Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Shane Bieber aims a pitch during the first inning of a game against the Miami Marlins, on Aug. 22.Marta Lavandier/The Associated Press
The Blue Jays will close out August by welcoming the MLB-leading Milwaukee Brewers to town for a weekend set, starting Friday night when Toronto gets its first taste of Bieber fever.
Shane Bieber, who won the 2020 AL Cy Young award, will get his first home start for the Jays, as the team with the best record in the American League hosts the National League’s top club before another likely sellout crowd.
The veteran right-hander makes his second start since recovering from Tommy John surgery. The faithful at Rogers Centre get their first in-person look at the key trade-deadline acquisition who may boost Toronto’s hopes for a deep postseason run.
Bieber was superb in his first start as a Blue Jay last Friday in Miami, allowing one run on two hits and no walks with nine strikeouts over six innings.
“I’ve got Bieber fever, I’m a Belieber, oh man,” Jays manager John Schneider said to reporters after that win.
Relaxed and rejuvenated, George Springer is enjoying his bounce-back season
Now Bieber (1-0, 1.50 ERA) will get a chance to show if he can do it against the best team in baseball.
Bieber, Kevin Gausman (8-10, 3.87 ERA) and Max Scherzer (5-2, 3.82 ERA) are lined up to pitch against Milwaukee from Friday through Sunday. The Jays have pushed the next start for José Berrios to Tuesday in Cincinnati against the Reds.
The Blue Jays (78-56) took a day off on Thursday following their thrilling 9-8 Wednesday win over the Minnesota Twins, which clinched that set 2-1. Addison Barger ended a slump by slugging a two-run go-ahead double, and Jeff Hoffman came up with the save in Toronto’s 40th come-from-behind win of the season. They displayed once again that they are never out of game.
The Blue Jays are 5-5 in their last 10 games and have a 14-10 record in August, cooling slightly from June and July. Still they’ve had thrilling moments from so many contributors this week alone – including a pair of homers from George Springer on Tuesday, and a duo from Davis Schneider the next day. August isn’t quite over yet, but Rogers Centre is starting to take on a fall-like vibe.
Davis Schneider of the Blue Jays hits a solo home run in the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Rogers Centre on Wednesday.Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
With 28 games remaining in what has the potential to be a special season for the Jays as they eye their first division title since 2015, this weekend should offer a great test.
Toronto is half-way through a six-game, seven-day home stand at the dome. The club’s 44-22 home record is second in the league behind Milwaukee’s 45-23, while the Brewers tout the top record on the road (38-28).
The Brewers and Jays last played in June of 2024, a series Milwaukee won at home 2-1.
“We are pretty similar,” Toronto’s manager told reporters on Wednesday. “They have big-game players but are doing it collectively, kind of like us.”
Ace Freddy Peralta is expected to take the mound for Milwaukee on Friday, owning a 15-5 record and a 2.68 ETA. His last outing saw him allow one hit over six innings while the Brewers shut out the Chicago Cubs 7-0.
Milwaukee will send Quinn Priester (11-2, 3.44 ERA) to the hill on Saturday, and Brandon Woodruff on Sunday (5-1, 3.10 ERA). The Brewers suffered a blow this week, as they put closer Trevor Megill on the injured list with a strain in his right arm.
Brice Turang and Andruw Monasterio have been big sluggers for the Brewers of late. Milwaukee has scored the third-most runs in the MLB, behind the Dodgers and Yankees. Toronto is fifth in that category.
Both teams are keen to keep engines firing as they enter the last month of the regular season, each eager to lock down playoff positioning.
“Playing good teams is what you have to do,” said Schneider, “to get where you want to get.”