The Jays now have an off day Thursday before facing the visiting Minnesota Twins on Friday.<\/p>\n
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Published Apr 08, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0hour ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 5 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n Blue Jays manager John Schneider saw it coming, even if most of Toronto could see only the losing streak.<\/p>\n 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\u2019t amount to much in the moment, it got the team moving in the right direction.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n There\u2019s no question an inability to string hits together and score runs have been at the root of Toronto\u2019s struggles of late. Through the six-game losing streak they had scored a total of 11 runs, and that\u2019s simply not the way this team goes about its business when things are going well.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Both of the Jays\u2019 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n With the win, Toronto\u2019s record improved to 5-7.<\/p>\n Neither starter \u2014 Dylan Cease for the Jays nor Shohei Ohtani for the Dodgers \u2014 figured into the decision.<\/p>\n The Jays will now enjoy an off-day Thursday before starting a three-game series against the visiting Minnesota Twins on Friday.<\/p>\n BULLPEN COMES UP BIG<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t 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\u2019s day came to an end in the sixth inning after 96 pitches.<\/p>\n Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI love Louis Varland,\u201d John Schneider said post-game. \u201cWhen we acquired him \u2013 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\u2019 control through 2030).<\/p>\n Schneider wasn\u2019t done listing the ways Varland has worked his way into his manager\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s also about what he can do,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t bat an eye. He\u2019s just like \u2018Give me the ball.\u2019 He doesn\u2019t really care. I mean he cares a lot but the situation we put him in \u2013 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n EXTENDED WORK FOR ROGERS<\/p>\n Varland wasn\u2019t the only reliever to climb a little more in the Jays\u2019 manager\u2019s estimation yesterday. Submariner Trevor Rogers earned the win, but perhaps just as importantly earned Schneider\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI 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\u2019m going back out, kind of like I didn\u2019t have a choice,\u201d Schneider said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was kind of my first interaction with him like that,\u201d the Jays manager said.<\/p>\n Asked if Rogers might have had his Max Scherzer face on when he made that demand after the seventh, Schneider quickly waved that away.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was pretty cool because you are still getting to know the guy,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cI mean, when we signed him, he was saying he wanted to be the most low-maintenance guy on the team. He didn\u2019t want me talking to him all the time because he thought if I was talking to him he wasn\u2019t doing his job. So for him to kind of say: \u2018Yeah, I\u2019m good,\u2019 you go: \u2018OK\u2019 but it wasn\u2019t a Scherzer face at all. I think there are only two of those. There\u2019s the Scherzer face when I\u2019m on the mound and probably my face when I was out on the field (to argue a balk call) in the fifth inning \u2013 a little bit weird right?\u00a0 A little red, a little messed up, but Tyler was just pretty straight and pretty professional. \u201c<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n For his extended efforts, Rogers wound up picking up his first win as Blue Jay.<\/p>\n A TIDY LITTLE CONTRIBUTION<\/p>\n Davis Schneider wasn\u2019t in the initial plans for yesterday\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n It was a much-needed contribution from a player who probably doesn\u2019t get the credit he deserves.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously 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,\u201d Davis Schneider said.<\/p>\n QUICK HITS<\/p>\n 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. \u201cThis is a GREAT off day,\u201d John Schneider said of the timing of the break. \u201cNo matter the outcome today, this is a great off-day for everyone \u2013 for the bullpen, for the guys who have played every single game and I got Jess and the boys coming in today so I\u2019m a happy camper.\u201d \u2026 The plan for the Minnesota series is to have recently signed veteran pitcher Patrick Corbin start Friday\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n mganter@postmedia.com<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Blue Jays fans launch petition urging Daulton Varsho to change walk-up music<\/p>\n![\"Davis](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0409davisschneidersmall-e1775693877451.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.9.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
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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<\/p>\n![\"opening](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.9.1\/websites\/images\/newsletters\/icon-sun-middaySun.svg\"\/){kind=icon}
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