Louis Varland earns save, but Blue Jays’ win over Guardians far from routine

Kevin Gausman became first Toronto starter to pitch into seventh inning this season

Get the latest from Frank Zicarelli straight to your inbox

Published Apr 25, 2026  •  4 minute read

Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman, left, and pitcher Louis Varland, right. celebrate after defeating the Guardians at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Saturday, April 25, 2026. Photo by Cole Burston /Getty Images

For the first time this season, a starter pitched into the seventh inning for the Blue Jays.

Article content

Fittingly, it was Kevin Gausman who broke through, Toronto’s opening day starter who has evolved into a true leader and whose words always resonate.

Article content

Article content

On the mound, he lets his pitches do the talking.

And for most of the second of a three-game series against the visiting Cleveland Guardians, Gausman spoke loud and clear.

Mind you, it wasn’t as loud or as clear as the opening two starts of the season when the veteran right-hander recorded 21 combined strikeouts.

In his sixth start, Gausman recorded a season-low three strikeouts.

His pitching did set the tone as another sellout crowd of 41,543 had plenty to cheer as the Jays evened their series in the wake of a 5-3 win.

In Anaheim, Louis Varland needed one pitch to record his first-career save by coaxing a game-ending double play, this after Jeff Hoffman became unglued.

Against the Guardians, Varland entered the game in the top of the ninth inning.

A flyout to centre accounted for the first out.

Varland then gave up a single into centre followed by a single into right field.

Article content

Article content

Suddenly, Cleveland had the tying run at the plate.

Pinch hitter Kyle Manzardo hit a double to score a run as Daulton Varsho valiantly laid out in left centre.

Varland did a bad impression of Hoffman by surrendering a walk to load the bases as Cleveland had the go-ahead run at first.

When Varland struck out Mississauga’s Bo Naylor, the crowd roared. When he struck out Brayan Rocchio, the crowd erupted.

Varland earned the save, his first at home, while Gausman earned his second win of the season.

Nothing has come easy for the Blue Jays, including Saturday’s ninth inning.

Trey bien

News of Trey Yesavage’s return shouldn’t have caught anyone off guard considering he was projected to return from his shoulder impingement setback sooner than later.

Prior to Saturday’s first pitch, Jays manager John Schneider announced the talented right-hander, whose meteoric rise through the club’s system last year has been well documented, will get the start next Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox.

Article content

Boston has been a major disappointment this season, sliding down all the way into the AL East basement in the first month.

One rung above the BoSox is where one will find the Jays.

Dylan Cease’s start has been pushed back to Monday when the Jays and Red Sox begin a three-game series at Rogers Centre.

Toronto’s starting rotation lines up with Max Scherzer getting the ball in Wednesday’s series finale.

With Yesavage returning, the odd-man out is Eric Lauer, the forgotten left-hander who will be used coming out of the bullpen.

Lauer wasn’t even in the starting rotation when the season began.

Injuries beset the club and Lauer made a strong season debut, a form he hasn’t quite replicated.

He earned the win when the Athletics were in town on opening weekend before three losses ensued.

Read More

1. 

   Blue Jays place OF Nathan Lukes on IL, while calling up OF Yohendrick Pinago

2. 

   How much longer can the Blue Jays stick with Max Scherzer after latest frustrating loss?

At-bat for the ages

Jose Ramirez will eventually find his way in Cooperstown, perhaps as a first-ballot hall of famer depending on the whims and agenda of voters.

Article content

The switch-hitting Ramirez does most of his damage at the plate, but he’s no slouch when it comes to playing third base.

In the fourth inning, he took Gausman deep twice down the right-field line, two sharply hit balls that went foul.

Ramirez would reach base on a leadoff double by going to the opposite field.

It was a hitting clinic in how best to use all areas of the field.

Ramirez advanced to third on a groundout, but would be left stranded after Gausman induced a popout before recording an inning-ending strikeout.

Swinging for the fences

Kazuma Okamoto, who went deep in Friday night’s loss, launched another dinger in practically the same spot in straight-away centre.

When he turns on a ball, Okamoto’s swing is quite impressive. Saturday’s belt went a Statcast-measured 425 feet.

The fourth-inning solo blast was Okamoto’s team-leading fifth of the season.

He hit cleanup Saturday on a day Myles Straw was in the leadoff spot as the Guardians started Joey Cantillo, who gave up three runs in five innings.

Article content

Earlier in the day, the Jays placed Nathan Lukes (hamstring) on the injured list.

Okamoto endured a recent stretch where he struck out too often with half of his at-bats resulting in strikeouts.

The injury plight of the Blue Jays was reflected in the club’s bench composition, which featured Jesus Sanchez, Yohendrick Pinango, who was called up for Lukes, Lenyn Sosa and Brandon Valenzuela.

Up Next

The series finale will see veteran lefty Patrick Corbin scheduled to start for the Blue Jays. With injured players slowly returning to the club, Corbin’s days might either be numbered or perhaps some role will be created for someone who essentially was signed to fill a hole in the starting rotation. The $1 million investment to sign Corbin has, in many ways, paid dividends. … The Jays have not won a home series since opening weekend. They’ll get a chance to win their second when first pitch Sunday flies at 1:37 p.m., or about 30 minutes after tipoff down the road in Game 4 of the Raptors-Cavaliers playoff series as the all-Cleveland matchup continues.

[email protected]

Article content