The Blue Jays walk into their three-game set with the Mets carrying all the pressure in the world. Toronto has dropped six straight and has lost six of its last seven, including a rough seven-game stretch against the Astros and Rangers during the recent homestand. Now the team gets another shot at Rogers Centre, starting Monday night against a New York club that comes in at 35-49.
At 39-45, Toronto is still the slightly better team on paper, but both clubs have had trouble finding steady pitching. That makes this series feel like a test of who can get organized first, and the opener gives the Blue Jays their best chance to set the tone.
Trey Yesavage gets the ball for Toronto in game one, and his numbers suggest more than the 3-3 record beside his name. He owns a 3.56 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 60.2 innings over 11 starts, and he has continued to deliver in 2026 after his standout run during the 2025 World Series.
The Mets will counter with Sean Manaea, who has struggled to find any rhythm. He is 1-2 with a 4.87 ERA across 57.1 innings, and he has given up 61 hits with a 1.41 WHIP.
That opens the door for Toronto’s lineup to do damage early. Kazuma Okamoto already has 19 home runs this year, and Nathan Lukes has been one of the brighter bats with a .310 average. If the Blue Jays are going to snap this slide, game one looks like the spot to start swinging with authority.
Tuesday night shapes up as a tougher matchup. New York is expected to send Nolan McLean to the mound, and he has been the Mets’ best pitcher this season.
McLean has a 4.03 ERA, a team-high 106 strikeouts, and has held opponents to a .204 average. Toronto will answer with Kevin Gausman, who is 4-6 with a 4.36 ERA in 17 starts.
The veteran right-hander has struck out 93 batters in 95 innings, but he has also given up 14 home runs, which has been part of the inconsistency.
That middle game, with first pitch set for 7:07 p.m. EDT, figures to hinge on which offense can get moving first.
The series finale on Wednesday brings the least appealing pitching matchup of the three. Freddy Peralta enters at 5-6 with a 4.53 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 91.1 innings, while Patrick Corbin will take the mound for Toronto carrying a 5.09 ERA and a 2-4 record. Corbin’s numbers are the highest among the starters in this series, and the Blue Jays will need their offense to cover for whatever mistakes show up behind him.
For Toronto, the message is simple. The losing has to stop.
Six defeats in a row is a brutal way to move through the second half of the season, especially after a first half that already left plenty to fix. With both teams sitting below .500, the Blue Jays need a response now if they want any kind of push back toward the Wild Card picture.
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