Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-17 · by John Chidley-Hill The Canadian Press
The Toronto Blue Jays maintained a relaxed attitude despite having nine games left in the season and needing to secure a playoff spot. After defeating the Detroit Tigers 5-1 on Wednesday, player Myles Straw joked about wearing retro sunglasses while teammates took photos, reflecting a light-hearted mood among players. The team remains 1½ games behind the Chicago White Sox for the third and final wild-card position in the American League. Veteran pitcher Max Scherzer contributed with five innings of one-run ball, helping preserve the win alongside contributions from rookie relievers.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
If the Toronto Blue Jays are nervous about reaching the post-season, it doesn’t show.
asserted
it → reach → season
Myles Straw wore small, silver 1990s-style sunglasses as he answered questions from reporters following a 2 for 4 performance in Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Detroit Tigers.
asserted
he → wear → Tigers
As he spoke, Blue Jays teammates like Louis Varland and Shane Bieber stopped to take photos or videos, while Andres Gimenez stood near the media scrum shaking his head ruefully.
asserted
Gimenez → speak → head
“I think they look good.
asserted
they → think → ?
I’m not sure.
asserted
I → ’m → ?
I got these guys over here laughing at me,” said Straw who drove in a run in the fourth inning.
asserted
who → got → inning
“I don’t know why they’re all looking.
asserted
they → know → ?
“I mean, (infielder) Josh Smith.
asserted
I → mean → ?
He gave them to me, so he’s got the same pair.
asserted
he → give → pair
I’m not the only one.”
asserted
I → ’m → ?
The Cleveland Guardians beat Chicago 6-3 earlier in the day to take the lead in the American League Central.
asserted
Guardians → beat → Central
The White Sox now hold the AL’s third and final wild-card berth and the Blue Jays are 1 1/2 games behind them.
asserted
Jays → hold → them
The Texas Rangers were also 1 1/2 games behind Chicago but were scheduled to face the Boston Red Sox later in the day.
asserted
Rangers → schedule → day
Obviously, that was like a must-win,” said Straw.
asserted
Straw → say → win
“Obviously, we’ve got, what, nine more (games), so anything can happen.
asserted
anything → get → games
“That’s plenty of baseball, but I think today was a good one to get, for sure.”
asserted
today → ’ → baseball
Toronto’s rookie class like centre-fielder Brett Bateman and relief pitchers Spencer Miles and Brendan Cellucci were all duded up in short jean shorts, sleeveless plaid shirts and cowboy hats for the Blue Jays trip down to Texas for a critical three-game series against the Rangers.
asserted
class → dude → Rangers
He was excited to show me that a couple days ago,” said Straw.
asserted
Straw → show → that
“I saw it, and I thought it’d be great.
asserted
it → see → it
I’m sure there will be pictures posted, and you guys will definitely like it.”
asserted
guys → ’m → it
The 42-year-old Scherzer (3-8) pitched five innings of one-run ball, allowing three hits and three walks but striking out three.
asserted
Scherzer → pitch → three
Mason Fluharty, Miles and Varland combined for four scoreless innings to preserve the win.
asserted
Fluharty → combine → win
It was Scherzer’s best start in three outings, keeping Toronto in the game long enough for shortstop Ernie Clement and Straw to drive in some runs.
asserted
Clement → keep → runs
Scherzer had given up six runs over five innings in a 7-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Sept. 11 and three runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sept. 5.
asserted
Scherzer → give → Sept.
“It’s great when you have to come to the field, and it’s must-win baseball.
asserted
it → ’ → field
That’s how we’ve felt for a while now,” said Scherzer.
asserted
Scherzer → ’ → while
“We know this position that we’re in.
asserted
we → know → that
We’re aware of the standings, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to come here and win ball games.
asserted
you → ’re → games
“You can’t worry about everything else.
asserted
You → worry → everything
You’ve got to worry about yourself.
asserted
You → get → yourself
Today we had a good game, and everybody did their job.”
asserted
everybody → have → job
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that he was going to try and relax on Thursday, the team’s off day, by golfing with his wife.
asserted
he → say → wife
He said he encouraged all of his players to also spend time with their families or think about anything other than baseball.
asserted
he → say → baseball
“I’ve been scoreboard watching for a while,” said Schneider.
asserted
Schneider → watch → while
“I may take a break and just try to focus on going 1-0 every day with the Blue Jays.
uncertain
I → take → Jays
“Whatever’s going to happen is going to happen.
asserted
going → go → ?
I think if we can kind of worry about us, that’s the best thing to do.”
asserted
that → think → us
Before Wednesday’s win over Detroit, Schneider said that pitcher Trey Yesavage felt good after a conditioning start with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons and could pitch for the Blue Jays as soon as Sunday.
uncertain
Yesavage → say → Sunday
Schneider said that the rookie’s physical readiness was more important than his stat line for the Bisons after he threw 2/3 of an inning, giving up two hits and two runs, one earned, against the Rochester Red Wings.
asserted
he → say → Wings
Yesavage has a 5-5 record for Toronto this season with a 3.65 earned-run average over 18 starts.
asserted
Yesavage → have → starts
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
