TORONTO -- The Blue Jays are long overdue for good news in a season that’s been a whirlwind of the bad stuff.
Finally, Toronto has a wave of players returning from the injured list instead of piling onto it. Trey Yesavage’s 2026 debut in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over the Red Sox was one big, important step in the right direction, and there’s more to come.
With better days ahead, here’s what else mattered from Tuesday’s win:
1. More reinforcements? José Berríos
Berríos made what could be his final rehab outing Tuesday with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, but after allowing five runs over four innings -- including two home runs -- we’ll need to wait and see how the Blue Jays view this one. Berríos’ fastball averaged just 91.9 mph, too, which is a tick below where the Blue Jays would like it to be.
Is Berríos’ pitch count Tuesday (70) enough for the Blue Jays to be satisfied, betting on the adrenaline of an MLB environment sharpening him up when he returns to the big leagues for his next start? The rotation is lined up perfectly for Berríos to pitch the opening game against the Rays on Monday, a rotation spot vacated by Max Scherzer’s injury.
If Berríos is back to his old self, which is one of the most reliable pitchers in Major League Baseball for a decade, that would be a massive win for the Blue Jays, and one that’s perfectly timed.
“With the exception of a hiccup last year and a down year in 2022, he’s been the model of consistency,” manager John Schneider said. “That will be a welcome addition, for sure.”
2. Welcome back? George Springer
Springer (broken toe) ran again Tuesday and faced live pitching, so if all goes well and Springer wakes up feeling OK Wednesday morning, he’ll be activated from the IL and bat leadoff for the Blue Jays in their finale against the Red Sox.
This lineup needs its leadoff hitter back. Ernie Clement, Nathan Lukes and Myles Straw have filled in, but everything about this lineup makes more sense with Springer’s name written at the top. That should also help the Blue Jays lengthen their lineup at the bottom. In 2025, the bottom 3-4 spots of the lineup were where the Blue Jays were aggressive with matchups and their in-game decision making.
The counter move for Springer? Rookie Yohendrick Piñango, who just made his MLB debut, could bounce back to Triple-A Buffalo for more playing time, but there’s also the question of how the Blue Jays handle Eloy Jiménez. With Springer back in the primary DH role, there won’t be much room for Jiménez’s bat in the lineup and he offers little defensive versatility.
3. Big Oak: Okamoto heating up
Kazuma Okamoto is turning this around quickly, isn’t he? Schneider dismissed any notion of a slow start in early April, standing firmly behind his new Japanese star, and we’re seeing exactly why.
Okamoto opened the scoring in the third inning with a loud, line-drive single over the left-fielder’s head that scored a pair of runs. Okamoto’s slide into second was awfully close -- and might have earned him some jokes in the dugout after the crash landing -- but there’s plenty of time to smooth those out.
Okamoto looks like a force in the middle of this lineup, and with a recent adjustment to his pre-pitch setup and where he’s standing in the box, we’re seeing him unleash his swing with far more confidence. Okamoto’s natural power is tantalizing, and if he keeps things moving in this direction, there’s a strong argument to be made for Okamoto as the everyday cleanup hitter behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr.