Blue Jays begin 17-day stretch of gameplay

"So far this year, the Jays have had five off-days, three of which came in April. Their longest stretch of back-to-back games was early in the season and at the end of April, with both slotting at 13 games. The club hasn't been off to a strong start to begin the 2026 season, boasting a 19-24 record and sitting fourth in the AL East, 9.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays."

"The schedule doesn't get any easier for Toronto, who are heading just south of the border to face the Detroit Tigers for the first time this season to kick off a 17-game stretch with zero off-days. They may not be facing Tarik Skubal this weekend with the AL Cy Young winner on the IL, but the AL Central squad boasts a strong 12-6 record at Comerica Park despite their 19-25 record."

"Following their series against the Tigers, the Jays will hit the road to face the New York Yankees for a four-game set, the first matchup between the two sides since their ALCS matchup. The Yankees have been near the top of the standings for most of the season until the Tampa Bay Rays' most recent hot stretch, and the Yanks now sit two games back of the lead with a 27-17 record. The Bronx Bombers are 4-6 in their last ten games and might be without Max Fried moving forward after he was lifted from his most recent start with elbow soreness."

"The Jays are currently slated to face NL superstar hurler Paul Skenes during the weekend series if the Pirates' rotation schedule holds, which will be his first time pitching North of the border. The Jays and Skenes have faced off just once before (2025), with the right-hander holding the bats to five hits, one walk, and two earned runs across six innings with eight strikeouts."

Toronto has had five off-days so far in 2026, including three in April, and its longest back-to-back game stretches reached 13 games. The team holds a 19-24 record and sits fourth in the AL East, 9.5 games behind Tampa Bay. The schedule then turns difficult with a 17-game run featuring zero off-days, starting with a trip to Detroit for the first meeting of the season. After Detroit, Toronto plays the Yankees in a four-game set, with New York close to the AL lead and potentially dealing with Max Fried elbow soreness. Toronto then hosts Pittsburgh and Miami, with a possible matchup against Paul Skenes, before traveling to face Baltimore at Camden Yards.

Read at BlueJaysNation