Blue Jays’ slim playoff hopes suffer severe blow with crushing loss to Orioles

Toronto had few answers for Pete Alonso, who hit two homers including decisive two-run belt in 4-3 Baltimore win

Published Sep 21, 2026  •  5 minute read

Pete Alonso of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, in Baltimore, Md. Photo by Caleb Bowlin /Getty Images

See more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source

Article content

As the injuries continue to mount and as the regular season draws closer to expiring, the Blue Jays aren’t officially done because the math says otherwise, but elimination from playoff contention is an inevitability.

Article content

Article content

Abysmal offence over the weekend in the opening two games in Texas against the Rangers cost the Jays dearly.

While they did their best to navigate through a thin pitching staff on Monday, they had no answer for Pete Alonso, who hit two homers including a decisive two-run belt off Tyler Rogers in the eighth inning to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-3 win.

Article content

Rogers had never pitched in three straight games this season until Monday, which only underscored the Jays’ dire predicament.

In a season where second-guessing has been the one constant, it would continue Monday night.

Toronto scored all of its three runs in the first inning, which also highlights another season-long theme.

Once in a blue moon, miracles happen and the Blue Jays require one in the most desperate of ways as the loss dropped the Jays 3 1/2 games back of the idle Chicago White Sox.

For the record, the Jays have five games remaining.

The following are three takeaways from the opening game of a three-game series at Oriole Park at Camden Yards that was delayed for roughly 50 minutes by rain and on a night when the Orioles hit three homers.

Trey Yesavage of the Toronto Blue Jays throws a pitch during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, in Baltimore, Md. Photo by Caleb Bowlin /Getty Images

1. Hey, hey Trey!

For the first time in more than a month, Trey Yesavage was back on a big-league mound in the wake of a knee injury that required surgery to repair his meniscus sustained in Houston while warming up for the third inning.

Article content

Article content

Not surprisingly, he was on a pitch count against an Orioles team whose playoff hopes were even slimmer than their opposition entering the night.

Predictably, Yesavage used his fastball and trademark splitter to begin his outing. Two strikeouts were recorded in the first inning, each punctuated by that splitter.

The one hit allowed during his 23-pitch first inning was an opposite-field homer by Pete Alonso on a fastball the veteran ran into for a no-doubter. For Alonso, it was his 39th dinger of the season.

Article content

Making things a bit more comfortable for Yesavage were the three runs his offence provided before he even threw a pitch.

A total of 17 pitches were needed to record three outs in the second inning, when Yesavage struck out a third batter on the night. Of the 40 combined pitches Yesavage tossed in his return, the one he would want a redo on, for obvious reasons, was the Alonso bomb.

Brendan Cellucci started the third inning and promptly struck out the side on 11 pitches by resorting to a sweeper-fastball pitch mix that had the Orioles on their heels. In the fourth, the left-hander induced a leadoff groundout to Alonso.

Gunnar Henderson turned on a fastball and sent it deep into straight-away centre for a triple. Myles Straw, who replaced Bateman, couldn’t make the play. It turned out to be Cellucci’s last pitch before Chad Dallas was summoned from the bullpen on the same day the right-hander was recalled.

In corresponding pitching moves, the Jays optioned Spencer Arrighetti to the club’s spring training complex, while Joe Mantiply was designated for assignment.

Article content

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

2. Bad break for Bateman

An offensive catalyst almost from the moment he was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a trade that sent Kevin Gausman to the Windy City, Brett Bateman has impressed at the plate and in centre field.

His routes to the ball have been clinical, his speed second to none.

In the bottom half of the second inning, Bateman used his speed to come in hard on a shallow fly ball.

Remember, rain caused a near one-hour delay and by no means was the outfield grass dry. Once Bateman completed a sliding catch to end the inning, he immediately grabbed his right knee in obvious discomfort.

Article content

Right-fielder Josh Smith came to Bateman’s aid before Jays manager John Schneider and the medical staff began to tend to Bateman, who walked gingerly off the field on his own. Ominously, he needed assistance to descend the dugout stairs before heading to the clubhouse.

Per the club, Bateman was lifted from the game because of right hip discomfort. A precautionary X-ray was negative for a fracture.

Nathan Lukes of the Toronto Blue Jays is greeted in the dugout after scoring in the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. Photo by Richard Rodriguez /GETTY IMAGES

3. Nate the great?

Granted it’s a bit of hyperbole, but Nathan Lukes has found his hitting groove.

The way he has been swinging the bat reminds one of the way Ernie Clement used to produce hit after hit last season. While Clement’s hitting has dipped, Lukes has been raking of late.

Back tightness forced Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to exit Sunday’s game in Texas against the host Rangers in the fourth inning and it kept him out of Monday’s lineup in Baltimore.

A revamped order featured Lukes in the No. 3 hole with Alejandro Kirk hitting second.

Article content

Lukes’ contact skills and Kirk’s power potential could have led to a reversal in the order, but hard to argue based on the results of the first inning when Lukes drove in the game’s first run on a single a day after knocking in two runs.

The game began with the Jays drawing back-to-back walks.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

Up Next

The game within Tuesday night’s game features Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt, the former teammates who first duelled this season about two weeks ago when Baltimore visited Toronto; that night began with Scherzer yielding a leadoff homer to Dylan Beavers two pitches into the evening; Baltimore took the game 7-4 with Bassitt earning the win; Tuesday marks the third time Bassitt will face the Jays this season; as for Scherzer, this could very well be his final start with the Jays and perhaps his last to cap off a Hall of Fame career; first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., weather permitting.

[email protected]

Read More

1. 

   What Bo Bichette said about his ex‑Blue Jays teammates and future with the Mets

2. 

   SIMMONS SAYS: Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s woeful season is one for the ages

Article content