Blue Jays seek rare sweep against Phillies

By Liam Tremblay — 9 August 2026 — 4 min read

Blue Jays eye series sweep

The Toronto Blue Jays are aiming for their third series sweep of the season as they conclude their three-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. This marks the first opportunity for a sweep since the Blue Jays took all three games from the Boston Red Sox in June.

Toronto has been in strong form recently, securing seven victories in its last 10 games. During this period, the team has maintained a 2.42 team ERA, showcasing a notable performance from its pitching staff. The Blue Jays’ pitchers have allowed just 24 runs over their last 10 contests.

The Blue Jays enter Sunday with an overall record of 56-62, including a 28-31 record on the road. The Phillies, meanwhile, hold a 62-56 overall record and are 31-30 at home. Toronto has won three of the first five matchups between the two teams this season and can clinch the season series with another win.

Recent game highlights

Saturday night saw the Blue Jays secure a dramatic 7-5 victory over the Phillies in 11 innings. The decisive moment came when Nathan Lukes hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning, putting Toronto ahead for good. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also contributed with a home run and drove in two runs upon his return to the lineup.

The Phillies had previously erased a two-run Toronto lead in the sixth inning, scoring four runs, which included back-to-back home runs from Trea Turner and Bryce Harper. Despite this comeback, the Blue Jays ultimately prevailed.

In Friday night’s game, the Blue Jays held on for a 5-4 win against the Phillies. Toronto reliever Tyler Rogers allowed two runs in the ninth inning after loading the bases twice. He managed to retire All-Star outfielder Brandon Marsh on a groundout to secure his fourth save.

During the Friday game, Rogers walked two batters, and Kyle Schwarber reached base due to catcher’s interference to begin the ninth. Turner grounded into a forceout, making the score 5-3, and Harper’s RBI single brought the Phillies within one run at 5-4. After another walk loaded the bases, Alec Bohm hit a short chopper that resulted in Turner being out at home, followed by Marsh’s groundout.

Andrés Giménez and Josh Smith each hit home runs for Toronto in the Friday contest. The Blue Jays managed to knock Phillies ace Zack Wheeler out of the game in the sixth inning with one out and the bases loaded. Wheeler, who had pitched a combined five innings in his previous two starts, threw 116 pitches, his highest total since a 118-pitch shutout against Milwaukee on May 6, 2021. Wheeler (10-3) allowed four runs on seven hits and walked five.

The Blue Jays added a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning for a 4-2 lead. This game also coincided with former Phillies second baseman Chase Utley’s induction into the team’s Wall of Fame. The Phillies struggled offensively, managing only five hits, with their star sluggers not delivering in key moments. Notably, Luis Arráez, a three-time batting champion and trade-deadline acquisition, popped out to shallow centre against Brandon Little with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning.

The Phillies were trailing 3-2 when they had runners on second and third against Blue Jays starter José Soriano to open the fifth inning. Schwarber and Turner struck out against Soriano, and Harper struck out against left-handed reliever Mason Fluharty. Lazaro Estrada (1-0) walked two in 1 1/3 scoreless innings, earning his first career win.

There was an incident during the Friday game involving the Blue Jays and Wheeler’s delivery, which led to an argument between plate umpire John Tumpane and Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins, resulting in Popkins’ ejection. Wheeler was also seen mouthing a profanity toward the Blue Jays dugout.

Pitching matchups

For Sunday’s game, Shane Bieber is scheduled to start for Toronto. Bieber will look to build on his recent outings as he works to regain his form. He enters the game with a record of 3-2, an ERA of 5.11, a WHIP of 1.68, and 28 strikeouts.

The Phillies will counter with left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who has been one of their more effective starters this season. Luzardo’s record stands at 10-5, with an ERA of 3.36, a WHIP of 1.16, and 164 strikeouts.

In Friday’s game, the Blue Jays sent right-hander Max Scherzer (1-4, 7.92 ERA) to the mound against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola (3-9, 5.55). Scherzer had a memorable performance in Saturday’s game, moving into 10th place on MLB’s all-time strikeout list by surpassing Hall of Famer Walter Johnson. Scherzer recorded five strikeouts over five innings, contributing another strong outing from Toronto’s rotation.

Ernie Clement continues to lead Toronto with a .285 batting average, along with nine home runs and 27 doubles. Andres Gimenez has been effective over his last 10 games, going 10-for-32 with a home run and four RBIs.

Source: sportsnet.ca