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The Toronto Blue Jays have started the 2026 season in a slump, and even though the team is only two games under .500 through 10 games, the stats are much worse than most fans would have imagined. It's hard to deny that injuries have plagued the team, most notably the starting rotation, in these first 10 games. Four of the seven pitchers the Blue Jays had slated as 2026 starters in Spring Training are now dealing with injuries or are on the IL, which has forced John Schnieder to overwork the bullpen and the Toronto front office to turn to free agents and the minor leagues for help. But the lacklustre start isn’t all on pitching. The team that led Major League Baseball last year with a .333 on-base percentage currently sits below the league average (.317) and ranks dead last among all 30 teams in extra-base hits. And that’s far from the only concerning trend. John Schneider has been forced to use the Blue Jays bullpen for 6+ innings for four of the 10 games. (Kevin Sousa/Imagn Images) 1. League-low production with runners on base The Blue Jays are 2-for-15 with the bases loaded this season, batting an abysmal, near league-worst .133. They also sit tied for 28th in converting with runners in scoring position (RISP), which directly correlates with the team’s inability to score runs, averaging two runs per game during this five-game slide. 2. A franchise record for pitchers used With 75 per cent of the Blue Jays’ rotation on the injured list, this record felt inevitable. The team has tied a franchise mark for the most pitchers used in the first 10 games of a season, with 18. The previous record came during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, which featured just 60 games instead of the usual 162. The 2005 Toronto Blue Jays used 18 different pitchers. The 2026 Toronto Blue Jays have already used 18 different pitchers. — Codify (@CodifyBaseball) April 7, 2026 3. First-inning struggles Getting on the board first in any game is critical, and that’s exactly what the Blue Jays have failed to do. During this five-game slide, they’ve allowed a first-inning run in four of five games while scoring in the opening frame just once. 4. Position players pitching This isn’t a stat category Blue Jays fans will be happy to hear they are leading. Catcher Tyler Heineman has thrown the most innings by a position player in MLB so far, logging three. Heineman pitched two innings in a 14-run loss to the Colorado Rockies last week, then followed it up with an 11-pitch shutout inning in Monday’s 14-run defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers. That's two-thirds of an inning more than the Blue Jays' offseason pitching acquisition, Cody Ponce. 3 up 3 down in the 9th inning for Tyler Heineman : Sportsnet | #BlueJays50 pic.twitter.com/weOFSFTc3s — Blue Jays Nation (@thejaysnation) April 7, 2026 When asked about the state of the team following its fifth straight loss, manager John Schneider told reporters it feels like the whole team is "sick" right now . If that’s the case, fans will be hoping these numbers get well soon
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