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Toronto Blue Jays probable pitchers & starting lineups vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, March 5

The Blue Jays are back after a day off.
ByHenry Palattella|
Mar 3, 2025: Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) watches a fly ball on the way to first during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.
Mar 3, 2025: Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) watches a fly ball on the way to first during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

After a rare spring training day off, the Toronto Blue Jays are back in the spring training fold on Wednesday with a Grapefuit League matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Blue Jays picked up a blowout win over the Tigers on Monday, and now will send Kevin Gausman to the mound in a game that will bring us one step closer to the start of the regular season.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. from LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. The game will be available to stream on Sportsnet.

Probable starting pitchers

Kevin Gausman vs. Mitch Keller (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 K)

Gausman will take the mound for the first time this spring after he had the roughest season of his Blue Jays tenure last year.

The 34-year-old Gausman posted a 3.83 ERA in 181 innings and allowed 165 hits with just 162 strikeouts. Guasman ended the year with a 2.90 ERA over the final three months of the season, which is one of the reasons why he's getting some buzz as a breakout star.

His splitter is still one of the most dangerous pitches in all of baseball, and Wednesday will be our first chance to get to see it in action again. It could end up being the only chance we get to see it this spring, as he only made one spring apperance in 2022 and '24.

Keller appears to be in midseason form for the Pirates, as he's thrown five scoreless innings across two starts against the Rays and Twins. The 2023 All-Star got an extension ahead of the 2024 season and went 11-12 with a 4.25 ERA in 178 innings.

Keller allowed one run in six innings against the Blue Jays last year — his only career start against the club.

Toronto Blue Jays starting lineup, March 5

  • 1. DH Daulton Varsho
  • 2. 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
  • 3. LF Anthony Santander
  • 4. C Alejandro Kirk
  • 5. CF Joey Loperfido
  • 6. SS Leo Jiménez
  • 7. RF Nathan Lukes
  • 8. 2B Michael Stefanic
  • 9. 1B Riley Tirotta

The Jays are doing something a bit different with their lineup today by playing Guerrero at third base. Guerrero came up as a third base and said that he'd play wherever he needed to help the team win, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him at third base at some points during the regular season.

Tirotta gets the start at first after moving through Toronto's minor league system last year. He has good power but an alarming strikeout rate.

Varsho once again gets the start at DH as he continutes to recover from his offseason surgery, while Santander is getting the start in left. He's primarily a right fielder, but could see some time in left because of George Springer (and vice versa). It'll be interesting to see two of the Blue Jays' best hitters play in different positions today.

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