Gausman rocked again as Toronto Blue Jays drop 6-5 decision to Texas Rangers

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TORONTO - Joc Pederson, Wyatt Langford and Jake Burger each homered early to provide enough of a cushion in the Texas Rangers’ series-opening 6-5 win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.

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TORONTO – Joc Pederson, Wyatt Langford and Jake Burger each homered early to provide enough of a cushion in the Texas Rangers’ series-opening 6-5 win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.

Pederson led off the game with a solo blast. Langford hit a three-run shot and Burger had a two-run blast in the third inning as Texas (39-42) halted a two-game slide and extended the Blue Jays’ losing streak to three games before 35,273 at Rogers Centre.

All the homers came off Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (4-6), who was coming off a season-worst outing last Friday in which he surrendered seven runs in two innings against the Chicago Cubs.

Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman reacts after giving up a solo home run to Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson during a Major League Baseball game in Toronto on June 25, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman reacts after giving up a solo home run to Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson during a Major League Baseball game in Toronto on June 25, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Gausman lasted six innings, but gave up six runs on 10 hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Lefty MacKenzie Gore (5-6) won for the first time since May 29. He went seven innings, allowing three runs on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts.

Jacob Latz registered his 15th save, despite surrendering a two-run homer to straightaway centre field from Kazuma Okamoto in the ninth. It was Okamoto’s team-leading 18th long ball.

The Blue Jays (39-42) loaded the bases with none out in the fifth inning. A Davis Schneider sacrifice fly and a two-run double from Myles Straw cashed in Toronto’s other runs.

Takeaways

Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit into a double play in the first inning, struck out in the fourth, grounded out in the sixth and struck out again in the ninth.

Rangers: Shortstop Corey Seager, a two-time World Series MVP, returned to the lineup after suffering a concussion on June 11.

Key moment

After Nicky Lopez and Pederson hit back-to-back one-out singles, Langford went deep to give the visitors a 4-0 advantage.

Key stat

The Blue Jays have lost five of six at home for a middling 22-21 record at Rogers Centre.

Up next

The four-game series continues Friday. Toronto left-hander Patrick Corbin (2-3) was scheduled to face right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (7-7).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2026. 

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