Blue Jays Series Opener vs Rays: Preview, Storylines

Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Lenyn Sosa Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Blue Jays Series Opener vs Rays: Preview, Storylines

Originally posted on Toronto Blue Jays on SI
By Ben Fisher | Last updated May 11, 2026 6:00 PM ET

After taking two out of three games against the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend, including a 14-1 Saturday romp, runs may prove more difficult to come by as the Toronto Blue Jays welcome the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays have been one of the biggest surprises early on in the 2026 season, surging out to a 26-13 record despite coming off of a quiet offseason at a time when each of their other AL East rivals made substantial upgrades. Boasting the league's third-lowest ERA (3.11), Tampa Bay is the hottest team in baseball, having won 13 of their past 15 games.

The Blue Jays, for their part, have been no slouches in the pitching department either. The team's starters (Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage and Spencer Miles) combined to throw 14 shutout innings over the weekend.

Toronto will need more of that type of support as they look to gain a measure of revenge for last week's three-game sweep by the Rays at Tropicana Field. The Blue Jays could only muster four total runs over the series, including a 3-0 blanking by Shane McLanahan, who is slated to be back on the mound on Tuesday night.

How to Watch Rays vs Blue Jays

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Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
TV: SN1, Rays.TV
Radio: SN590 THE FAN
Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo

Pitching Matchup

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Rays: Drew Rasmussen (2-1, 2.95 ERA) vs. Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman (2-1, 3.09 ERA)

Toronto's Kevin Gausman and Tampa Bay's Drew Rasmussen are set to go head-to-head for the second time in the past six days. Neither pitcher factored into the decision in their initial battle, although Gausman allowed two earned runs over six innings while Rasmussen surrendered three runs in six frames.

Gausman has been his usual, reliable self thus far, allowing no more than four runs in any of his eight starts while giving the club at least five innings each time out. Rasmussen, meanwhile, has been even better, following up a quietly stellar 2025 All-Star season with another sub-3.00 ERA along with 37 strikeouts in 36.2 innings of work.

It bears watching how Blue Jays and Rays hitters have managed to adjust to each team's respective pitcher, given the close proximity of their latest outing.

Blue Jays Injuries

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10-Day Injured List: C Alejandro Kirk (left thumb fracture), OF Nathan Lukes (left hamstring discomfort)

15-Day Injured List: RHP José Berríos (right elbow stress fracture), RHP Max Scherzer (right
forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation), RHP Shane Bieber (right elbow inflammation), RHP Lazaro Estrada (right shoulder impingement)

60-Day Injured List: RHP Yimi Garcia (right elbow surgery rehab), RHP Cody Ponce (right knee ACL sprain, surgery), OF Anthony Santander (left shoulder labral surgery), RHP Bowden Francis (right UCL reconstruction surgery)

This article first appeared on Toronto Blue Jays on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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