Rays belt three homers to beat Blue Jays 7-1

sportsJul 21, 202616195

Victor Mesa Jr., Cedric Mullins and Nick Fortes each hit solo home runs as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 at Rogers Centre on July 20. Mesa hit his eighth homer with one out in the second, Mullins led off the sixth with his 12th, and Fortes opened the ninth with his third. Dylan Cease (6-5) absorbed the loss after six innings and 101 pitches, allowing three earned runs, seven hits, a walk and seven strikeouts; reliever Brendon Little was charged with Fortes's homer. Tampa Bay benefited from defensive miscues by Kazuma Okamoto and Andres Gimenez that produced a two-run fourth, and Junior Caminero went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Nick Martinez (9-2) matched Cease with six innings, surrendering one run on six hits with a walk and no strikeouts. The Rays, 57-42 and leading the American League, halted a five-game losing streak while the Blue Jays fell to 46-54, eight games under .500, their deepest deficit in 2026. Kevin Gausman (4-8) will face Rays righty Drew Rasmussen (7-5) in Tuesday's second game of the four-game set.

Acting the Fulemin

@actingthefulemin.bsky.social

my suggestion is Carney picks a random blue jays game, we collectively drink all the American booze left in the country while watching them ground into nine double plays, and then we drunkenly sing O Canada at midnight in a moment of national unity. vote Fulemin for more great ideas like Spite Night

5712h ago

sens, eh?3

“what do you mean they attacked the very next day?? how did they know we’d all be too hungover to mount a defense??”

Sheryl2

I'm American, and I'd make the drive to Toronto for that party.

Stephen Randle 🍁🍁🍁1

I'm in favour of Spite Night, but any plan requiring the 2026 Jays to put enough runners on base to ground into nine double plays might be a problem

Frinkiac Reply Guy1

This is the hard hitting analysis I’m here for.

Quoting this

Rick4

@avilewis.ca Hire Fulemin as campaign director. Remember, Doug Ford won on buck a beer....

Keegan Matheson

@keeganmatheson.bsky.social

After tonight's 0-for-4, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is now batting .259 with a .695 OPS. Even as we watch it all happen, I can't believe that it keeps stretching on. Baffling season. #BlueJays

4711h ago

Chuck 🍁2

It's inconceivable that it's been almost a year since he's hit a regular season home run at Rogers Centre.

Ryan B2

Think we gotta fire the hitting coach

Kerry 🇵🇸2

Maybe he's actually left handed? Worth looking in to

Horn Slack1

Is he battling an injury?

DJTaxman771

At least we didn't sign Bo for 43 million a year. Not doing any better than Vladdy.

shad3sofyesterday.bsky.social1

Can he see the baseball? Is he hurt? Why are you playing through injury if you're hurt in a lost ass season. Why is jon continuing to bat him 2nd or 3rd in the lineup? Anyone else gets pushed down the lineup. Vlad keeps his spot... this is as much on jon than it is on vlad sucking.

Rick City

@rickcity.bsky.social

I'm now getting mad at the 2025 Blue Jays for making me care about the 2026 Blue Jays. I was perfectly fine being a casual fan. Now I'm watching this garbage regularly

1711h ago

Reylinn1

I think after months of injury nonsense it's not surprising that the team is meh. I'm waiting on 2027 at this point.

Vanessa 🍁1

As a life long fan, I can confirm - they are playing like dog shit

Bob Johnsonnnnohwait.1

Everything went right in 2025, except those final games. This year feels like cease and Ernie and varland are the only things going right

Minor Leaguer

@minorleaguer.ca

On the bright side, the Blue Jays missing the Postseason may mean money for an extra vacation for me.

1512h ago

Paul Frank4

Trip to Spain bought and paid for. Zero regrets.

Rivers1

WestJet has some really reasonably priced flights to Costa Rica

LoriLori251

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. (??!!) 😉

Mike Wilner

@wilnerness.bsky.social

In a clear case of #Bluejays not leaving well enough alone, Brendon Little is coming back out for top9. #Jays trail #Rays 6-1.

1611h ago

Craig Needles2

Ball goes over the fence immediately.

Your pal, Andrew (2009 Remastered) [2015 Expanded US Edition]

@yourpalandrew.bsky.social

BASEBALL FACT: The Toronto Blue Jays have a winning record if you include last year.

59h ago

Chris Turner

@theturner.bsky.social

A core lesson of the 2025 Blue Jays’ delirious run is that many many things have to break just right to get to the World Series. The lesson of the 2026 team is that when very little breaks right — but especially this — the result from basically the same crew can be pretty dismal

410h ago

Céspedes Family BBQ

@cespedesbbq.bsky.social

NEW POD - Red Sox mop the Rays! how Boston flipped its season with a stunning W13...but now what? - does Ohtani injury open the door for PCA MVP...or nah? - MIL sweeps MIA, BAL sweeps HOU (Orioles alive? + Gunnar still cold) - Blue Jays...yikes - let's talk Esmerlyn 🤩 - and so much more!

615h ago

Halibut

@halibut.bsky.social

It’s obviously because I’m going to see them play the Jays in Toronto next month. I have cursed the Blue Jays and inadvertently blessed the Red Sox.

59h ago

DJTaxman77

@taxman77.bsky.social

The rest of this summer is gonna suck. Can the NHL start August 1st? #Bluejays

410h ago

CJ is still sad ⚾⚕️😷

@cjhajer.bsky.social

Missed the Blue Jays game tonight. But, from what I'm reading, I'm getting the sense that I might not have to line up for many hours ahead of gates opening to try to secure an OFD seat on Wednesday. Sounds like a win, right there.

49h ago

ʎlıɯƎ

@whylimereversed.bsky.social

the tempo, blue jays, and afc Toronto all letting me down. Look at the state of my Toronto summer sports teams 😪

310h ago

Eric Rosenhek

@thehek.bsky.social

I'm imagining John Schneider going full John Tortorella on the media tonight: "I'm not answering any questions tonight. We sucked from head to toe." #BlueJays

311h ago

Greg Gary

@greggary.bsky.social

I can’t imagine a trade that would solve this for the #Bluejays Regardless they can’t trade all 3 of Bieber, Scherzer & Gausman - there’s literally nobody left to fill 3 rotation slots. One guy goes maybe. I’d suspect Gaus. Aside from that I suspect we’ll see George stay and Varsho go.

310h ago

Western Hemlox

@westernhemlox.bsky.social

John Schneider: Everyone gets a special Effort & Energy ribbon! #BlueJays

310h ago

3 sources

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Rays belt three homers to beat Blue Jays 7-1

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