Blue Jays Line Up Their Best Arms for Series vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
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The Toronto Blue Jays are coming off a tough series on the road against the Chicago White Sox, getting swept in all three games. They've lost four straight and now head back to the Rogers Centre to host what could very well be considered Game 8 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
This is the first time these two franchises have faced off since the Fall Classic, only this time, the Blue Jays are looking to take the series. Their best chance at winning comes from starting pitching, and they're rolling out the best three options on the roster to get the job done.
Game 1, April 6 - LHP Justin Wrobleski vs. RHP Max Scherzer
No one is better suited to start this series for the Blue Jays than Max Scherzer. Scherzer took the ball to start the deciding Game 7 battle between Toronto and Los Angeles, and will now look to have a similar performance against this baseball juggernaut in April.
Scherzer pitched in 4.1 innings, allowing four hits, one run, one walk, and striking out three in Game 7. So far this season, the Toronto veteran threw six innings against the Colorado Rockies, allowing one run on four hits, striking out four along the way.
Game 2, April 7: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. RHP Kevin Gausman
Kevin Gausman got 2026 started on the right foot. In two starts for the Blue Jays thus far, Gausman has won both games, holds a 0.75 ERA and has struck out 21 batters. He's going to need another start that replicates his previous two if he wants to lead Toronto past the Dodgers.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be a tall task for the Blue Jays' offense, but so long as Gausman keeps them in the game, the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr or George Springer, just to name a few, will be prepared to take command offensively.
Game 3, April 8: RHP Shohei Ohtani vs. RHP Dylan Cease
The Blue Jays spent a lot of money to bring in Dylan Cease for these kinds of games, as in the series finale, he will take the mound and try to best Shohei Ohtani. Cease went 4.1 innings against the Chicago White Sox in his recent start, as he looks to get his first taste of this new rivalry between LA and Toronto.
Shohei Ontani had a strong performance in his first game on the mound against the Cleveland Guardians, allowing one hit, but that Guardians lineup is no Blue Jays offense.
While they might not be able to secure a World Series victory over the Dodgers, the Blue Jays would love nothing more than to end their losing streak by taking down the franchise that ruined their childhood dreams.
Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.