Toronto Blue Jays Drop 9-5 Decision to St. Louis Cardinals in Preseason Play

The Toronto Blue Jays suffered a 9-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday in a spring training game that highlighted both offensive firepower and defensive struggles. The game, played at the Rogers Centre, marked another step in the Blue Jays’ preseason preparations as they continue to fine-tune their roster ahead of the regular season.

Despite a strong showing early in the game, the Blue Jays were unable to contain the Cardinals’ powerful lineup, which capitalized on several key moments to build an insurmountable lead. The loss drops the Blue Jays to 7-9 in their spring training campaign.

The game began on a positive note for Toronto. Leadoff hitter George Springer walked to open the first inning, and with two outs, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. blasted a double to deep right-center, scoring Springer and giving the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead. However, the Cardinals quickly answered with two runs in the top of the second inning. Brendan Donovan started the rally with a single and was followed by a two-run double off the bat of Dylan Carlson, putting the Cardinals in front 2-1.

Toronto’s pitching, which had been solid in recent games, struggled to find consistency against the Cardinals’ offense. Starting pitcher Chris Bassitt, who is expected to play a pivotal role in the rotation this season, allowed five earned runs over three innings. Bassitt’s command was shaky, and he was hurt by a few hard-hit balls, including a home run from Cardinals’ slugger Nolan Arenado in the third inning that pushed the St. Louis lead to 4-1.

The Blue Jays’ bullpen didn’t fare much better, as relievers were unable to hold the Cardinals’ offensive surge in check. In the fifth, a two-run double by Alec Burleson extended the Cardinals’ advantage to 7-1. The Blue Jays showed some resilience in the later innings, with Cavan Biggio hitting a solo home run in the seventh to make it 7-2, and Bo Bichette adding another run in the eighth, but it wasn’t enough to mount a serious comeback.

Despite the loss, manager John Schneider remained optimistic about the team’s preparations, pointing to some positive individual performances. “It’s spring training, and we’re focusing on building up,” Schneider said. “There are some things we’ll need to clean up, but we’ll learn from this and keep moving forward.”

The Blue Jays will look to bounce back in their next preseason game as they continue to build momentum for the regular season opener. With Opening Day just around the corner, Toronto remains confident in its lineup and pitching staff, hoping for a strong start to the 2025 season.