Blue Jays streak of series wins ends despite yet another Kazuma Okamoto blast

Japanese star's two-run homer in the ninth not enough as Toronto unable to get to .500, settling for series split

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Published May 03, 2026  •  4 minute read

Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. Photo by Bailey Hillesheim /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The whiff of prosperity that has been following the Blue Jays lately went missing in Minnesota on Sunday, despite a near-miraculous comeback.

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With an opportunity to reach .500 for the first time since April 4 (when they were 4-4), the Jays came up flat and futile through the first eight innings — before rousing for a ninth inning rally — as they fell 4-3 to the Twins.

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At least the Jays’ red-hot third baseman, Kazuma Okamoto, made things interesting in the ninth when he belted a two-run homer to pull within a run. The blast continues the terrific form of the Japanese slugger, who now has a team-best nine homers, four of them in the past three games.

A near-incredible rally fell just short after the Jays managed to get runners on first and second only to see Lenyn Sosa ground out into a double play to end the game.

The loss denied manager John Schneider’s team the opportunity to win a fourth consecutive series, as they settled instead for a split of the four-gamer against the struggling Central Division opponent.

An ordinary outing from Trey Yesavage combined with a benign attack conspired against the Jays, who saw their record dip to 16-18.

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Perhaps the biggest indictment of the offence was that the Jays got a chance to feast on the lightweight Twins bullpen as early as imaginable after starter Joe Ryan exited with right elbow soreness two batters in.

Instead, all they managed was a pair of singles through five and by then the Twins had built a 4-0 lead. Every one of those runs was important, given the excitement of the ninth that awaited.

At least there have been signs of improvement for the Jays, who entered Sunday’s matinee winners of six of their previous 10, climbing into third in the East and in a share of an AL wildcard position. The latter accomplishment is more indicative of the level of competition around them, but at least the recent run has kept them in the hunt.

The emergence of Okamoto, who is clearly getting comfortable with baseball life in North America, is also a huge positive as he is becoming the most reliable power bat in Schneider’s lineup.

Our takeaways from Game 34 of 162, which saw the Jays’ road record dip to 6-10 on the season.

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Tracking Trey

In just the second start of what is intended to be his first full season in the big leagues, Toronto starter Trey Yesavage struggled with base runners throughout.

He allowed traffic on the base paths in each of his four innings and escaped major trouble in the last of those with a big strikeout to leave the bases loaded, one of his six on the day.

The young right hander is still getting his legs underneath him after a delayed start to his season due to a shoulder impingement so this may take some time.

The traffic resulted in the 22-year-old climbing to 82 pitches and not able to carry his start into the fifth, matching the shortest start of his abbreviated five career regular-season starts in the big leagues.

Double trouble

Despite Yesavage not having his usual efficient outing — allowing five hits and three walks — somewhat miraculously, he held the Twins to the one run they touched him with in the first.

Braydon Fisher couldn’t make the same claim.

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Relieving Yesavage in the fifth, he managed just a pair of outs and surrendered three runs on three doubles from the Twins, who built themselves a relatively comfortable lead.

What’s up with Springers big toe?

According to the Jays, Sunday was always going to be a day off for the Toronto leadoff hitter (and hit-by-pitch magnet.) But when will he play again remains to be seen.

The team said that X-rays on Springer’s left foot on Saturday — yes, the same foot with the broken toe that sidelined him for 15 games — came back negative.

Springer, who took a breaking ball of his front foot on Friday, went down in a heap and in obvious pain. Springer, who played through multiple injuries in the postseason, is as tough as they come, but the Jays won’t rush him back in early May if they don’t feel he’s up to the task.

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   Trey Yesavage shines in season debut to spark Blue Jays to win over Red Sox

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Next Up

A trip to St. Pete, Fla. for games Monday through Wednesday gives the Jays an opportunity to move closer to the Rays, one of two teams above them in the AL East.

The Jays are expected to have Eric Lauer as the starter for the opener, followed by Kevin Gausman and Patrick Corbin. The return of Jose Berrios is certainly a point of discussion after a miserable rehab outing in triple-A on Sunday. The veteran allowed seven earned runs on six hits (three of them homers) and four walks while lasting just 3.2 innings.

Quick Hits

Some encouraging signs for the offence down in Dunedin where Addison Barger, who has missed 25 games with an ankle sprain, belted a home run in his first rehab game … In other news on the farm, shortstop Arjun Nimmala, the team’s No. 3 prospect, was promoted from single-A Vancouver to double-A New Hampshire. The Jays’ first-round draft pick from 2023 is scheduled to make his triple-A debut on Tuesday.

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