Kevin Gausman Takes the Mound as Blue Jays Hunt Payback Against First-Place Rays

The Toronto Blue Jays get their shot at revenge Monday night when the Tampa Bay Rays roll into town for a three-game series opener. Last time these teams met, it wasn't pretty: the Rays held Toronto to just four runs while sweeping a three-game set May 4-6 down in St. Petersburg. Now the Blue Jays want to make a statement at home.

Here's the thing though: Toronto's been a mess lately. After winning the first two games against the Angels last week, they got absolutely torched 6-1 on Sunday. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is absolutely rolling. The Rays just took over first place in the AL East on Sunday with a 4-1 road win over Boston, and they've won 13 of their last 15 games. They've got the second-best record in baseball, right behind Atlanta.

"I enjoy the sound of that," Rays closer Bryan Baker said after earning his 10th save. "We're not going to think too much about it. We're going to keep pressing. But I think if you would have told me that going into the year, I would take it immediately."

Rays skipper Kevin Cash isn't going to overstate it, but he's clearly happy. "I realize that it's May as well, but you always like to be in first place," he said. "Good for the guys, man. They've played well."

Gausman Gets Another Crack

Kevin Gausman (2-2, 3.09 ERA) takes the hill for Toronto on Monday. These two teams just faced off on May 5, and Gausman wasn't involved in the decision, allowing two runs over six innings in a 4-3 Rays win. He's 8-9 with a 4.02 ERA in 27 career games against Tampa Bay, so he's got some work to do to turn that around.

The Rays are sending out right-hander Drew Rasmussen (2-1, 2.95 ERA), who also didn't factor into the decision on May 5 after giving up three runs in six innings. Rasmussen is 2-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 12 outings against Toronto.

The Blue Jays' Offense Has a Pulse, But It's Flickering

On the offensive side, Kazuma Okamoto has been Toronto's bright spot. He's racking up 26 RBIs to lead the team, and he's on a nine-game hit streak, batting .343 (12-for-35) with two doubles, five home runs and 11 RBIs. His 10 homers also top the team.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider gave Okamoto huge credit: "When you look back at the last three weeks, he's been arguably our best hitter. He's coming up with some timely hits, too. (Sunday) was another example in the first, two outs and two strikes. He's getting it done."

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., though? He's been a ghost in May, hitting just .152 (5-for-33) with no home runs and two RBIs.

The Blue Jays could get a boost with the return of Addison Barger from a sprained ankle, but he was scratched Sunday with a sore elbow and needs an MRI.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.