WEST SACRAMENTO -- The Athletics team that the Blue Jays faced to begin their 2026 season on March 26 at Rogers Centre was hardly recognizable when the two clubs met up this week at Sutter Health Park.
The Athletics’ original Nos. 1-5 batters -- Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, Tyler Soderstrom, Brent Rooker and Jacob Wilson -- are all on the injured list, as is Opening Day starting pitcher Luis Severino. And yet, Blue Jays manager John Schneider warned before Monday’s series opener, that the underperforming club could still be dangerous.
“They always play us tough,” Schneider said.
That was the case once again as the Blue Jays suffered a 2-0 shutout loss to the A’s on Wednesday, dropping two of three games in a crucial September series, and losing ground in the American League Wild Card race. At 73-74, Toronto fell to 1 1/2 games behind Cleveland for the final AL Wild Card spot, although the Blue Jays could pick up half a game if the Guardians fall to the Orioles on Wednesday evening.
After losing a three-game road set to the A’s in their first-ever series at Sutter Health Park last July, the Blue Jays were held to six hits by lefty Brady Basso and four relievers as their struggles in West Sacramento continued.
Their best chance came in the fifth inning when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came up with men on first and third and one out, but he bounced into a 1-4-3 double play to end the threat. The A’s scored in the third and fourth innings of a bullpen game for Toronto, and that was enough.
The Blue Jays still finished their nine-game road trip that also featured road series against the Guardians and Royals with a 5-4 record, but they missed out on a golden opportunity to gain ground against an A’s team that came into Wednesday 30 games under .500.