Athletics announce starting pitchers for Opening Day Series versus Toronto Blue Jays
Photo credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
The Toronto Blue Jays will open their 2026 season against a familiar opponent, hosting the Athletics on Friday night at Rogers Centre.
Right-hander Luis Severino is set to take the mound for the Athletics in the opener, with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet.
He'll be followed in the series by Jeffery Springs on Saturday and Luis Morales on Sunday, according to MLB.com's Martin Gallegos.
A's vs. Blue Jays pitching matchups
Friday: Luis Severino vs. Kevin Gausman
Saturday: Jeffrey Springs vs. Dylan Cease
Sunday: Luis Morales vs. Eric Lauer
Friday: Luis Severino vs. Kevin Gausman
Saturday: Jeffrey Springs vs. Dylan Cease
Sunday: Luis Morales vs. Eric Lauer
Blue Jays counter with formidable starters
The Toronto Blue Jays will counter with Kevin Gausman as its Opening Day starter, marking his first such assignment with the club.
He'll be backed up by Dylan Cease in the second game and Eric Lauer in the series finale.
Severino, now 32, made 29 starts for the Athletics last season, finishing with a 4.54 ERA and a 1.303 WHIP.
The veteran right-hander previously spent time with both the New York Mets in 2024 and the New York Yankees earlier in his career.
On the international stage, Severino has also shared the field with Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as part of the Dominican Republic squad at the World Baseball Classic.
In that tournament, he appeared in two games, allowing just two earned runs across 7.1 innings while striking out 11 batters.
Gausman, 35, is coming off another strong campaign, posting a 3.59 ERA over 32 regular-season starts.
He elevated his performance in the playoffs, recording an impressive 2.93 ERA across six appearances.
As for the rest of Oakland's rotation, Springs, 33, logged 32 appearances last season, compiling a 4.65 ERA with 138 strikeouts over 171 innings.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Luis Morales showed promise in his rookie campaign, pitching to a 3.14 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 48.2 innings across 10 games.
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