Cooper Albers previews Sunday’s MLB game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
American League contenders meet for a Sunday afternoon rubber match, as the Cleveland Guardians visit the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
The Guardians (15–13, 1st AL Central) took Friday’s series opener, 8–6, powered by a two-homer day from Angel Martinez. The Blue Jays (11–15, 4th AL East) answered on Saturday with a 5–3 victory, jumping ahead with a three-run sixth inning — and never looking back.
Looking at the pitching probables, we’ve got Guardians right-hander Slade Cecconi (0–3, 6.20 ERA) taking on Blue Jays southpaw Patrick Corbin (0–0, 3.68 ERA).
First pitch is set for 1:37 p.m. ET. Toronto enters as a 1.5-run home favorite with -136 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. Cleveland sits as a +113 underdog, with the total set at O/U eight runs.
For AL Central standards, the Guardians are off to a solid start in 2026. They sit atop the division with a 15–13 record, though they hover around MLB’s middle ground on both sides of the ball.
Stymied by some unfortunate batted-ball luck, Cleveland sits 15th leaguewide in wRC+ and 19th in OPS. Switch-hitting superstar Jose Ramirez is back to his usual ways, having crushed a team-high six home runs to bolster an .831 OPS. But while the likes of Chase DeLauter, Angel Martinez, and Daniel Schneemann have gotten off to strong starts, the order still feels rather pedestrian.
Worse, the Guardians have been increasingly vulnerable when right-hander Slade Cecconi takes the mound. The 26-year-old starter has gotten crushed to the tune of a 6.20 ERA (6.30 xERA) and a 1.58 WHIP through his first five turns — all of which have resulted in Cleveland losses. In his most recent start against the Astros, Cecconi got tagged for seven runs (six earned) over five innings, giving up two homers with just two strikeouts.
The Blue Jays have gone quiet after capturing their first AL pennant in over three decades.
Through a swill cocktail of departures (Bo Bichette) and injuries (George Springer), Toronto’s diluted lineup sits 22nd in wRC+, 20th in OPS, and 25th in runs scored. The problem isn’t hitting — but slugging. While superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is one of four Jays with a batting average over .320, he’s only mashed two home runs through his first 26 games.
Exacerbating the issue, Toronto’s pitching staff has been extremely unlucky early on — their bloated 4.61 team ERA underscored by a far more palatable 3.76 xERA. One such pitcher has enjoyed the opposite fortune of his teammates, though, and his name is Patrick Corbin. The veteran lefty has posted a 3.68 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP across his first three starts, though his 5.92 xERA forecasts an eventual regression. But that didn’t stop him from hurling five innings of one-run ball in his latest outing against the Angels.
While both offenses have stumbled out of the gate, the Guardians and Blue Jays remain capable of capitalizing on favorable pitching matchups — and combined for at least eight runs in each of their first two matchups. With the misfiring Cecconi taking on the suspiciously fortunate Corbin, expect more fireworks in Sunday’s rubber match.
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