The Toronto Blue Jays host the St. Louis Cardinals at Rogers Centre on Friday, July 31, 2026, with first pitch set for 7:07 PM ET. Dylan Cease gets the call for Toronto, squaring off against Cardinals right-hander Kyle Leahy. With the calendar flipping to August and the playoff picture coming into sharper focus with every game, this is exactly the kind of home series the Jays need to own. Coverage is available on Sportsnet and SN590 THE FAN locally.

Pitching Matchup: Dylan Cease vs. Kyle Leahy

Dylan Cease is the anchor of this start and the clear advantage in the pitching matchup. Cease has been one of the more reliable arms in the American League rotation this season, and taking the mound at Rogers Centre in a Friday night atmosphere is the kind of assignment built for him. His ability to generate swings and misses gives Toronto a genuine edge any time he takes the ball.

Kyle Leahy gets the assignment for St. Louis. Leahy is a name that Jays fans may not know inside and out, which means the Toronto lineup will need to stay disciplined early and not let an unfamiliar arm steal an inning or two before the offence gets comfortable. The Cardinals are throwing him out there for a reason — expect a competitive outing until the lineup figures him out.

Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup

• Nathan Lukes — RF
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — 1B
• Kazuma Okamoto — 3B
• George Springer — DH
• Daulton Varsho — CF
• Ernie Clement — 2B
• Jesús Sánchez — LF
• Brandon Valenzuela — C
• Andrés Giménez — SS

St. Louis Cardinals Starting Lineup

• JJ Wetherholt — 2B
• Jordan Walker — RF
• Alec Burleson — 1B
• Iván Herrera — DH
• Lars Nootbaar — LF
• Masyn Winn — SS
• Nathan Church — CF
• José Fermín — 3B
• Jimmy Crooks — C

Keys to Watch

Vlad Guerrero Jr. Hitting Second

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. slotting into the two-hole is worth monitoring. With Nathan Lukes leading off, Vlad gets to bat with men on base early and often. If Lukes gets on, the Cardinals have an immediate problem. Guerrero hitting second rather than third or fourth says something about how manager John Schneider wants to deploy his most dangerous bat — keeping him away from the platoon matchup issue and putting him in position to drive in a run in the first inning.

Okamoto and Springer in the Heart of the Order

Kazuma Okamoto batting third and George Springer fourth gives Toronto a genuinely deep middle of the order. Springer in the DH role preserves his legs while keeping his bat in a run-producing spot. Leahy will face his stiffest test working through this part of the lineup.

Bottom of the Order Depth

Ernie Clement, Jesús Sánchez, Brandon Valenzuela, and Andrés Giménez rounding out the lineup gives the Jays a bottom third that can still put runs on the board. Giménez batting ninth means the order turns over with a quality hitter back at the top. It is a lineup built to grind.

Prediction

Cease controls this game through six innings, the Rogers Centre crowd gets behind him early, and the offence does enough damage against Leahy in the third and fourth to build a cushion. Jays win, 4–2. Take it and enjoy the Friday night atmosphere.