any fracture. 
Like Cease, losing Guerrero would just further damage a roster that has clawed their way to a 25-28 record through 53 games. After going through a prolonged slump over the early portion of May, Guerrero has started to heat up, recording eight hits over his past eight games, a stretch that has seen him go 8-for-24 with one home run and three RBI’s. 
While Guerrero’s power numbers are down, he is batting .287 with three home runs, 22 RBIs and has recorded a .386 on-base percentage over his first 188 at-bats of 2026. As Addison Barger, Nathan Lukes and Alejandro Kirk all work to return to the Blue Jays, they can’t afford to lose their superstar first baseman. 
The Pirates (27-26) rode the long ball to victory on Sunday, hitting their first home runs of the series. Former Blue Jay, Horwitz, opened the afternoon by slamming the first pitch of the game into the right field seats for his fifth home run of the season. 
Oneil Cruz tagged Cease again to begin the bottom of the second inning. After getting ahead with a first-pitch slider, Cease tried to double up and was burned for Cruz’s 11th home run of the season, giving the Pirates an early 2-0 lead. 
After the Blue Jays pushed their only run of the game across the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning, via an Ernie Clement single, but Pirates rookie Esmerlyn Valdez gave them insurance with a two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth inning for both the first hit and home run of the 22-year-old’s career. Valdez drove a second-pitch sweeper from right-hander Chase Lee to the opposite field bleachers, eventually landing 345 feet from home plate.
Keller dazzled for the Pirates, stymieing a Blue Jays lineup that had scored six runs on Friday and then five more on Saturday. The 30-year-old improved his record to 5-2, and both his ERA to 3.64 and WHIP to 1.07. Kazuma Okamoto slugged a double in the bottom of the second inning, the first extra-base hit Keller has allowed to a right-handed batter this season.
The Blue Jays threatened in the bottom of the ninth inning. After Pirates reliever Gregory Soto dealt with control issues, walking both Andrés Giménez and Brandon Valenzuela with only one out, the left-hander was able to get George Springer to pop out to Triolo and then struck out Daulton Varsho swinging to end the game, picking up his fifth save of the 2026 season.  In the end, going 1-12 with runners in scoring position and stranding 10 runners sunk the Blue Jays.
Next up for the Blue Jays is a three-game series with the Miami Marlins on Monday night at Rogers Centre. Trey Yesavage is scheduled to make his sixth start of the season and is set to square off with Marlins right-hander Janson Junk. 
First pitch is set for 7:07 p.m. EST. 
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