Comeback goes for naught, Jays fall back below .500 in extra-innings loss

Shane Bieber was charged with four runs over 3 2/3 innings in his 2026 debut

Published Jun 23, 2026  •  4 minute read

Shane Bieber of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Houston Astros during the second inning in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on June 23, 2026 in Toronto. Photo by Tara Walton /Getty Images

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

Article content

Pitcher Shane Bieber may yet be the answer to what gets the Blue Jays going in 2026.

Article content

Article content

However, in his first start of the year, he wasn’t.

Bieber was long gone by the time that the Blue Jays turned their game around on Tuesday, coming back from a 4-0 deficit, courtesy in large part to Bieber, to take a 6-4 lead through eight innings on the Houston Astros, only for the Astros to come back in the ninth to score two off Tyler Rogers and tie the game again.

The Astros would win 9-7 on former Blue Jay Joey Loperfido’s three-run homer in the top of the 11th inning, and the one run that the Blue Jays scored in the bottom of the 11th wasn’t enough.

Somewhat overshadowed by the loss was a tough day for Bieber, and another struggle driving in runners from scoring position.

The Jays left 13 runners on base, which was only somewhat acceptable on this day because the Astros stranded 11 of their own.

The long ball got the Jays back in the game. First, newcomer Luis Urias came through with a two-run homer in the fourth inning. It was his first home run of the year in his second plate appearance as a Blue Jay.

Article content

Article content

Three innings later, Daulton Varsho tied the game with a two-run homer of his own, a no-doubter into the second deck in right off Enyel De Los Santos.

Cleanup hitter Kazuma Okamoto gave the Jays their first lead of the day in the eighth when his two-out single to left brought in George Springer and Vladimir Guererro Jr. to put the Jays up 6-4.

With the loss, the Jays fall a game under .500.

BIEBER’S RETURN

The former Cy Young winner was late to the party this year, left behind following spring training to deal with right elbow inflammation, and has been working his way back to the major leagues ever since.

In his return to a big-league mound Tuesday afternoon, Bieber gave up a run in the first inning and appeared fortunate to get through the first three innings with only that one against him.

But in the fourth, the lower half of the Astros order got to him. Yainer Diaz, Cam Smith and Taylor Trammell hit back-to-back-to-back home runs off the veteran right-hander to give Houston a 4-0 lead.

Article content

Bieber didn’t make it out of the inning turning things over to Tommy Nance with two runners on. The Jays intentionally loaded the bases by walking Yordan Alvarez and his .323 batting average and 25 homers before Nance got out of the jam by getting Christian Walker to fly out to deep left.

Bieber was charged with four runs over 3 2/3 innings but it could have been so much worse.

BULLPEN WORKS OVERTIME

Once again it fell to the Jays bullpen to at least make this one interesting as Nance, Mason Fluharty, Spencer Miles and Jeff Hoffman held the Astros down from the end of the fourth through the eighth.

There was that hiccup in the ninth as the normally reliable Tyler Rogers gave up three singles and was the victim of a catcher’s interference call that plated one of two runs he allowed as the Astros tied the game.

Normally that would have been Louis Varland time but the appearances are starting to pile up for the Jays closer, and the decision was made to give him the day off.

Article content

Brayden Fisher worked a clean 10th inning, and followed that up by striking out the the first two batters in the 11th after an intentional walk to Alvarez.

Then former Blue Jay Loperfido turned the tide a final time in Houston’s favour, hammering a 1-2 Fisher offering into the seats and just fair for what turned out to be the game-winning three-run homer.

The only reliever available that wasn’t used in this one was Simeon Woods Richardson, which could make for a dicey series wrap up on Wednesday as Trey Yesavage takes the mound with a well-used bullpen behind him.

MORE BAD NEWS FOR YIMI

Reliever Yimi Garcia experienced soreness after his most recent rehab outing with triple-A Buffalo and was being sent to Toronto to confer with doctors here.

Garcia underwent right elbow surgery last season and has been working his way back in the minors. But the very fact he is coming back to Toronto to assess his situation with doctors suggests another shutdown is ahead.

Garcia, when he’s healthy, has been a mainstay in the Jays bullpen and with the pen carrying an extremely heavy workload thanks to an injury-depleted rotation, would be a very valuable addition at this point.

ROSTER HOUSECLEANING

To add Bieber back to the major-league roster, the Jays optioned right-hander Lazaro Estrada to triple-A Buffalo and designated right-hander Hayden Juenger for assignment.

[email protected]

Read More

1. 

   Blue Jays begin 10-game home stand on a winning note
2. 

   Blue Jays' Ernie Clement tops all AL players in all-star game voting

Article content