Blue Jays erupted early, drilling Mitch Keller for a 5-0 deficit before Toronto settled in and Max Scherzer delivered six innings of concise, one-run relief to notch win No. 220. Alejandro Kirk delivered an RBI single in the first, Nathan Lukes doubled home two, and George Springer capped the surge with a 423-foot, two-run blast in the second. Pittsburgh finally scratched a run in the bottom of the second on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s bases-loaded groundout, but the cushion was too large to overcome.

From a fantasy lens, Toronto’s lineup flashed depth with Springer, Kirk, and Lukes taking advantage of Keller’s early miscue, while Pittsburgh’s offense struggled to assemble consistent rallies against Scherzer and the Jays’ bullpen. Scherzer’s steady six-inning performance reinforces his reliability in solid matchups, while the Jays’ offense looks primed to carry momentum into upcoming series. Keller’s rough start serves as a cautionary note for managers considering him in the near term, especially against strong lineups at hitter-friendly venues.

Looking ahead, Springer and Kirk emerge as steady power and run producers in Toronto’s order, with Lukes offering multi-positional flexibility in deeper leagues. Keller must rebound quickly, ideally against a more forgiving foe, or risk a leash contraction in his role. The Jays’ plate discipline and timely hits supplied Toronto with a blueprint for continued success as they chase meaningful wins down the stretch.

Alejandro Kirk delivered a legendary Blue Jays rally, slugging a two-run homer in the seventh and blasting a bases-loaded single in the eighth to flip a 5-3 hole into a 6-5 win over the Rangers. Toronto rode clutch hitting, a timely walk, and a bullpen shove to snatch the series opener at Rogers Centre. The win keeps the Jays rolling and adds another chapter to their late-season push, with Bassitt’s steady work and Lukes’ defensive gems fueling the comeback.

Daidelta: Texas looked primed to pull away after a three-run deficit, but Kirk’s punch changed the tone. deGrom spun five scoreless frames for Texas, yet Toronto’s late-inning offense and Varsho’s on-base initiative sealed the deal. Springer’s rehab start suggests reinforcements are en route, adding a potential spark for Toronto’s lineup down the stretch. The Jays now eye a stronger, playoff-haunting pace as they head into the next game with Lauer facing Corbin.

Texas jumped out to a 3-0 lead in a frenzied second inning, punctuated by a 0-1 cutter that Higashioka launched over the left-field wall and set the tone at Rogers Centre. Chris Bassitt labored through five innings, walking four and throwing 57 strikes on 100 pitches, leaving Toronto with the sense that the rotation runway was shortening as the bullpen loomed. Toronto answered with a Rubik’s cube of a rally, four eighth-inning runs sparked by Alejandro Kirk, whose two-run single and first stolen base of his career helped swing the night toward a dramatic 6-5 Jays win.

Toronto’s defense kept it close early, highlighted by Nathan Lukes robbing extra bases and firing a throw to end the second, helping mask Bassitt’s misfires. On the other side, Jacob deGrom delivered five solid frames for Texas, but the relief corps could not hold the line as Kirk’s homer and a late Jays barrage forced a comeback. By night’s end, Toronto’s offense found its footing, matching Texas’ bursts and flipping the series opener in a high-leverage back-and-forth duel.

The Jays found life in the eighth, with Kirk again delivering a run-scoring hit and Bo Bichette and Dalton Varsho contributing to a late push, while Semien’s impact lingered for Texas with a pair of runs off a risky slider that landed in the left-center seats. The win raises the question of how Toronto will manage Bassitt going forward, given his 21 home runs surrendered and a looming six-man rotation discussion alongside Bieber’s imminent arrival.

In a game framed by audacious defensive plays and late-inning exploits, Kirk’s eighth-inning spark and the Jays’ resilience underscored a season where Toronto is fighting through a stretch of demanding decisions about rotation depth and bullpen roles. It’s a win that felt earned, not given, and leaves Toronto with momentum as the schedule tightens and the playoff clock ticks louder than the crowd at Rogers Centre.

Toronto blew past Chicago 5-1 at Rogers Centre behind a gritty Jose Berríos start, where the right-hander navigated four walks while yielding two hits across 5 1/3 innings to move to 9-4. Ernie Clement supplied the power with a season-high three-run homer in the fourth, and Daulton Varsho added a solo shot in the eighth to cushion the victory. Jeff Hoffman closed it with a perfect ninth. The defensive highlight reel included Giménez and Bichette on key plays, and Nathan Lukes’ daring snag in the gap. The Jays benefited from a robust crowd (43,003) and leaned on timely offense and bullpen depth to seal a comfortable win over the Cubs.

Fantasy angles rise from the American League’s depth chart. Berríos continued to pile up wins despite volatility in his command; Clement’s power surge across five games signals a potential mini-breakout, especially with his four homers in his last 25 plate appearances. Varsho’s steady power pace (12th homer in 32 games) keeps him in the mixed-league conversation as Toronto builds around a multi-faceted lineup. The win reinforces Toronto’s positional flexibility and depth, which could unlock favorable matchups and stacking potential as the season presses on.