The Toronto Blue Jays have set their probable pitchers for a weekend series against the Kansas City Royals, a small announcement with outsized meaning for a team still trying to climb in the American League wild-card race. Friday’s opener will send Jameson Taillon to the mound against Daniel Lynch at 8:10 p.m.
That matters because Toronto entered the weekend tied with the Texas Rangers at 70-71, a mark that leaves little margin for error in the chase for the final American League playoff berth. The Blue Jays also just finished a trip to the Cleveland Guardians with two straight wins after dropping the opener, cutting the gap to half a game behind the Guardians and keeping their postseason path alive.
Taillon is listed at 2-6 with a 5.68 ERA, while Lynch comes in at 4-4 with a 3.06 ERA. Saturday brings another clear matchup: Mac Scherzer against Seth Lugo at 7:10 p.m., with Scherzer listed at 2-7 and a 6.16 ERA and Lugo at 6-8 with a 5.03 ERA. The series closes Sunday at 2:10 p.m. with TBD scheduled to face Randy Dobnak, who is 2-3 with a 2.65 ERA.
For John Schneider’s club, the appeal of this series goes beyond the standings. Toronto dropped two of three at home to the Royals in August, and the rematch arrives with the Blue Jays still trying to turn a late-season chase into something more stable. The next stop after Kansas City is another road test against the Athletics in West Sacramento, which only sharpens the value of taking care of business now.
The Friday-to-Sunday rotation also shows how thin the margin is for Toronto at this point. One confirmed starter, one veteran matchup and one day still marked TBD leave the Blue Jays with some uncertainty even as they continue pressing for position. In a race this tight, the difference between staying in it and slipping back can come down to a single start.
