Toronto Blue Jays at San Diego Padres
Game 1: 6:40 p.m. Friday (Padres.TV)
Game 2: 5:40 p.m. Saturday (Padres.TV, KFMB 8.1/CBS, TV Azteca)
Game 3: 1:10 p.m. Sunday (Padres.TV)
In the standings
Toronto Blue Jays (44-49, T-3rd in AL East)
The defending AL champion Blue Jays are 11 games behind the Rays in the division 2 ½ games out of a wild-card spot. The Blue Jays swept the Padres last year in Toronto.
San Diego Padres (46-47, T-3rd in NL West)
The Padres are 14½ games behind the Dodgers in the NL West and tied with the Diamondbacks after splitting a four-game series. The Padres are 5 ½ games out of a wild-card spot with five teams to overtake to get back into playoff position.
Trending
Toronto: The Blue Jays are 21st in run differential (minus-35), 27th in OPS (.688), 17th in rotation ERA (4.39) and ninth in bullpen ERA (3.77). 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has just five homers and a .694 OPS after pairing 23 homers with an .884 OPS last year. He had a .623 OPS in May, a .498 OPS In June and has a .685 OPS so far this month.
San Diego: The Padres are 22nd in run differential (minus-43), 30th in OPS (.671), 26th in rotation ERA (4.69) and sixth in bullpen ERA (3.70). 3B Manny Machado is hitting .255/.362/.602 with eight of his 19 homers over his last 27 games.
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Shane Bieber throws to a Texas Rangers batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Pitching matchups
Friday
Blue Jays RHP Shane Bieber (0-1, 9.00 ERA) | He’s made just three starts after elbow inflammation forced him to the injured list for the first three months of the season. The former AL Cy Young winner has made just 12 starts since the start of 2024 as he’s been interrupted by Tommy John surgery and a difficult road back to full health. A former pupil of Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla’s in Cleveland’s organization, Bieber is making his first career start against the Padres.
Padres LHP JP Sears (2-1, 4.70 ERA) | The 30-year-old has sandwiched two good starts in wins (10 ⅔ IP, 3 ER) around a clunker at Wrigley Field (4 ⅔ IP, 6 ER). Righties have an .812 OPS off him so far, compared to lefties’ .607. Sears has a 3.00 ERA in 18 career innings against the Blue Jays. He allowed two runs in five innings in a no-decision last year.
Saturday
Blue Jays RHP Trey Yesavage (4-4,3.31 ERA) | Last year’s postseason darling (3.58 ERA in 27 ⅔ IP) has a 2.45 ERA over his last four starts. The 22-year-old has five quality starts in 13 trips the mound so far. This will be Yesavage’s first appearance against the Padres.
Padres RHP Walker Buehler (5-5, 5.07 ERA) | The 31-year-old has allowed 16 earned runs over his last two starts (9 IP) after posting a 1.71 ERA in five starts in June. Buehler has a 2.60 ERA in three career starts against the Blue Jays, including two last year (4.35 ERA, 10 ⅓ IP).
Sunday
Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (4-8, 4.32 ERA) | The 35-year-old has an 8.38 ERA over his last four starts, all losses for the Blue Jays. The former Giant has a 2.85 ERA in 47 ⅓ career innings against the Padres. He beat them with nine strikeouts over seven shutout innings last year in Toronto.
Padres RHP Germán Márquez (4-2, 5.02 ERA) | He has allowed three runs—two earned—in two appearances (8 IP) since returning from forearm nerve inflammation. Márquez’s only appearance against the Blue Jays was a win back in 2019 (7 IP, 2 ER).
Qualifying leaders
OPS: Blue Jays—3B Kazuma Okamoto (.776), 2B Ernie Clement (.748), OF Daulton Varsho (.713); Padres—1B Gavin Sheets (.758), OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (.727), 3B Manny Machado (.701).
HRs: Blue Jays—Okamoto (21), DH George Springer (9); five tied with 7; Padres—Machado (19), Sheets (14), 1B Ty France (10), CF Jackson Merrill (10).
RBIs: Blue Jays—Okamoto (59), SS Andres Gimenez (37), 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (37); Padres—Machado (52), Sheets (39), Merrill (37).
Steals: Blue Jays—Gimenez (10), Varsho (8), Guerrero (6), Springer (6); Padres—Tatis (.23), Merrill (19), SS Xander Bogarts (11).
Saves: Blue Jays—Varland (18-for-18, 0.94 ERA), RHP Jeff Hoffman (5-for-8, 4.35 ERA); Padres—RHP Mason Miller (23-for-23, 0.96 ERA).
Holds: Blue Jays—RHP Tyler Rogers (18, 1.73 ERA), LHP Mason Fluharty (11, 4.58 ERA), Hoffman (9); Padres—RHP Jason Adam (17, 2.51 ERA), LHP Adrián Morejón (14, 3.45 ERA), RHP Jeremiah Estrada (6, 3.48 ERA), RHP Bradgley Rodriguez (6, 2.08 ERA).
Training room
Toronto: RHP Max Scherzer (back) has made two rehab starts in hopes of a second-half return. The Blue Jays are also without OF Addison Barger (elbow), RHP Yimi Garcia (elbow), OF Jesse Sanchez (ankle), OF Anthony Santander (shoulder), RHP Jose Berrios (elbow), RHP Cody Ponce (knee) and RHP Bowden Francis (UCL), among others.
San Diego: C Freddy Fermin (head contusion) began a rehab assignment this week, joining RHP Matt Waldron (brachialis) at Triple-A El Paso. RHP Jason Adam (shoulder), RHP David Morgan (knee) and RHP Randy Vásquez (ankle) are rehabbing with the Padres. RHP Jeremiah Estrada (knee) threw a bullpen in Arizona and is expected to keep throwing in hopes of a second-half return. RHPs Nick Pivetta (flexor) and Joe Musgrove (elbow) have moved their rehab work to the mound. OF Ramón Laureano (hip) is likely done for the year following surgery. RHP Lucas Giolito (elbow) is also on the injured list.