Blue Jays Lineup: After a Gut-Punch Loss, the Blue Jays Need Yesavage to Deliver
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The Toronto Blue Jays had the win. They had it wrapped up and almost tied in a bow. Had and almost are the keys to those sentences. Then, on Tuesday evening, they watched it slip away. This had to be one of the more painful losses of the season.
In the ninth inning, the Houston Astros rallied with three runs to force extra innings, and ultimately they found a way to win.
Wednesday’s rubber match starts at 7:07 p.m. ET with Trey Yesavage taking the mound for Toronto, where he will face off against the struggling Mike Burrows of the Astros.
The Blue Jays Silver Linings
After a rough first half of the season and being decimated by injuries, Tuesday’s loss hurt for Toronto, but despite the loss there are plenty of things to celebrate.
Starting with Luis Urias. He was activated Monday and made his Blue Jays debut. He went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. His first game with Toronto yielded a 1.400 OPS.
Daulton Varsho continued to prove he is healthy after his IL stint. He went 3-for-6 with a home run and two RBI on the night. Kazuma Okamoto added three hits and three RBI for the team. Even with all of this and the impressive performances put up by players, the Blue Jays just couldn’t hold on.
What wasn’t great? Shane Bieber. The hype around his return has been substantial, and everyone was hoping he would be a massive addition to the team that has struggled with injuries.
Bieber lasted just 3.2 innings, allowed nine hits, four earned runs and gave up three homers. He walked off the mound with an ERA of 9.82 for his first start of 2026. This was not exactly the performance anyone had hoped for.
Wednesday’s Matchup
The young star Yesavage is getting the ball in what is now a must-win situation. Looking at the two pitchers on paper, Yesavage should have the advantage.
Mike Burrows has not performed this year. He is returning to the rotation for the Astros after spending some time in the bullpen. He started the year with a 3-8 record and a 5.79 ERA. Now, with the series on the line for the Astros, Burrows will have to have the best game of his year to find the win.
Yesavage is 3-3 with a 3.76 ERA. If the Toronto offense can continue to perform as of recent, the Blue Jays have enough power to take this series.
The Final Lineup of the Series
Manager John Schneider is keeping most of the core intact for the Wednesday meeting. Springer leads off with Guerrero Jr batting third. Urias, who homered on Tuesday, drops to ninth in the order. Davis Schneider joins the crew and replaces Jesus Sanchez in left field, giving the Blue Jays another righty to face Burrows.
- DH George Springer
- RF Nathan Lukes
- 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- 3B Kazuma Okamoto
- CF Daulton Varsho
- C Alejandro Kirk
- LF Davis Schneider
- SS Andres Gimenez
- 2B Luis Urias
Toronto is 39-40 and could walk away at .500. They need this win. Before the game on Wednesday, they are 8.5 games back in the American League East and just barely holding on to a Wild Card spot.
As the Blue Jays head back home to face the Texas Rangers on Thursday, picking up this win against the Astros on Wednesday is a must.
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Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NFL, and WNBA. Laura covers the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com