No Major League Baseball team turned more heads in 2025 than the Toronto Blue Jays.
Can they carry their World Series run from last season into 2026?
We’ll find out, and it all starts Friday at home against the Athletics.
Kevin Gausman draws the opening day starting assignment.
“Anytime you get a chance to start the first game of a season for an organization, they’re showing that they have a lot of confidence in you… So, I definitely don’t take it lightly. Very honoured and humbled to be able to go out there and start the first game,” the now fifth year Blue Jay said.
“It feels like we never left, to be honest. It feels like we’re getting ready for Game 8,” Gausman added when asked following last season’s heart-breaking Game 7 World Series loss.
The Jays did announce earlier this week contract extensions for both manager John Schneider and general manager Ross Atkins who bolstered the pitching staff by signing free agent Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210-million contract, the largest in franchise history. Atkins also added pitchers Cody Ponce and Tyler Rogers.
He re-signed veteran starter Max Scherzer, and acquired third baseman Kazuma Okamoto and outfielder Jesús Sánchez.
Of course the big departure from last year’s club was infielder Bo Bichette who signed with the New York Mets.
Andres Gimenez will become Toronto’s primary shortstop, with Okamoto at third and Ernie Clement at second base.
With three starting pitchers, Shane Bieber, Jose Berrios, and Trey Yesavage,, all sidelined with injuries to start the season, Gausman, Cease, Eric Lauer, Scherzer and Ponce make up the rotation to begin 2025.
“We’re not defending anything. We’re not defending the AL East. We’re not defending the American League. We’re attacking 2026 like we did ’25. We’re trying to win the division. We’re trying to win the World Series,” Manager John Schneider said.
The offense will once again revolve around the face of the franchise in Vladimir Guerrero Jr, who’s playoff performance from last season and play at the recent World Baseball Classic has many so called experts and pundits predicting a big season at the dish for the Blue Jays first baseman.
“My confidence is at another level,” Guerrero said through interpreter Hector LeBron. Especially now that I know I’m going to be home here for a lot of years. Not just myself, but my family. When you see your family happy and comfortable, your confidence level goes way up.”
Here is the projected Toronto Blue Jays starting lineup and starting rotation – at least to open the 2026 season
1. George Springer DH
2 Daulton Varsho CF
3 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B
4 Addison Barger RF
5 Alejandro Kirk C
6 Jesus Sanchez LF
7 Kazuma Okamoto 3B
8 Ernie Clement 2B
9 Andres Gimenez SS
1 Kevin Gausman
2 Dylan Cease
3 Eric Lauer
4 Cody Ponce
5 Max Scherzer
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
