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Series Preview: Blue Jays welcome back Bo Bichette in must-win series against Mets
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Photo credit: © Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jun 29, 2026, 16:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 29, 2026, 16:10 EDT
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It’s starting to become crunch time for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Last season, Canada Day was the peak of the regular season, sweeping the New York Yankees in a four-game series at home for the first time in franchise history. That sweep allowed them to overtake their American League East rivals, a lead they’d never relinquish.
They’ll face another team from the Big Apple this Canada Day series, the New York Mets. However, they enter this season in the polar opposite type of scenario, as they’re on a six-game losing streak and two and a half games back of a wild card spot. If the Mets sweep this series, it may be enough to turn the Blue Jays to selling before the trade deadline.
Fortunately, the Mets haven’t been particularly great either, entering the series at Rogers Centre having lost eight of their last 10 games. Let’s take a look at how they’re doing, the player to watch, and other notables for this three-game series.

Examining the Mets

Past the midway point of the season, it’s safe to say that the Blue Jays have had one of the most disappointing season among any team in Major League Baseball. There’s only one team with a more disappointing season, the Mets.
After a strong start to the 2025 season, the Mets struggled to end the year and missed the playoffs entirely. A big off-season saw them land Bo Bichette and Freddy Peralta, but despite that, they enter this series with a National League East-worst 35-49 record. Over their last 10, they are 2-8 and are nearly double-digit games back of a wild card spot.
Their starting pitching has really struggled, posting a 4.82 ERA and 4.09 FIP. While the FIP sits middle of the pack, their starter ERA is fourth-worst in Major League Baseball, slightly worse than the Blue Jays’ starter ERA of 4.54. Mets’ starting pitching strikes out batters, as their 23.8 K% ranks sixth-best. They’ve also done a good job at keeping the ball in the park, as the 45 home runs surrendered are the fourth-fewest, but their 10.2 BB% is third-worst.
Getting to the Mets’ starters is paramount, as their bullpen has been a bright spot this season. Just over the midway point of the season, Mets’ relievers have a collective 3.40 ERA and 3.62 FIP, good for sixth and eighth-best respectively. Unlike the rotation, the Mets’ bullpen has an 8.1 BB% while striking out 24.1% of the batters they’ve faced, tied for seventh-best. Their bullpen has surrendered 40 home runs, tied for the 11th-most.
You can take away positives from both their starters and relievers, but the reason why the Mets are in the mess they’re in is because of their bats. Collectively, the offence is slashing .231/.300/.375 with 93 home runs. Those 93 home runs sit in the middle of the pack, but they enter this series with a 91 wRC+, tied for the third-worst in Major League Baseball.

One player to watch: Juan Soto

The Mets offence is bad, but there is one exception: Juan Soto.
This season, the outfielder is slashing .300/.406/.567 with 17 home runs in 277 plate appearances, good for a team-leading 168 wRC+ (and it isn’t particularly close). Soto rarely strikes out, entering the series with a 12.6 K%, but he also has a 15.2 BB%.
He’s not good defensively, so much so that he’s already played 25 of his 64 games as the designated hitter, but he will punish mistakes at the plate. Historically, Soto has performed well against the Blue Jays, slashing .295/.462/.590 with five home runs in 103 plate appearances.
With little protection behind him, keeping Soto in check is the way to win this series.

Quick Hits

  • Bo Bichette returns to Rogers Centre for the first time on the other team. The shortstop is batting .254/.300/.388 with 10 home runs in 367 plate appearances this season, good for a 93 wRC+. I’m sure he’ll have a nice video tribute and he deserves a standing ovation for the seven years he spent on the team. It’s just unfortunate his three-run in Game 7 wasn’t enough.
  • Bichette has had a productive June, as he’s batting .362/.376/.617 with five home runs in 101 plate appearances since June 3rd. Bichette’s 10 home runs are tied for second-most on the team, alongside Mark Vientos.
  • Former Blue Jay Marcus Semien will miss the season, as it was reported hours before Monday’s game that he’ll miss at least a month with a hip flexor strain. The Jays had a tough time containing him last season, but it’s still unfortunate to see.
  • Other than Soto, there are just three players with 150+ plate appearances and a wRC+ above 100. A.J. Ewing has 123 wRC+, Francisco Álvarez has a 108 wRC+, and Carson Benge has a 103 wRC+.
  • Starting pitching hasn’t been good for the Mets this season, and none of the starters the Jays will face have had a good season. Lefty Sean Manaea starts Monday, and he has a 4.87 ERA and 3.67 FIP in 57.1 innings pitched. He’s made just three starts this season.
  • Tuesday’s game will see youngster Nolan McLean make the start. He has a 4.03 ERA and 3.69 FIP in 89.1 innings of work. In the series finale on Canada Day, Freddy Peralta gets the ball. He hasn’t lived up to the expectations in Queens, authoring a 4.53 ERA and 4.16 FIP in 91.1 innings of work this season.
  • The Blue Jays counter with Trey Yesavage on Monday, Kevin Gausman on Tuesday, and Patrick Corbin on Wednesday. Corbin and Gausman’s last few starts haven’t been particularly encouraging, so hopefully they turn it around here.

Probable pitchers

Monday: Trey Yesavage/Sean Manaea
Tuesday: Kevin Gausman/Nolan McLean
Wednesday: Patrick Corbin/Freddy Peralta

Game times

Monday: 7:07 PM ET
Tuesday: 7:07 PM ET
Wednesday: 3:07 PM ET
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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