The Toronto Blue Jays managed to grind out a 2-1 extra-innings win over the Detroit Tigers yesterday, getting a go-ahead single from Daulton Varsho in the 10th inning along with a really strong effort from the bullpen. The victory moves Toronto to 20-25 on the season as they now look to secure a series win this afternoon at Comerica Park.
The offence is still searching for a bit more consistency, though. The Jays were held to just five hits yesterday, and against a Tigers team that continues to pitch fairly well, they’ll probably need a little more support for their ace in the series finale.
Game Info
- Date: Sunday, May 17, 2026
- First Pitch: 1:40 p.m. EDT
- Location: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
- TV: Sportsnet
- Radio: SN590 The Fan
Probable Pitchers
TOR: Kevin Gausman (2-3, 3.86 ERA)
Toronto hands the ball to Kevin Gausman in a pretty important game for this road trip. His last outing against the Tampa Bay Rays was a rough one, but the Jays are hoping he can bounce back against a Tigers lineup that struck out 14 times yesterday.
The splitter is obviously the big pitch to watch here. When Gausman is locating it consistently below the zone, he can control an entire game pretty quickly. Toronto could also really use some length from him after leaning heavily on the bullpen during the extra innings win on Saturday.
DET: Jack Flaherty (0-4, 5.73 ERA)
Detroit counters with Jack Flaherty, who is still looking for his first win of the season. The numbers haven’t been great so far, but he’s still the kind of pitcher who can become difficult to deal with if he settles in early.
For the Blue Jays, patience is probably the biggest thing. Flaherty has battled command issues at times this year, so forcing long at-bats and getting traffic on base could end up being the difference.
Blue Jays’ Projected Lineup:
Below is the projected Blue Jays lineup for the game against the Tigers. It can, however, change ahead of the first pitch.
- George Springer (DH)
- Yohendrick Pinango (LF)
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B)
- Kazuma Okamoto (3B)
- Daulton Varsho (CF)
- Jesús Sánchez (RF)
- Ernie Clement (2B)
- Andrés Gímenéz (SS)
- Brandon Valenzuela (C)
Bench: Tyler Heineman (C), Davis Schneider (Utility), Myles Straw (OF), Lenyn Sosa (1B/DH)
Injured: Shane Bieber (SP), Nathan Lukes (RF), Max Scherzer (SP), Jose Berrios (SP), Anthony Santander (RF), Lazaro Estrada (RP), Cody Ponce (SP), Bowden Francis (SP), Yimi Garcia (RP), Alejandro Kirk (C) & Addison Barger (RF)
Player to Watch: Yohendrick Piñango
Yohendrick Piñango gave the Blue Jays a huge lift yesterday, finishing 2-for-4 while also launching his first solo home run in the sixth inning for Toronto’s first run of the game. With parts of the lineup still struggling to consistently square balls up, Piñango has started giving the offence a bit of energy lately. If the Jays are going to get to Flaherty early, contributions from players early in the lineup could end up being important again.
Final Thoughts
The Blue Jays are still trying to work their way back into the AL East picture, and winning a road series before heading into a difficult matchup with the New York Yankees would be a solid step forward.
Blue Jays Game Day Preview: Game 45 vs. Detroit Tigers