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Series Recap: Blue Jays score twice in three games against Mariners
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Photo credit: © Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jul 6, 2026, 12:15 EDTUpdated: Jul 6, 2026, 12:10 EDT
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In the most crucial road trip of the season, the Toronto Blue Jays mustered just two runs over 27 innings.
After a 3-7 home stand, the Blue Jays kicked off a three-game weekend series in Seattle, better known as Toronto West. Things started off great, as they defeated the Mariners 2-0 in the series opener on Friday. Both runs came in the top of the third, as Andrés Giménez hit an RBI double to drive in Sean Keys. Giménez himself was driven in by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. thanks to an RBI single.
Dylan Cease had a terrific start, going seven innings without giving up a run, surrendering just three hits and a walk, all while striking out nine. Jeff Hoffman pitched the bottom of the eighth, striking out two in a scoreless inning, then Louis Varland struck out a batter in a scoreless inning for his 18th save of the season.
It was downhill from there. Shane Bieber pitched a clean bottom of the first on Saturday afternoon, but the Mariners hung a five spot on the right-handed pitcher, capped off by a Randy Arozarena grand slam.
The only thing separating the Blue Jays from being perfect game’d was the lack of a diving catch attempt from Victor Robles in the top of the fifth, as Yohendrick Piñango reached on a single. Logan Gilbert pitched seven and one-third scoreless innings, striking out seven.
At the same time, the Mariners scored two runs off Bieber in the bottom of the fifth, giving them a 7-0 lead. For good measure, the Mariners scored three more runs off their former prospect, Adam Macko, then another run off Tommy Nance in what was an 11-0 loss for the Blue Jays.
As embarrassing as that loss was, the Jays still had a chance to take the series on Sunday afternoon. They did not. Guerrero Jr. hit a one-out double in the top of the first, one of his hardest hit balls this season, but was stranded after Kazuma Okamoto flew out and Alejandro Kirk grounded out.
The Mariners scored in the bottom of the third, as Okamoto spiked a relay throw into the ground, which was unfortunate as he likely would’ve had the runner trying to score. In the bottom of the fourth, Mitch Garver hit a two-run homer off Trey Yesavage.
It wasn’t a terrible start for Yesavage, going six innings with three runs allowed (two earned), two walks, and seven strikeouts. However, the Blue Jays’ offence was lethargic once again. Not only did the top of the first prove that, but so did the top of the sixth.
Piñango drew a five-pitch lead-off walk, with two of those pitches not even being close to the zone. That brought up Nathan Lukes, who grounded into a double play on a 1-0 pitch. Guerrero Jr. then took a walk, before Okamoto swung at a pitch well inside and popped out to end the inning. Aside from a lead-off runner in the ninth, that was the Jays final base runner.
There’s no more room for error this season, especially on this road trip. The Jays currently sit 42-48, three games behind the final wild card spot with the trade deadline less than a month away. If the Jays can’t sweep the 37-52 San Francisco Giants, then take at least two of three from the San Diego Padres in the final series before the All-Star break, this season is a write off.
They’ll head to the Bay Area on Monday for a three-game series.
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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