Thought to be a compelling storyline in 2026, the Blue Jays are now being taken off national television.
We already knew that a season full of expectations has gone off the rail for the Toronto Blue Jays, but the news that came down on Wednesday just confirms it:
As noted by Mitch Bannon of 'The Athletic,' the Blue Jays have been taken off national television for a late-season matchup against the Kansas City Royals.
On Sept. 6, the Jays and Royals were scheduled to play on NBC's 'Sunday Night Baseball,' which would have marked the team's first Sunday Night Baseball game in a decade. Instead, the network will air the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins. Those two teams are both battling for playoff spots.
At 50-59, the Blue Jays are in last place in the American League East. Thought to be a compelling storyline after last season's trip to the World Series, the Jays have been anything but as a result of injury and poor performance.
In this particular case, the Royals have also done their part to make the matchup less appetizing from a television perspective. The Royals enter play on Thursday at 46-63 and in last place in the American League Central.
Of course, things can change in the span of a month until the matchup was scheduled, the but the television networks evidently don't see that being the case. And it's hard to blame them, considering both the Blue Jays and Royals are expected to be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline.
If the Blue Jays do sell at the deadline, they are expected to get interest on Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber in the starting rotation, and they could also move Daulton Varsho and George Springer, who are in the final years of their contracts.
Former closer Jeff Hoffman, who has one year remaining on his contract, could also end up on the move if the Jays want to take a risk on weakening the bullpen for 2027.
Up next for Toronto
Off on Thursday, the Jays will welcome the St. Louis Cardinals to Rogers Centre on Friday night. First pitch is set for 7:07 p.m. ET as Dylan Cease pitches against right-hander Kyle Leahy.
Cease, who started the All-Star Game for the American League, has gone 7-5 with a 2.46 ERA thus far. He's struck out a whopping 167 batters and is well on his way to a sixth straight 200-strikeout season.
Leahy has gone 7-4 with a 3.55 ERA. The Cardinals are 54-54.
