Blue Jays snap six-game losing streak with win over Dodgers

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The Jays now have an off day Thursday before facing the visiting Minnesota Twins on Friday.

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Published Apr 08, 2026 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 5 minute read

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Davis Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays runs to third base on a single by Andres Gimenez in the eighth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Rogers Centre on April 8, 2026 in Toronto Photo by Vaughn Ridley /Getty ImagesArticle content

Blue Jays manager John Schneider saw it coming, even if most of Toronto could see only the losing streak.

Having lost six games in a row, the locals were getting a little antsy, but not the Jays manager, who saw signs that things were coming around when his team loaded the bases late in their eventual loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. And while it didn’t amount to much in the moment, it got the team moving in the right direction.

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There’s no question an inability to string hits together and score runs have been at the root of Toronto’s struggles of late. Through the six-game losing streak they had scored a total of 11 runs, and that’s simply not the way this team goes about its business when things are going well.

Down by two runs in the seventh inning Wednesday afternoon against the two-time defending champions, Schneider saw it all come together as the Jays scored two runs in the seventh to tie it, then in the eighth to squeeze out a 4-3 win in the series finale.

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Both of the Jays’ rallies in the seventh and eighth were started by Davis Schneider, who came off the bench to earn a walk in the seventh before coming around to score on George Springer’s double. In the eighth, he was on base again via the free pass, this time courtesy of Blake Treinen. He moved up to third on an Andres Gimenez single and scored moments later when Gimenez stole second, knocking the ball out of the glove of shortstop Miguel Rojas. Schneider raced home without a throw to score the eventual winning run.

In the ninth inning, Jeff Hoffman gave up a single and a walk, but pitched out of his own jam for his second save of the year in four opportunities.

With the win, Toronto’s record improved to 5-7.

Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in an interleague baseball game in Toronto on April 8, 2026. Photo by Nathan Denette /The Canadian Press

Neither starter — Dylan Cease for the Jays nor Shohei Ohtani for the Dodgers — figured into the decision.

The Jays will now enjoy an off-day Thursday before starting a three-game series against the visiting Minnesota Twins on Friday.

BULLPEN COMES UP BIG

It doesn’t get much tougher in baseball these days then coming into a bases loaded, none out situation against the Dodgers. That was the scenario that Louis Varland faced Wednesday after Cease’s day came to an end in the sixth inning after 96 pitches.

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Varland responded in about the best way possible, first getting Teoscar Hernandez to hit a sacrifice fly to centre, which brought in a run, and then striking out Andy Pages and getting Alex Freeland to ground out to end the inning.

“I love Louis Varland,” John Schneider said post-game. “When we acquired him – I mean it was a big trade but it was so overlooked by a lot of people I think, not just because of his stuff, but because of the years that we have him (under Jays’ control through 2030).

Schneider wasn’t done listing the ways Varland has worked his way into his manager’s heart.

“It’s also about what he can do,” Schneider said. “He doesn’t bat an eye. He’s just like ‘Give me the ball.’ He doesn’t really care. I mean he cares a lot but the situation we put him in – bases loaded, nobody out, against that team is almost an impossible ask, but man he is quickly becoming one of my favourite players. Not just pitchers, but players too, because of his mentality, the kind of dude he is and what he can do.”

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EXTENDED WORK FOR ROGERS

Varland wasn’t the only reliever to climb a little more in the Jays’ manager’s estimation yesterday. Submariner Trevor Rogers earned the win, but perhaps just as importantly earned Schneider’s praise when he not only finished the seventh with a couple of key outs but then got the Jays through the eighth and into Hoffman territory in the ninth.

“I think it was just an eight-pitch first up (bottom of the seventh) and then he came right in and said if we tie or take the lead, I’m going back out, kind of like I didn’t have a choice,” Schneider said.

“It was kind of my first interaction with him like that,” the Jays manager said.

Asked if Rogers might have had his Max Scherzer face on when he made that demand after the seventh, Schneider quickly waved that away.

“It was pretty cool because you are still getting to know the guy,” Schneider said. “I mean, when we signed him, he was saying he wanted to be the most low-maintenance guy on the team. He didn’t want me talking to him all the time because he thought if I was talking to him he wasn’t doing his job. So for him to kind of say: ‘Yeah, I’m good,’ you go: ‘OK’ but it wasn’t a Scherzer face at all. I think there are only two of those. There’s the Scherzer face when I’m on the mound and probably my face when I was out on the field (to argue a balk call) in the fifth inning – a little bit weird right? A little red, a little messed up, but Tyler was just pretty straight and pretty professional. “

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For his extended efforts, Rogers wound up picking up his first win as Blue Jay.

A TIDY LITTLE CONTRIBUTION

Davis Schneider wasn’t in the initial plans for yesterday’s game, but he wound up leaving a pretty big mark on the game anyway with his two walks and two runs after coming on to pinch-hit for Nathan Lukes in the seventh.

It was a much-needed contribution from a player who probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves.

“Obviously we have not started the way we wanted to start with all the injuries and the losses but there are 149 games left to be played so a lot of baseball and hopefully we can use this as kind of a jump start to a win streak,” Davis Schneider said.

QUICK HITS

Having seen his squad play on 12 of the first 13 days of the season, no one was happier to see an off day on the schedule than manager John Schneider. “This is a GREAT off day,” John Schneider said of the timing of the break. “No matter the outcome today, this is a great off-day for everyone – for the bullpen, for the guys who have played every single game and I got Jess and the boys coming in today so I’m a happy camper.” … The plan for the Minnesota series is to have recently signed veteran pitcher Patrick Corbin start Friday’s game with Eric Lauer and Scherzer getting the starts in the Games 2 and 3 of that series. The Jays will be the fourth MLB team Corbin has been with in his 13-year career.

mganter@postmedia.com

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