Blue Jays display what could be a major strength in win over Athletics

The Toronto Blue Jays are off to an entertaining 2-0 start to the 2026 season. Both wins over the West Sacramento Athletics have come via the ever exciting walk off win. On Friday night, it was Andrés Giménez with the RBI single in the bottom of the ninth that scored Kazuma Okamoto. On Saturday, it was Ernie Clement with a line drive to left-center that cashed in Nathan Lukes in the bottom of the 11th.

There were quite a few similarities in both games, including Toronto's starting pitchers racking up double digit strikeouts during their outings. But what was different about Saturday's 7-6 win was that the Blue Jays got to show off what could be one of their major strengths this season, lineup flexibility.

Blue Jays display what could be a major strength in win over Athletics

On Friday night, manager John Schneider went to his bench just once, throwing Myles Straw into left field in the top of the ninth as a defensive replacement, moving the starter Lukes over to right field. Addison Barger, who started the game in right, was placed on the bench.

On Saturday, Schneider was a bit busier in utilizing the players at his disposal in trying to get the best matchups possible for the Blue Jays to succeed. It started with Jesús Sánchez getting in for a pinch-hit at-bat in the seventh inning. This was the Blue Jays debut for Sánchez, acquired in a trade in the offseason from the Houston Astros for Joey Loperfido.

Sánchez, a left-hander, was sent to the plate to lead off the seventh against the righty Mark Leiter Jr., with Straw coming out of the game. This was a rather big moment in the game. The A's had just put up five runs to take a 6-2 lead and so it was imperative that Sánchez have a competitive at-bat to get the Blue Jays going in their comeback attempt. Well, Sánchez got hit on the foot, and got on-base. Despite that hit-by-pitch stinging for a bit, Sánchez showed no-ill effects as he managed to round the bases and eventually score. In fact, he would stay in the game, playing in left field, and later got a hit, drove in a run, and scored a run himself.

Also in the seventh, Barger, another lefty, pinch-hit for another right-handed outfielder, lifting Davis Schneider from the game. While Barger grounded out in that at-bat, he later drew a walk, and drove in a game tying run in the bottom of the 10th on a sacrifice fly, to keep the game going.

In the 11th, Okamoto would have started as the ghost runner on second base. However, Schneider once again went to his bench, and had the speedier Lukes take Okamoto's place. Lukes would winde up crossing the plate on the Clement hit, but what's interesting to note is that if the game didn't end there, Schneider would have had Lukes in Okamoto's spot at third base. The likely move would have been bringing in Barger from right-field to play third, and sending Lukes somewhere out there.

Through two games, Schneider has used everybody on the team except for back up catcher Tyler Heinemann. He's been able to get the better lefty-righty matchups at the plate. He's been able to utilize the versatility of some of his defenders. And he's been able to get some speed on the bases in a "must-score" situation. The Blue Jays, as currently constructed, have shown they've got a number of ways to attack opponents and that should continue to be a strength over the 2026 season.