Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Turns clock back in season finale
Rotowire
Scherzer (4-9) notched the win Sunday against the Reds, striking out seven while allowing one run on six hits and one walk in seven innings.
In what may have been his final major-league start, Scherzer put forth a vintage display Sunday. The future Hall of Famer worked seven innings for just the second time all year, generating an outstanding 19 whiffs and emptying the tank for a season-high 114 pitches on just three days' rest. Scherzer, 42, is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and he'll decide over the winter if he's ready to hang up his cleats following a decorated 19-year big-league career. He appeared to be on his last legs in the first half, working to a 10.23 ERA and 1.73 WHIP over 22 innings before the All-Star break, but Scherzer did show signs of life with a 4.16 ERA and 1.20 WHIP across 62.2 frames after the break.
Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero: On bench for season finale
Rotowire
Guerrero is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds.
On the heels of an AL pennant run last fall, Guerrero disappointed in a major way in 2026, with his OPS falling 160 points to .688. Recent comments about his performance and contract drew the ire from the Toronto fanbase, but he quickly walked those comments back. Charles McAdoo will draw the start at first base in the season finale.
Blue Jays' Brett Bateman: On base three times in return
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Bateman went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double in Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Reds.
Out of the starting lineup the last three games due to a sore hip, Bateman slotted back in atop the order as the center fielder and looked none the worse for wear. The 24-year-old has had a dazzling big-league debut since earning a promotion in early August, slashing .325/.400/.422 in his first 40 games with two homers, three steals, 11 RBI and 27 runs, and while he's made a strong case for a starting role in 2027, Bateman will be hard-pressed to repeat his .403 BABIP over a full campaign.
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Blue Jays' Trey Yesavage: Limited workload in Saturday's start
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Yesavage (5-6) took the loss Saturday as the Blue Jays fell 5-1 to the Reds, allowing one run on two hits and one walk over two innings. He struck out three.
The 23-year-old right-hander was able to make two abbreviated starts in the final week of the season after returning from minor knee surgery, with Yesavage getting limited to just 30 pitches (19 strikes) Saturday. He pitched well in his two frames, but a solo shot by JJ Bleday in the second inning put Cincinnati in the lead for good. Yesavage ended his first full season in the majors having thrown 97.2 innings over 20 starts while producing a 3.69 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 97:47 K:BB, giving him a baseline to build from in 2027.
Blue Jays' Spencer Miles: Stellar showing in latest short start
Rotowire
Miles struck out four and allowed two hits and no walks over three scoreless frames in a start during last Sunday's 7-2 win over the Rangers.
Drawing his eighth start of the season, Miles was sharp but was limited to 46 pitches since he's been mostly used in a relief role since the All-Star break. The Blue Jays haven't used Miles since last weekend, but he could be a candidate to pitch multiple innings in bulk relief in one of the team's final two games of the season against the Reds. The Blue Jays have named Trey Yesavage and Max Scherzer as their starters for Saturday and Sunday, respectively, and both are likely to be operating with limited workloads.
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Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Starting Sunday
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Scherzer will start Sunday's regular-season finale against the Reds, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Scherzer said that he's still undecided about whether he'll retire after this season, but he'll officially get to make at least one more start on a big-league mound before he hangs up his cleats. The 42-year-old hasn't been particularly effective this season, posting a 6.14 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across 77.2 innings, but facing a Reds offense that's turned in a .690 OPS since the beginning of September could allow him to end his Hall of Fame career on a high note.
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Blue Jays' George Springer: Sitting down Saturday
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Springer isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Reds.
Springer will grab a seat on the bench after going 0-for-5 with a strikeout and a run scored in Friday's win. His absence will put Vladimir Guerrero at the DH spot, opening up first base for Sean Keys.
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Blue Jays' Brett Bateman: In Saturday's lineup
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Bateman (hip) will start in center field and bat leadoff Saturday against the Reds.
Bateman has missed three consecutive starts, but after entering Friday's game off the bench, he'll return to the starting nine for Toronto's penultimate regular-season contest. The 24-year-old has found consistent success at the plate since debuting in early August, slashing .318/.392/.411 across 173 plate appearances.
Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Drives in three runs Friday
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Okamoto went 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI during the Blue Jays' 6-5 win over the Reds on Friday.
Okamoto helped the Blue Jays jump out to an early 2-0 lead with an RBI double in the first inning before contributing two more runs in the seventh to tie the game up at 5-5. It was the 10th time this season (and second time in September) that Okamoto drove in at least three runs in a game. His 33 home runs and 92 RBI are both second-most in the majors among rookies this season behind Munetaka Murakami (35 home runs) and Sal Stewart (111 RBI).
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Blue Jays' Jose Soriano: Poor end to 2026 season
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Soriano did not factor into the decision Friday against the Reds, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out two across three innings. He did not issue a walk.
Soriano was handed an early 2-0 lead, but he proceeded to give up a solo homer to Eugenio Suarez in the second inning before yielding four more runs in the third. Soriano did not come back out for the fourth inning, with his night ending with only 48 pitches (36 strikes), but he escaped with the no-decision after his Blue Jays teammates tacked on four runs in the seventh. He's given up at least four earned runs in each of his last three outings, and Soriano will end the 2026 regular season with a 12-8 record across 32 starts, along with a 3.91 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 169:73 K:BB over 177.1 innings. He was acquired by the Blue Jays from the Angels in early August and is under arbitration for both 2027 and 2028.
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Blue Jays' Louis Varland: Fans two for 35th save
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Varland earned the save in Friday's 6-5 win over the Reds, striking out two batters in a scoreless ninth inning.
The Blue Jays grabbed the lead thanks to a four-run seventh inning, and Varland shut the door on the Reds in the ninth, striking out the first and last batter he faced in the frame. He's fanned two batters in five of his last six outings, and his 35 saves on the season are tied with David Bednar and Aroldis Chapman for fifth-most in the majors. Varland also sports a 1.27 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 78 innings.
Scherzer could be the starter for the Blue Jays' regular-season finale against the Reds on Sunday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
With the Blue Jays eliminated from playoff contention, Sunday's game could be Scherzer's final start in his major-league career, in what would be in front of the home crowd at Rogers Centre. It hasn't exactly been the final season that the veteran right-hander has hoped for, with Scherzer sporting a 3-9 record (across 17 starts) with a 6.14 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across 77.2 innings. Still, Sunday's matinee would be the opportunity for Scherzer to end his career on a high note, assuming he hangs up the cleats during the offseason.
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Blue Jays' Dylan Cease: Anticipates normal offseason
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Cease (shoulder) said Friday that he anticipates having a relatively normal offseason, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Surgery was ruled out, but Cease will take some downtime over the next several weeks to allow the inflammation in his shoulder to subside. He still expects to be ready for the start of spring training in 2027. A Cy Young candidate throughout much of the campaign, Cease finishes the 2026 season with a 2.40 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 239 strikeouts across 29 starts and 169 innings.
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Blue Jays' Brett Bateman: Expected back Saturday
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Bateman (hip) is expected to return to the starting lineup Saturday against the Reds, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Bateman left Monday's game with right hip discomfort and has not seen the field since, but he is making progress and it sounds like he will play again this weekend, even with the Blue Jays now officially out of playoff contention. Depending on how Bateman responds to pregame work Friday, he could be available off the bench for the series opener against Cincinnati.
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Blue Jays' Anthony Santander: Won't return in 2026
Rotowire
Santander (shoulder) will not be returning to the Blue Jays this season, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Santander had been working his way back from left shoulder surgery, advancing to a rehab assignment earlier this month. However, he had a back issue crop up during his assignment, and the Blue Jays ultimately decided to have him get an early start on his offseason training. Santander did not make a single big-league appearance this season and has totaled just 54 regular-season games played in his first two years with Toronto.
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