Who Blue Jays Trust at Wrigley Field To Take Series With Left-Hander on Hill
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It has been quite an interesting series to say the least for the Toronto Blue Jays as they have practically been asleep for most of it, but this one is all tied up with the Chicago Cubs going into Sunday's matchup.
The Blue Jays seemingly had their teeth kicked in on Friday afternoon when they lost by two touchdowns after a brutal start from Kevin Gausman. But not much changed rolling into Friday as the Cubs put five up on the board before Toronto's offense showed any signs of life.
Going into the 7th inning, the Jays had been shutout, but a rally started with another quality at-bat from Myles Straw to draw a walk and roll the top back around, and a three-run homer from Daulton Varsho brought them within two.
The @BlueJays lead!
— MLB (@MLB) June 20, 2026
Kazuma Okamoto launches a go-ahead 3-run homer! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mfspnpaYTX
Then, it was Kazuma Okamoto who followed suit the following inning with a three-run shot of his own, as the go-ahead runs. But had it not been for their defense, there is no chance that they would have come back from that.
John Schneider didn't say much with his words, but made a statement when he started Daulton Varsho, Myles Straw, and Nathan Lukes out in the field for the first time this season, even though there was a right-hander on the mound.
It was the right call, and it isn't shocking that it is being made again to secure the series and head back to Toronto a .500 ballclub.
Sunday's Starting Lineup at Wrigley
It might not sound like five runs is what one would call a defensive game, but with the bases loaded back in the fourth when Patrick Corbin was pulled, Lukes made a phenomenal diving play to save more runs from being scored.
Again, it happened with Varsho in the center, where he actually completed a full somersault. Then, again, in the eighth, Straw sacrificed his body and jumped into the stone wall to make the final out of that one.
That trio was everywhere in Saturday's 8-6 win, and everybody liked what they saw, so they are back out there once again.
- DH George Springer
- 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- 3B Kazuma Okamoto
- C Alejandro Kirk
- CF Daulton Varsho
- SS Ernie Clement
- 2B Davis Schneider
- LF Jesus Sanchez
- RF Myles Straw
It seems like this might be a last-chance defensive situation for Jesus Sanchez as he is stepping into Nathan Lukes spot. It is peculiar that Sanchez is in there against the red-hot offense of the Cubs, but John Schneider is giving him another chance.
At this point, the Jays have ultimately been afraid of being a winning ballclub because every time they get close, they crumble. But Toronto showed a lot of heart Saturday afternoon, and it won't be easy, but they could head back to Canada at 39-39.
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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.