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Series Recap: Blue Jays take two of three from Tigers in low-scoring series
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Photo credit: © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
May 18, 2026, 16:45 EDTUpdated: May 18, 2026, 16:52 EDT
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It may not seem like it, but the Toronto Blue Jays have lost just two series over the last month.
Both of those series losses have come against the American League East leading Tampa Bay Rays, as the Jays suffered a three-game sweep in St. Petersburg, and just barely etched out a series finale win last Wednesday in Toronto.
This past weekend, the Blue Jays hit the road again, traveling down the 401 to take on the Detroit Tigers. On Friday, the Blue Jays took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, as Andrés Giménez drove in his 24th and 25th runs of the season with an RBI single. However, after Brandon Valenzuela walked, George Springer flew out to strand two base runners.
In the third, Yohendrick Piñango hit a comebacker off Ty Madden, reaching base safely and also forcing the Tigers to turn to the bullpen again. Next up was Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who got into a 3-0 count, but popped up with the green light. Then, Piñango was picked off, giving the Tigers two free outs.
The Jays had just two more base runners that came, both reaching on a one-out single. On both occasions, the runners were erased with an inning-ending double play. Back-to-back wild pitches from Trey Yesavage allowed the Tigers to get on the board in the bottom of the third. Then a lead-off single, an error, an advancement on a groundout, and a double saw the Tigers tie the game.
Moving to the bottom of the ninth, Jeff Hoffman struck out the first batter he saw. But then Matt Vierling hit a 71 mph bloop single, stealing second base with two outs. The Blue Jays elected to walk Zach McKinstry, then Spencer Torkelson hit a walk-off double that had an expected batting average of .170. Tigers won the opener 3-2.
Things went better for the Jays from there. Saturday’s game was a bullpen day, and the Tigers didn’t get on the board until Vierling hit a home run off Braydon Fisher in the bottom of the sixth. That lead lasted a half inning, as Piñango hit his first career home run. Tied at one in the top of the tenth, Daulton Varsho hit an up-the-middle single to give the Jays a 2-1 lead, one they did not relinquish.
Mason Fluharty started the game, striking out three in an inning and a third. Spencer Miles pitched the bulk of the game, going three and two-thirds scoreless innings with five strikeouts, bringing his season ERA to 2.55. Fisher gave up the Blue Jays’ lone run, but he still has a solid 3.28 ERA. Tommy Nance pitched a scoreless inning, but was placed on the injured list ahead of Sunday’s game. Tyler Rogers also pitched a scoreless inning, dropping his ERA to 1.77.
Louis Varland’s fantastic season continued as well. He ran into some trouble in the bottom of the ninth, giving up back-to-back one-out singles, but got a force out, then struck out Colt Keith to bring the game to extras. In the bottom of the 10th, he generated two ground outs, the latter moving the ghost runner to third, before striking out Dillon Dingler to end the game.
The Blue Jays were looking to win the series on Sunday, and got off to a great start as Guerrero Jr. finally got off the schneid, hitting his third home run of the season that gave the Jays an early 1-0 lead. A wild pitch brought home Daulton Varsho for their second run of the game.
Guerrero Jr. hit a one-out single in the third, and he was promptly cashed in by Varsho thanks to an RBI triple, Varsho’s first three-bagger of the season. Jesús Sánchez drove in Varsho with a sacrifice fly.
The Jays only had four base runners from there, none of them reaching past first base. However, the Tigers managed to score just one run, getting on the board in the bottom of the eighth, far too late.
Since losing their three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks from April 17th until April 19th, the Jays have won five of the eight series they’ve played. As mentioned earlier, they lost both series they’ve played to the Rays, and split a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins.
These three games were the first of 17 straight days with a game. Next up is a four game series against the New York Yankees, the Jays’ American League East rivals that they defeated in the 2025 American League Divisional 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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