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Series Preview: Blue Jays play Orioles for second consecutive weekend
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Photo credit: © Mady Mertens-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jun 5, 2026, 17:30 EDTUpdated: Jun 5, 2026, 18:36 EDT
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After snapping a four-game losing streak, the Toronto Blue Jays are looking to get back to .500.
Thursday’s series finale against the Atlanta Braves was a good one, as they had a three run inning in the third and a four run inning in the ninth. Facing lefty Chris Sale, the Jays found a way to win, snapping a four game losing streak.
That losing streak began in Maryland last weekend. Coming into the series with a 27-29 record, the Jays took the first two games to get back to .500 for the first time since early April. However, Jeff Hoffman blew a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth last Saturday, the start of the losing streak.
With a series sweep, which is easier said than done, the Jays can get back to .500 again.
Let’s take a look at the Baltimore Orioles.

Examining the Orioles

The Orioles continue to disappoint after tanking for half a decade. They won the division all the way back in 2014, swept the Tigers, and then were swept by the Kansas City Royals. Since then, they’ve been mediocre at best, getting walked off by Edwin Encarnación in the 2016 wild card before entering a rebuild. They won 101 games in 2023 to return to the playoffs, but were swept, as was the case in the 2024 postseason.
Then 2025 came around, as the Orioles finished with a 75-87 record, worst in the American League East. The start to the 2026 season hasn’t been much better. Like the Blue Jays, the Orioles have a 30-33 record, as both teams have been hampered by injuries two months into the season.
Offensively, the Orioles have had a solid season, slashing .240/.322/.395 with 70 home runs, with their 103 wRC+ ranking 10th in MLB. They sit just outside the top 10 in home runs, while sitting 11th in runs scored. There is some swing and miss in their bats though, as their 23.5 K% is the sixth-highest in MLB. Moreover, the Orioles are tied for the fifth-best walk rate of 10.3%.
Pitching is where they’ve been let down. Orioles starters have a 4.55 ERA, tied for ninth-worst in baseball, while their 4.58 FIP is seventh-worst. Over 63 games, the Orioles have give up 44 home runs, which is tied for 10th, while posting a 19.1 K%, fourth-worst in the league. Additionally, the Orioles’ starters have a 9.5 BB%, tied for sixth-worst.
Their relievers aren’t much better, posting a 4.73 ERA, eighth-worst in MLB. They grade out okay in terms of FIP, sitting in the middle of the pack thanks to a middling strikeout rate, walk rate, and home runs given up.
Simply put, the Jays can get to both their starters and relievers, but have to keep their offence in check.

One player to watch: Samuel Basallo

Among Orioles with 100 or more plate appearances, no player on the team has a higher wRC+ than 21-year-old catcher, Samuel Basallo.
Over his 51 games, he’s slashing .276/.342/.500, with his nine home runs with a 133 wRC+. His home runs rank third on the team, behind only Pete Alonso and Gunnar Henderson. Paired with Adley Rutschman (who is having a bounce-back season), the Orioles have one of the best catching duos in MLB.
Basallo has just 24 plate appearances against the Blue Jays, but is slashing .350/.417/.650 with a home run and three doubles. His OPS of 1.067 is the most among team he’s had at least 15 plate appearances again. Keeping his bat, as well as the other Oriole power threats, is a must for the Blue Jays.

Quick Hits

  • If the Blue Jays find a way to sweep this series, they’ll be 33-33. It’d be the second time this season they’ve defeated the Orioles to reach .500, as they took the first two against their AL East rival last week to get back to 29-29.
  • Basallo is the player to watch, but Taylor Ward, Rutschman, Leody Taveras, Alonso, and Beavers all have a wRC+ of 100 or higher. Henderson has a 93 wRC+, which isn’t great, but has hit a team-leading 13 home runs.
  • Rutschman has always been a thorn in the Blue Jays’ side. The switch-hitting catcher has 245 plate appearances against the Jays, the most against any team. His 13 home runs against the Jays are the most against any team he’s faced. That makes sense until you consider he’s had 543 inter-league plate appearances and has hit just 12 home runs. He’s hit eight long balls against the Athletics, the second-most homers against any team.
  • The Jays faced two of the three Orioles starters last week. Brandon Young, Friday’s starter, went six and two-thirds innings with two earned runs given up. Kyle Bradish was even better, hurling seven innings with just on earned run allowed. The Jays lost both these games.
  • They missed Shane Baz last week. So far this season, the 27-year-old has a 4.29 ERA and 3.92 FIP in 71.1 innings pitched.
  • As for the Blue Jays, Trey Yesavage starts Friday’s game, Kevin Gausman starts Sunday’s game, and Saturday’s game is still TBD. There’s a good chance Simeon Woods Richardson and Spencer Miles will be involved.

Probable pitchers

Friday: Trey Yesavage/Brandon Young
Saturday: Kyle Bradish/TBD (Spencer Miles/Simeon Woods Richardson?)
Sunday: Kevin Gausman/Shane Baz

Game times

Friday: 7:07 PM ET
Saturday: 3:07 PM ET
Sunday: 1:37 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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