Chris Bassitt came back to haunt his former teammates

Far from being in a position to secure a playoff spot, the Toronto Blue Jays aren't benefiting from a so-called favorable schedule. On the contrary, their recent trip to Sacramento, combined with the first game of their series against the Baltimore Orioles in Toronto, doesn't bode well.

Yesterday, in front of their home crowd, the Jays fell 7-4 to a team that sits behind them in the standings. Chris Bassitt and the Orioles kicked off their visit to Toronto with a fairly convincing win.

Bassitt, a former member of the Toronto franchise, did just enough to win his matchup against Max Scherzer and propel his team to victory. The Orioles are also in the thick of the American League playoff race alongside the Jays, the Cleveland Guardians, and the Texas Rangers. Let's just say their chances are slimmer than Toronto's, but they're still very much alive.

Max Scherzer has allowed six straight hits to start the second as the Orioles lead the Blue Jays 6-0 pic.twitter.com/NsyylVQFLR

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 11, 2026

The visitors scored six runs in the first two innings, putting the game out of reach for John Schneider's men. Dylan Beavers set the tone for the game by hitting a home run off the Jays' starter in the very first inning. Who would have thought that a beaver would hurt Canadian fans, who are hoping for a strong finish to the season from their team?

The two veterans pitched five innings before the bullpen took over. Let's just say the Jays' manager showed patience with his starter, hoping for a spark from his offense.

The home team scored four runs on ten hits, and once again, it was Brett Bateman who stood out the most for his team. The center fielder hit his first major league home run, one of his three hits of the night. Since joining the team, Bateman has been hitting .339. Also worth noting is Kazuma Okamoto's 31st home run of the season; he's been his team's top offensive player this season—or at least the one who's shown the most consistency so far.

BRETT BATEMAN HITS HIS FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE HOME RUN pic.twitter.com/SUqBl9LSor

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 12, 2026

When Okamoto was signed during the last offseason, it was clear he had power, but reaching the 30-home-run mark in 2026 is nothing short of a feat.

The Jays' loss—their second in a row—combined with the Guardians' win over the Minnesota Twins, means the Canadian team is now, as of this morning, two games away from a playoff berth. The Orioles and Rangers are three games back. None of the teams in this race seem willing to pull ahead of the others. The Guardians hold the lead, but they aren't playing with confidence.

Today, Spencer Miles will shoulder the burden of getting his team back on the winning track as he faces off against Kyle Bradish.

With 14 games left to play, time is running out for the Toronto team, and their hopes of making the playoffs are dwindling with each loss. Let's just say this is a bad time to not play with more intensity.

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