Slumping Blue Jays say they can’t allow losing streak to ‘fester’

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes (38) misses a catch, allowing a two run double for Texas Rangers' Elias Diaz during fifth inning American League MLB baseball action in Toronto, Saturday, June 27, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

TORONTO — It was déjà vu all over again for the Toronto Blue Jays.

For the third straight game on Saturday, they fell behind at least 5-0 to the Texas Rangers, only to see a comeback fall short. This time, it ended in a 7-4 Rangers win to clinch their four-game series in Toronto.

The Blue Jays (39-44) have now lost five straight after climbing back to .500 in the first of a 10-game homestand on Monday.

“For these last three to be very similar, albeit you don’t claw within one run today (like the previous two games), yeah, it’s frustrating,” manager John Schneider said. “But I think it gets more frustrating if you allow it to fester. We can’t allow it to fester.”

The homestand appeared to be an opportunity for a Blue Jays team that seemed to be finding its groove to gain ground in the American League wild-card race against the likes of the Rangers, who improved to 41-42 with the win.

Instead, it’s gone the opposite direction.

“It sucks to play this way at home after coming off a pretty good road trip, but every series is different, every game is different,” Schneider said.

Jays’ star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s final batting line was also a familiar sight.

The designated hitter was 0-for-5 with a strikeout and four ground-ball outs in the loss. He is batting just .136 (3-for-22) during the team’s skid.

“He’s feeling it for sure. He wants to be doing more than he is, and he gets that, but the guy’s the same dude every day,” Schneider said.

“He’s been very consistent with his work. He’s been very consistent with his attitude, how he shows up every day, but I think he’s frustrated for sure, but he’s obviously a huge part of our team so he’ll keep going.”

Guerrero Jr., in the first of a 14-year, US$500 million contract, now holds a .271 batting average on the season, which just passed the halfway mark. He has only four home runs and an OPS of .706, which is below the league average of .719.

It seems fans are starting to become impatient.

Guerrero Jr., grounded out with runners on first and second to end a two-run rally in the sixth inning, leading to scattered boos from the home crowd. He then grounded out to end the game, garnering the same reaction.

Earlier, he appeared to jog out of the batter’s box in frustration on a ground ball to shortstop Corey Seager, who threw Guerrero Jr. out despite a bobble.

Schneider said he was giving Guerrero Jr. “grace” amid his struggles at the plate.

“You hit a ball to Corey Seager, who’s about as good as they get, and you can show a little frustration. I know how it looks when the guy bobbles the ball, but I talked to him quick, I’m not gonna scream at Vladimir for maybe not sprinting,” Schneider said.

Most of the Rangers’ damage came in the fifth inning, when they scored five on two walks and five hits off Toronto starter Dylan Cease and reliever Mason Fluharty to build a 6-0 advantage.

Fluharty entered with two outs and runners on first and second but could not strand them. He walked pinch-hitter Ezequiel Duran to load the bases before two-run hits from Alejandro Osuna and Elias Diaz blew the game open.

Cease struggled with command over his four and two-thirds innings, allowing four earned runs while walking five and striking out 10.

“I think we haven’t really been playing clean baseball as a whole, but at the same time, we’re not really pressing, just not executing. So it’s just the little things at this level, honestly,” said Cease.

“I mean, major leagues, it’s a small margin of error and I think we’re doing a lot of things right, we’re just kind of beating ourselves like I did today with the walks. So I think if we clean it up, we’re gonna be OK.”

Schneider said Cease’s mechanics were slightly off, leading to a high pitch count and slightly lower velocity than usual.

“It’s a weird start for him. Usually he kind of gets into a little bit of a rhythm and limits the pitch count and can still miss bats. … Kind of where we’re at right now,” Schneider said.

Rangers starter Cal Quantrill, of Port Hope, Ont., tossed four scoreless innings with five strikeouts to silence the Blue Jays bats in the early going.

“He pitched really well. Stuff kinda ticked up being back home in Canada, I think,” Schneider said.

Blue Jays first baseman Sean Keys, 23, made his MLB debut, going 1-for-4 with a single and a run. The power-hitting prospect was called up earlier Saturday in a series of moves that also saw outfielder Yohendrick Pinango return to the team, outfielder Jesus Sanchez placed on the injured list (ankle sprain) and utility man Davis Schneider optioned to triple-A Buffalo.

Pinango started in left field and hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning.

After the game, the Blue Jays announced a minor trade with the Athletics, sending right-hander Hayden Juenger to the Athletics for catcher Owen Carapellotti.

Toronto will look to avoid a four-game sweep Sunday when Shane Bieber (0-0, 9.82 ERA) makes his second start of the season against the Rangers’ Kumar Rocker (2-6, 4.14).

“It starts with Biebs tomorrow, it starts with the lineup having a good approach against Rocker and you gotta just go,” Schneider said. “You gotta figure it out.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2026.

Myles Dichter, The Canadian Press