Blue Jays get sloppy in lopsided loss to Twins to start trip

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For whatever reason, throughout much of their franchise history the Blue Jays have been notoriously sleepy in the month of April.

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A recent surge wasn’t enough to give the reigning American League champs a winning record this April, but at least they arrived in Minnesota heading in that direction.

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There is still work to be done, however, as the Jays showed yet again as their final act before turning the page to May was a lacklustre and lopsided 7-1 loss to the Twins in frigid Minneapolis.

In a largely uneventful contest, the Twins dinged Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman for a pair of home runs, which was plenty to take care of another night of quiet Toronto offensive output.

The loss dipped the Jays mark’ to a modest 11-15 record in April, the 12th time in the past 16 seasons that they haven’t had a winning mark in the first full month of the season.

As for the latest, it was certainly a tepid beginning to a seven-game road trip, as the Jays wait for more reinforcements and some more offensive pop to help their search for consistency.

The recent run of success has certainly changed the outlook around the Jays, while generating a narrative that all is well because they entered Thursday’s contest with the same record they did a year ago.

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The difference, of course, is that in 2025 the Jays were just two games behind the division-leading Yankees. Prior to Thursday, that margin was 5.5 games.

They have been doing some things right, of late, bringing a 7-3 record in their previous 10 contests to the Twin Cities, boosted by three consecutive series wins for the first time in 2026.

Now 31 games into the season — and with almost 20 per cent of the schedule behind them — the Jays are 14-17 overall and very much a work in progress.

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Long ball bites Gausman

Gausman was cruising through three innings, and even had a 1-0 lead thanks to a Daulton Varsho solo homer in the top of the fourth.

The Twins got to him in the bottom half of the inning, though, when Ryan Jeffers belted a two-run homer. A solo shot from Byron Buxton was part of a two-run sixth inning that ended the right-hander’s night.

Gausman, who has pitched into the sixth inning in all seven of his 2026 starts, exited after 5.2 innings, allowing four hits, and a pair of walks, strikeouts and those two home runs.

The four earned runs were a season high for Gausman, who threw 94 pitches. His streak of two consecutive winning decisions ended. And once again, the veteran was stymied with benign run support from his teammates.

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Quick hits

With the loss, the Jays are 1-3 on the season against the Twins as their hosts scored seven unanswered following Varsho’s fourth homer of the season … Even with some success of late, the Jays’ defensive sloppiness continues to be a sticking point. Throwing errors from third baseman Kazuma Okamoto and shortstop Andres Gimenez helped contribute to a pair of eighth-inning runs from the Twins, add-ons to essentially squelch any realistic hope of a Toronto comeback … In his first full game since returning from a broken toe, George Springer was back at his leadoff/designated hitter spot and contributed with a pair of singles in four at-bats.

More help on the way

The welcome reinforcements began with an excellent 2026 debut for starting pitcher Trey Yesavage on Tuesday, followed by Springer’s return from a broken toe the following day.

And more arrivals are approaching the imminent stage.

Prior to Thursday’s game in the Twin Cities, Jays manager John Schneider told reporters that another starting pitcher, Jose Berrios, is getting closer to a return. Addison Barger, who has been out with an ankle injury since April 5, is also getting closer.

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Berrios is scheduled to throw a bullpen session with triple-A Buffalo on Friday. That effort, in part, will help decide whether Berrios will need another rehab start or will rejoin the Jays for his season debut on Sunday against the Twins.

Barger, meanwhile, has been running the bases in Florida and is set to begin his rehab assignment with the class-A Dunedin Blue Jays as early as Sunday.

Up next

The four-game set in Minneapolis continues on Friday with Patrick Corbin getting the ball followed by Dylan Cease on Saturday and either Berrios or Trey Yesavage for the finale on Sunday.

After that, the Jays head to St. Petersburg, Fla., for their first of three against the Rays on Monday inside a fully renovated Tropicana Field.

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