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Series Recap: Blue Jays continue to lose, dropping three of four to Rays
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Photo credit: © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jul 24, 2026, 13:30 EDTUpdated: Jul 24, 2026, 13:28 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays’ latest series may be the one that broke the camel’s back.
After dropping two of three to the Chicago White Sox following the All-Star break, the Jays began a crucial four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays to kick off the week. It didn’t go great.
Monday’s game saw the Blue Jays fall 7-1. The Rays scored a run in each the second and third inning, with the Blue Jays cutting that lead in half in the bottom of the fourth. It was all the Rays from there, though, as they scored two in the fifth, one in the sixth, one in the seventh, and one in the ninth.
The Blue Jays mustered just eight hits, all singles, with Ernie Clement, Nathan Lukes, and George Springer accounting for six of them. Dylan Cease went six innings, giving up five runs (three earned), a walk, and seven strikeouts. The Rays took him deep twice.
It went from bad to worse on Tuesday, as the Jays were embarrassed 12-2. Before they even had a chance to bat, they were down 3-0. Then they surrendered two more runs in the top of the fourth, and three in the top of the fifth. The Jays scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth, but with a position player on the mound in the top of the ninth, they gave up another four runs.
Kevin Gausman had another tough start, giving up five runs (four earned) in his three and one-third innings. With the trade deadline looming, this could end up being his final start at Rogers Centre as a Blue Jay, a rather sad proposition.
Wednesday’s game did no favours in changing what they’ll end up doing at the deadline, as they fell 4-2 to the Rays to lose the series. This time, the Blue Jays got on the board first, as Springer hit a one-out grounder that drove in a run. That lead didn’t last long, with the Rays getting on the board in the following half inning.
The score stood that way until the top of the sixth, until the Rays scored three runs with some small ball, taking a 4-1 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Alejandro Kirk hit his third home run of the season, but it was too little far too late.
It wasn’t a bad bullpen day game by any means, Braydon Fisher was the lone reliever to give up an earned run, Spencer Miles bounced back with a four-strikeout game over three and two-thirds scoreless innings. Jeff Hoffman gave up three runs, all unearned, but was tagged with the loss. Louis Varland pitched another scoreless outing, shocker.
The Jays managed to salvage the series with a 3-1 victory on Thursday afternoon, so that’s good at least. With runners on first and second with two outs, Kirk hit a 0-2 single to get them on the board. The Rays responded with a run in the top of the third, but the Jays answered immediately thanks to a George Springer RBI single. In the bottom of the seventh, the Jays added an insurance run.
Shane Bieber had some tough starts shortly following being activated off the injured list, but he threw his best outing as Blue Jay in what could be his last. Over seven innings of work, he allowed one earned run, with three strikeouts and no walks. Varland picked up his 21st save of the season.
The Blue Jays will face another American League East this weekend, taking on the surging Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Red Sox’s 15-game winning streak was snapped on Wednesday, going from a 37-48 record on July 1st to entering this next series with a 52-49 record. If the Jays have any hope of making the playoffs, they’ll need a run like this.
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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