Orioles, Blue Jays open season with AL East rivalry showdown

The Toronto Blue Jays and the visiting Baltimore Orioles plunge right into a significant AL East confrontation to start the season on Thursday afternoon.

The Blue Jays are opening the season at home for the first time since 2022 with the four-game series after starting on the road in 2023-24 because of stadium renovations.

They want to jump off to a good start in their difficult early schedule to help erase the disappointment of 2024 when they finished last in the division.

The Orioles will be out to continue their success of the previous two seasons when they made the postseason. They failed to win a game once they got there, however, and they aim to take the next step.

The Blue Jays will find out if a good spring training record means anything when the real games start. They had the best record in the Grapefruit League at 18-10, including 14-1 at home in Dunedin, Fla. The Orioles were 13-14.

"I think guys are prepared," Toronto manager John Schneider said. "We won some games. What we set out to do, we did and got everybody ready. Within that, little things that we're trying to establish from a culture standpoint, team standpoint we feel good about, as well. And it's time to get going."

Another wrinkle to the clash is long-time Baltimore outfielder Anthony Santander, who hit a career-high 44 home runs last season and signed with Toronto in the offseason as a free agent. To boost the outfield, Baltimore added Tyler O'Neill, who hit 31 homers in 113 games for the Boston Red Sox last season.

Baltimore will open the season without shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who is on the injured list with a right intercostal muscle strain.

"Gunnar's one of the best players in the league, so it's hard to replace," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. "Hopefully, we can pick up the pieces around him a little bit and play well while he's gone."

Jackson Holliday, who had a strong spring, is among those who could play shortstop in Henderson's absence.

Right-hander Jose Berrios will start for Toronto on Thursday. He was 16-11 with a 3.60 ERA, last season and 0-0 with a 2.77 mark, in two starts against the Orioles. He is 10-1 with a 2.95 ERA, in 16 career starts against them.

He will be opposed by right-hander Zach Eflin, who was 10-9 with a 3.59 ERA, between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Orioles last season. He was 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA, in four starts against the Blue Jays last season and is 3-3 with a 5.72 mark, in nine career outings (eight starts) against them.

Kevin Gausman, Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt and Bowden Francis complete Toronto's rotation. Free-agent signing Jeff Hoffman will be the closer, replacing the departed Jordan Romano. Yariel Rodriguez will be the long man.

Charlie Morton, Dean Kremer, Tomoyuki Sugano and Cade Povich complete Baltimore's rotation. Felix Bautista will return as closer after missing last season because of elbow surgery. Albert Suarez will be the long man.

Second baseman Andres Gimenez is another significant addition for Toronto after a trade with the Cleveland Guardians.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will again lead the offense, and Toronto looks for Bo Bichette to return to form after injuries hampered him last season.

Toronto's Daulton Varsho will open on the IL as he returns from shoulder surgery.

Orioles pitchers Kyle Bradish, Chayce McDermott, Grayson Rodriguez, Trevor Rogers, Tyler Wells and Andrew Kittredge will open on the IL.

Baltimore won the season series 7-6 in 2024.

--Field Level Media