Blue Jays fail to secure sweep against St. Louis Cardinals

Toronto squanders quality start from Max Scherzer before imploding late in series finale as trade deadline looms

Published Aug 02, 2026  •  5 minute read

Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer pitches in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Rogers Centre on Aug. 2, 2026 in Toronto. Photo by Cole Burston /GETTY IMAGES

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Under the backdrop of Monday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline, the Blue Jays wrapped up their three-game series Sunday against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

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“Murky” is the word manager John Schneider used the other day when asked about the looming trade deadline and how it might affect his team and its ranking in the AL wildcard standings, where the Jays trail a handful of teams for the third and final playoff slot.

Deals have been made and announced, the biggest involving stud pitcher Tarik Skubal being shipped out of Motown to Los Angeles as the two-time reigning champions add to their star-studded lineup.

Tampa had reportedly acquired right-hander Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets.

Additional deals will follow and continue to spill into Monday when activity is expected to heat up in the hours and minutes leading up to 6 p.m.

Arguably the Jays’ biggest area of concern is on offence.

Sunday against St. Louis starter Matthew Liberatore, the Jays managed one hit, while striking out seven times across six innings.

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Toronto fared much better against reliever George Soriano, the second relief pitcher the Jays faced on the day, by scoring the tying run on a two-out double by Luis Urias in the eighth inning.

In the ninth, Louis Varland gave up two singles and a walk without recording an out as the Cardinals regained the lead.

A second run would score on a two-out throwing error by Urias.

Two additional runs would follow as Varland had his worst appearance of the season, while Urias had his worst moment in the field.

The following are three takeaways on a day the Jays fell 5-1 to the Cardinals, who avoided getting swept.

1. Springer audition?

There isn’t much George Springer hasn’t experienced or seen in a career highlighted by a World Series win with the Houston Astros when he was named MVP.

The three-run Springer dinger that propelled the Jays over Seattle in Game 7 of last year’s ALCS will be etched in franchise history.

As a 10-and-5 player (10 years of experience, the past five seasons with the same team), Springer can veto any trade.

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There’s no question Springer has been raking, and the numbers support his surge at the plate, and there’s no question any team in need of a right-handed bat would welcome the veteran.

Interestingly, curiously, pick the word of your choice, Springer started in left field for only the second time this season.

Immediately, the move was viewed as a way for the Jays to audition Springer to any would-be suitor, which, one supposes, does make sense at some level.

Springer has been used primarily at DH.

Having him play in the outfield, in theory, does show teams that he can still defend.

In the seventh inning, Springer hit a one-out triple off Cards reliever Ryne Stanek.

Springer would be left stranded.

2. Mad Max on track

Born in St. Louis, future first-ballot hall of famer Max Scherzer entered the day poised to move into baseball’s top-10 career-list in strikeouts.

Sitting in the 10th slot is the legendary Walter (The Big Train) Johnson, who recorded, at least among many observers and chroniclers of the sport, 3,509 Ks.

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Scherzer sat at 3,507 and added to his career total when he retired the leadoff hitter on a strikeout.

Adding a wrinkle to this K chase was news from Elias Sports Bureau, MLB’s official statistician,

that had The Big Train at 3,515 strikeouts.

Johnson pitched some 100 years ago, which might help explain the confusion.

Be that as it may, the first inning ended on a called strike as Mad Max officially recorded strikeout No. 3,509.

For Scherzer, Sunday’s start was his eighth of the season and 25th overall for the Jays.

At 42 years old, a milestone birthday he celebrated last week in Washington where Scherzer started against his former team he helped lead to a World Series, Scherzer has not lost and figures never to lose any of his competitive spirit.

A true gamer and the ultimate pro, his time in Toronto, while it might be coming to an end, will forever be remembered for last fall’s gutty and feisty effort.

Scherzer recorded his third strikeout Sunday afternoon in the third inning, but he also gave up the game’s first run in the frame on a two-out double, the Cards’ first hit off Scherzer.

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In the fourth, Scherzer recorded his fourth strikeout.

Through four innings, Scherzer’s pitch count stood at 50, a far cry from his 75-pitch outing last week when he managed 2.2 innings in his return from the injured list.

He began the fifth inning by notching his fifth strikeout to give Scherzer career-K 3,512.

In the sixth, Scherzer had runners on the corner with two outs.

A wild pitch advanced the runner to second.

He fielded a bouncer and threw over to first base to end the inning, marking the third time this season, and first since mid-April, Scherzer had given the Jays six complete innings.

Whether it was his last start for the Jays will soon be made clear.

About the time Scherzer was walking off the mound to end his day, the Jays announced they had acquired starter Jameson Taillon from the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later or cash.

Earlier in the week, the Canadian had been DFAed.

Taillon, 34, posted a 5.92 ERA in 15 starts with the Cubs this season.

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His acquisition does raise the distinct possibility the Jays will be shipping out a pitcher.

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3. Homerless and counting

The Jays played their 59th home game Sunday.

Do the math and the numbers say the Jays have 22 remaining home dates.

At no point this season has Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gone deep at home.

He entered Sunday with six homers on the season.

His last belt at home came last season on Aug. 17 in a 5-4 win over Arizona.

In 2025, Vlad Jr. hit 23 homers during the regular season, including 12 at home.

Sunday, he struck out swinging in the first at-bat.

In his second, Vlad Jr. struck out looking.

He challenged the call, but it was confirmed.

With Springer starting in left field, Vlad Jr. DHed.

Vlad Jr., by the way, struck out for the third time on a foul tip to end the sixth inning.

He grounded out to end the eighth, stranding a runner in scoring position.

Up Next

Once the trade deadline expires, play resumes for the Blue Jays, who open a seven-game road trip in H-Town Monday night (8:10 p.m. first pitch) against the host Astros. Houston took a three-game series 2-1 in late June when the Jays completed a season-long 10-game homestand by going a disappointing 3-7, two wins produced against a woeful Mets team.

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