John Schneider announces opener to start for Toronto Blue Jays ahead of Diamondbacks game
Photo credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider has confirmed the team will deploy an opener for Friday night’s matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
As they look to stabilize a struggling pitching staff, the Toronto Blue Jays are turning to a bullpen strategy in hopes of gaining an early edge in the series opener.
Reliever Braydon Fisher is expected to take the mound first, according to Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling.
Braydon Fisher will open today’s game for the Blue Jays vs the Diamondbacks
Fisher will open for Eric Lauer
He’ll serve as the opener before handing things over to Eric Lauer, who is slated to handle the bulk of the innings.
This marks Toronto’s second bullpen game of the season. Their first came on April 4, when Mason Fluharty opened in a 6–3 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Fisher, 25, is building on an impressive rookie campaign.
Last season, he posted a 2.70 ERA with 62 strikeouts and 19 walks across 50 innings, while leading the team with a 22.3 percent strikeout-minus-walk rate.
He’s carried that momentum into 2026, recording a stellar 0.93 ERA with 12 strikeouts and just one walk over 9.2 innings so far.
Braydon Fisher's 3Ks in the 7th
Lauer, meanwhile, will be looking to rebound after a difficult outing against the Minnesota Twins, where he surrendered seven runs and allowed 10 baserunners in 5.1 innings.
The opener strategy is designed to have a reliever face the top of the opposing lineup early, limiting how often the primary pitcher must go through the most dangerous hitters.
Toronto enters the game hoping to reverse its recent slide.
After sweeping the Athletics to open the season, the Blue Jays have now dropped five consecutive series, including their latest against the Milwaukee Brewers.
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