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Series Recap: Pitching shines in Blue Jays’ sweep of Athletics
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Photo credit: © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Mar 30, 2026, 11:45 EDTUpdated: Mar 30, 2026, 11:47 EDT
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This past weekend may go down as the best in Toronto Blue Jays’ history.
For the first time in 30 years, the Blue Jays have begun their season 3-0, just the third time in history. The other time, the only time they’ve won more than their first three games, was in 1992 when they started that year 6-0.
As bad as the Athletics have been over the past few seasons, they have a dangerous lineup and could well finish in the top 10 in most stats. Still that was no problem for the Blue Jays as they struck out 50 batters over the three games. That’s the most strikeouts in an Opening Series, the most strikeouts in a three-game series in Blue Jays history, and just two shy of matching the all-time record in a three-game series.
It all started with Kevin Gausman’s start on Friday. Over six innings, he gave up one hit, a home run on the lone changeup he threw in the game. More importantly, he struck out 11 batters. On the offensive side of things, the Blue Jays’ bottom of the lineup was the reason they won this game, as Andrés Giménez, Kazuma Okamoto, and Ernie Clement all had three hits. 
Giménez drove in all three runs, hitting an RBI triple in the bottom of the fifth and walking it off. He had that opportunity because Jeff Hoffman gave up another one-out home run in the top of the ninth, but struck out four in the inning of work. Louis Varland pitched an inning, giving up a hit, a walk, and striking out a batter, Tyler Rogers picked up a hold, walking a batter in his inning of work. Jays won this one 3-2.
Saturday’s game was a back-and-forth affair. The Jays took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third thanks to an RBI double from George Springer, but the A’s tied it in the top of the sixth. In the Jays’ half of the sixth, Daulton Varsho singled to drive in a run, then the Athletics’ had a five-run inning in the top of the seventh capped off by a Shea Langeliers.
Over the first 15 innings of the season, the Blue Jays had just five home runs to their name, but something changed after the grand slam. In the bottom of the seventh, the Jays got a run back, then two more runs in the bottom of the eighth. After a strikeout gave them just two more outs to play with, Alejandro Kirk hit a game-tying home run, their first dinger of the season. The two teams traded runs in the 10th, before Ernie Clement walked it off.
That wasn’t even the main story of the game, as Dylan Cease made his Blue Jays’ debut and struck out 12 batters, the most in a Blue Jays’ debut. Every reliever except for Hoffman was used in this game, with Tyler Rogers striking out two and Rule 5 selection Spencer Miles picking up the win in his debut. The Jays won this one 8-7.
Sunday’s game saw the Blue Jays defeat the Athletics 5-2. Eric Lauer was terrific, going five and one-third innings with two earned runs allowed and nine strikeouts. Braydon Fisher, Tommy Nance, Mason Fluharty, and Hoffman struck out an additional six batters for 15 in the game.
On the first pitch the Jays saw in this game, George Springer took it deep for his 64th career lead-off homer to start a game. Jesús Sánchez hit his first home run as a Blue Jay, and Okamoto hit his first career big league home run. That scored four of the five runs, with the other run coming thanks to a bases loaded walk from Addison Barger.
The Jays have a chance to go 4-0 for just the second time in franchise history, as they welcome the Colorado Rockies on Monday.
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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