Blue Jays blank Phillies 3-0 as Varsho, Keys homer in Grapefruit League opener

By Canadian Press on February 21, 2026.

DUNEDIN — The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 3-0 on Saturday in their Grapefruit League opener at TD Ballpark.

Daulton Varsho, who started at designated hitter, opened the scoring with a solo home run in the fifth inning, and first baseman Sean Keys added a two-run shot in the sixth.

Eric Lauer started on the mound and Toronto’s pitching staff held Philadelphia to four hits over nine shutout innings, while the Blue Jays recorded nine hits off Phillies pitching.

It was Toronto’s first game since a 5-4 extra innings loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.

The off-season brought significant change in Toronto, with all-star shortstop Bo Bichette leaving for the New York Mets in free agency and the Blue Jays signing infielder Kazuma Okamoto and right handers Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce to reshape the roster.

Okamoto arrived after an 11-year career with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. Cease joined following seven major league seasons with the Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres, and Ponce came off a 17-1 campaign with the Hanwha Eagles that earned him MVP honours in South Korea’s KBO League.

Toronto continues its spring schedule Sunday against the Boston Red Sox.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 21, 2026.

The Canadian Press