Blue Jays Notes: One Key Offensive Issue Remains, Starting Rotation Needs Help
In this story:
The fact that the Toronto Blue Jays are a pair of games under .500 is more than respectable after the roster had been dismantled by injuries. However, the ballclub could easily be above that barrier right now, injured or not.
It feels safe to say that this team could be a 20-win team had they been able to capitalize with runners in scoring position- the biggest issue for the '25 Jays and the current problem for the '26 Jays.
The issues with RISP are highlighted by the Blue Jays latest 4-3 loss against the Minnesota Twins, as Toronto had another opportunity for a comeback win, but nobody could capitalize, which led to a dreadful 1-for-7 stat line with runners ready to score.
#BlueJays lose, 4-3.
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) May 3, 2026
Kazuma Okamoto homered again, but the offence couldn’t do much else against the Twins’ bullpen.
They’re 16-18.
On top of the offensive issues, the Blue Jays are begging for another arm in the starting rotation, even though Trey Yesavage is finally back. The pitching staff has been without so many players and fielding a consistent lineup has been difficult.
While the ballclub cannot rush a rehab process by any means, they might eventually have to look elsewhere. Management isn't quite there just yet, but with Jose Berrios' latest Triple-A outing and multiple guys still sitting on the injured list, options are limited.
Runners in Scoring Position Problems are Persistent For Blue Jays
Two major hitting breakdowns regarding RISP and the Blue Jays immediately pop out: RISP with two outs and RISP when Toronto is ahead. Both are not good.
If there are a pair of outs on the board, the team as a unit is hitting well below .200 at .190 with an OPS of .500, as both the on-base and slugging percentages are under .270. If the Jays are ahead, the slash line is a little better, but nowhere near great.
In the year, if Toronto is winning the game and there are players ready to score, they are hitting a .213 with a sub-.300 on-base percentage. If the Blue Jays want to make a real run in the postseason, this has to be an aspect of their game that sees monumental improvement.
Gausman and Cease Not Invincible
To begin the season, both Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease were emerging as potential Cy Young contenders, as neither had blinked, which was crucial for the success of this team. But they cannot do it alone.
Dylan Cease, 99mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/0DUKyuWp1a
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 27, 2026
Cease and Gausman still lead the team in ERA as they both hover right around 3.00, but reinforcements would help change the dynamic of this rotation and take some pressure off the team when these two start, as it won't feel like life or death if an L comes at the end.
It is baffling how this team is still winning games without so many on the roster, but mediocre isn't what this club is after. There is still plenty to address as everyone gets healthy, and that goes for both the offense and the defense.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.