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Series Preview: Blue Jays face Athletics for the first time since season opener
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Photo credit: © D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Sep 7, 2026, 19:30 EDTUpdated: Sep 7, 2026, 19:28 EDT
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It’s been a hot minute since the Toronto Blue Jays have played the Athletics.
You have to look back all the way to late March for the last time the two teams met up. The Blue Jays won all three games of their season-opening series, but quickly fell below five-hundred about a week later.
It took until Saturday for the Blue Jays to have a record above .500, but a loss on Sunday sees them enter this series with a 72-72 record and out of the final wild card spot. The good news is that the Cleveland Guardians fell on Monday, meaning a win in the series opener will see the Blue Jays occupy the final wild card spot entering Tuesday’s slate of games.
Baseball isn’t played on paper, but the Athletics have been one of the worst teams in baseball this season, entering Monday’s affair with a 57-87 record. Their bats are solid, hitting 174 home runs this season, tied for ninth. That said, many of their best hitters, namely Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Brent Rooker, and Tyler Soderstrom, are currently on the injured list.
Of their players in the lineup, Zack Gelof is arguably the best as he comes into this series slashing .257/.321/.468 with 17 home runs in 361 plate appearances. Henry Bolte has hit at a slightly above-league level this season, while journeyman Donovan Walton is having a strong season in limited playing time.
Even with the injuries, the Athletics’ offence is still dangerous, especially at Sutter Health Park, a Triple-A ballpark. The same cannot be said about their pitching.
Entering the series opener, Athletics’ starters have a 5.40 ERA and 5.17 FIP, second-worst and worst respectively. Command has been an issue for their stars, their 10.1 BB% ranks third-worst, one spot ahead of the Blue Jays. To make matters worse (or better in the case of the Blue Jays), Athletics’ starters have given up 132 home runs, second-most in Major League Baseball this season.
Their relief pitching has also been horrendous, posting a league-worst 5.45 ERA, well ahead of the Washington Nationals’ bullpen ERA of 5.08. The Athletics’ bullpen has also surrendered 80 home runs this season, fourth-most for any bullpen in MLB.
In this series, the Blue Jays will face Jacob Lopez on Monday, Jack Perkins on Tuesday, and a pitcher to be determined on Wednesday. Lopez enters Monday’s game with a 4.71 ERA and 4.84 FIP in 105 innings, giving up 17 home runs in the process. Perkins has pitched even worse, owning a 6.50 ERA and 4.86 FIP in 98.1 innings of work, making 13 starts in his 33 appearances.
The Blue Jays counter with American League Cy Young hopeful Dylan Cease on Monday, then José Soriano on Tuesday. Like the Athletics, Wednesday’s starter is yet to be determined.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, DFOEdmonton, and DFOCalgary. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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