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Giménez's Ninth-Inning Hit Lifts Blue Jays Over A's in Opener
Toronto rallies late to beat Oakland 3-2 in season-opening matchup.
Mar. 28, 2026 at 4:13am
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Andrés Giménez drove in the winning run with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Toronto Blue Jays to a 3-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics in their season opener on Friday night. Giménez also hit a two-run triple earlier in the game, while Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers homered twice to tie the game in the top of the ninth before Toronto's late heroics.
Why it matters
The Blue Jays' comeback win in their season opener sets an early tone for the team as they look to build on their American League pennant from 2025. Meanwhile, the loss is a tough start for the rebuilding Athletics, who are hoping to surprise some teams this season.
The details
Giménez's game-winning hit in the ninth inning came after Japanese rookie Kazuma Okamoto, making his MLB debut, singled and went to third on a double by Ernie Clement. Giménez then grounded a base hit up the middle to score the winning run. Earlier, Giménez had a two-run triple in the fifth inning to give the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead. Langeliers tied the game at 2-2 with a solo homer off Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman in the top of the ninth, but the Blue Jays rallied in the bottom half.
- The game was played on Friday, March 28, 2026.
- Langeliers hit his game-tying homer in the top of the ninth inning.
- Giménez delivered the winning hit in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The players
Andrés Giménez
The Blue Jays infielder drove in the winning run with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning and also hit a two-run triple earlier in the game.
Shea Langeliers
The Athletics catcher hit two home runs, including a game-tying blast in the top of the ninth inning.
Kazuma Okamoto
The Blue Jays rookie infielder made his MLB debut and finished 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Jeff Hoffman
The Blue Jays closer blew the save in the ninth inning but was credited with the win.
Kevin Gausman
The Blue Jays starting pitcher set a franchise opening day record with 11 strikeouts in six innings of one-run ball.
What they’re saying
“We must have had some opening day jitters, but the guys showed a lot of fight to come back and get this win.”
— John Schneider, Blue Jays Manager
“I was just trying to put the ball in play and give our guys a chance. Fortunately, I was able to come through.”
— Andrés Giménez, Blue Jays Infielder
What’s next
The Blue Jays and Athletics will continue their series on Saturday afternoon, with Toronto's Dylan Cease making his debut against Oakland's Jeffrey Springs.
The takeaway
This back-and-forth season opener showcased the Blue Jays' resilience and the Athletics' scrappiness, setting the stage for what could be an exciting series between these two AL clubs.
