The Atlanta Braves are 40-20, eleven games better than your Blue Jays. The Braves have a 109 positive run differential, the Jays are at negative 7. Before we get too spooked, the Rays were riding high until they lost four in a row last week.

The Orioles, like the Jays, are off to a slow start in 2026. However, they come into this series having won three in a row against the Tampa Rays. Does it mean things are turning around for them? The Jays hope things are turning for them. So it is a who is really turning it around battle this series. Even though the Jays are struggling to reach .500 they are in a tie for a playoff position now. Their first test of the weekend is to face ex-teammate Chris Bassitt tonight.

Meanwhile the "we have too many starting pitchers" Blue Jays have two TBD's listed for this series. One is likely an opener/Spencer Miles combo and it looks like Austin Voth will be a part of the other TBD day.

The 25-29 Marlins come into town to face the 25-28 Jays. There will be four major topics this series. They are:

1. The status of Vlad and Cease. Are the injuries minor or more serious?

2. The walking wounded. Bieber made a start in the FCL today. Is Lukas back? Who goes? Whither Barger, Scherzer and Kirk?

3. Canadian content. The Marlins feature three prominent Canadians. Former Jay Otto Lopez plus Liam Hicks and Owen Caissie.

4. The roof. Rumours suggest the roof could be open for Mondays game and weather suggests it can stay open for the series.

The Pirates come into town with a 26-24 record. They come bringing some heat. We know that Saturday's starter Paul Skenes throws hard but guess whose fastball is over one mph faster? Fridays start Bubba Chandler. Now despite the speed Chandler does have an ERA over five. He will walk you if you let him. Anyway fire up the Traject machine! Old friend Spencer Horwitz comes back sporting an .815 OPS.

The Jays take their Tampa bruises into Detroit trying to get back into series winning ways. After Detroit the Jays head to the Bronx for four games so it is time to get back in sync.

The Rays pop into the RC for a repeat of last weeks three game series which ended with all three wins for the Rays. Can the Jays mount a riposte? If yes they will have to do it without Addison Barger whose return from sore ankles lasted one game. Yohendrick Pinango is back, as is Yariel Rodriguez because Eric Lauer is DFA.

The limping Jays are back in the big TO for hopefully some relief courtesy of the Angels. Addison Barger will be activated today and someone will lose their spot.

The Jays head into the newly roofed Tropicana Field (if it is still called that) for three games. Tampa are hot, 9-1 in their last ten games. They are just 1.5 games back of the Yankees. Tampa is doing it with pitching, they are second in the AL in pitcher WHIP, while their offense is middle of the pack, just ahead of the Blue Jays.

On the back of three winning series the Jays head to the Twin Cities to try and make it four. But this is a four game series which could easily end in a split. A winning series needs three wins, can the Jays do it?

The interim-ly managed Red Sox come to town to try and show that a manager change does motivate a team, even if many of the players are publicly upset about the change. The Sawx seem to be a tad malfunctioning right now. Lets hope it continues for three days.

The Jays are back home trying to sort out their too many hitters, too many pitchers and who is the Closer problems. Will Springer or Barger be back this weekend? Will Yesavage be back? Who is the closer? All questions to be answered in the next three days, or maybe not.

Off to Anaheim to face the (checks current name) Los Angels Angels (aka Anaheim Angels, aka Los Angles Angels of Anaheim, aka California Angels).

Off to Arizona now, and hopefully things get better. Hey, no one hurt last series so that is a step up.

Time for 3 in Milwaukee - lets hope everyone survives the trip.

Its time for the Jays to win a series. Can Patrick Corbin get it started? He needs to as the Jays face Joe Ryan tomorrow.