Varland, Valenzuela among key contributors as Blue Jays climb standings with win

Toronto Blue Jays' Brandon Valenzuela (59) is doused with a sports drink following MLB baseball action in Toronto, on Sunday, June 7, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sammy Kogan

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays celebrated their series win against the Baltimore Orioles with a family barbecue in the Rogers Centre outfield after their second win in a row on Sunday.

The back-to-back wins pushed the Blue Jays (32-34) past the Orioles (31-35) and into third place in the American League East. Toronto also climbed to within a half-game of the Texas Rangers (32-33) for the third AL wild-card spot.

There were several Blue Jays who contributed to the explosive five-run sixth inning that made the difference in the 6-4 series finale. But closer Louis Varland and rookie catcher Brandon Valenzuela were bright lights in both outings.

Varland earned saves on Saturday and Sunday. His four-out closing salvo on Sunday increased his total to 11 saves since taking over the stopper role from Jeff Hoffman on Apr. 21.

“He’s fun to watch,” said Toronto starter Kevin Gausman, who, along with several of his teammates, took in the Luke Combs concert in a team-bonding outing on Saturday night.

“He has that bulldog mentality. Well, he’s always had that. But he’s a fiery guy with electric stuff. He has good command, and when he gets out there, he wants to get those three outs as quick as possible.”

The 25-year-old Valenzuela also enjoyed a stellar weekend. Manager John Schneider moved him to sixth in the batting order on Saturday, the highest he’s hit in his rookie season.

Valenzuela responded with a 3 for 3 outing and a sacrifice fly. In the series finale, he smacked a solo shot, his seventh, in the eighth to provide a two-run cushion for the home side. He also knocked in a run with a fifth-inning groundout.

In the seventh, with the Orioles on first and second with none out, he jumped from behind the plate to snare Blaze Alexander and eliminate the lead runner at third.

“He’s pretty good, confident, and really sticking with an approach,” Schneider said. “He’s taking good swings. It was a great play on the bunt, which gets overlooked with this offence. I think he’s showing that he’s an all-around pretty good player.”

In his last 30 games, Valenzuela has hit .301 with five doubles, six homers, 14 RBI and 15 walks.

“He goes about his business in a quiet way,” said Gausman, who admires the calmness in which Valenzuela approaches the game as a signal caller.

“It’s been fun to see him get better.”

Base path explanation

The Orioles were irate that Ernie Clement was not called out for leaving the basepath between first and second base on Valenzuela’s grounder, which would have resulted in an inning-ending double play in the sixth.

The Orioles were ahead 4-1. Instead, Clement went to his right to avoid a tag from Baltimore shortstop Gunnar Henderson. Three batters later, Toronto enjoyed a 5-4 advantage.

“(Clement) went out there to avoid the fielder from fielding the ball, and so once he was out there, that makes it his established base path,” second-base umpire Nick Lentz told a pool reporter.

“It actually is a very gentlemanly thing to do,” crew chief and home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt added. “He was getting out of the way to allow the fielder to make the play towards first base. It just so happened that they tried to spin it to get two, but (Clement’s) base path was already established.”

Up next

Toronto lefty Patrick Corbin (2-2) will face Philadelphia Phillies ace southpaw Cristopher Sanchez (7-2) in the series opener at home on Monday. Schneider has not committed to his starting pitchers for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Blue Jays manager wants to see how injured starters Dylan Cease (hamstring) and Max Scherzer (forearm, ankle) recover after their side sessions on Sunday. Schneider stated he’ll know before the series opener against the Phillies as to who will fill the two starters’ spots.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2026.

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press