Game result and context
Toronto Blue Jays defeat Cincinnati Reds 5-1 in 2026 regular season finale
The Toronto Blue Jays concluded their 2026 season with a 5-1 win against the Cincinnati Reds, powered by home runs from Brandon Valenzuela and Charles McAdoo and a strong outing from Max Scherzer.
Final result
The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Cincinnati Reds 5-1 on September 27, 2026. The Blue Jays finished the season with a record of 79-83, while the Reds concluded their campaign at 75-87.
How the game changed
Toronto took control early in the second inning when Brandon Valenzuela hit a two-run home run to give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead. Although the Reds cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third inning on an RBI hit by Carlos Jorge, the Blue Jays maintained their lead throughout the middle innings. Charles McAdoo added an insurance run with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to extend the lead to 5-1, sealing the victory.
Key performances
Max Scherzer anchored the Toronto pitching staff, earning the win after throwing 7.0 innings and striking out seven batters while allowing only one earned run. Brandon Valenzuela and Charles McAdoo each contributed home runs and two RBIs for the Blue Jays. Brett Bateman added two hits for Toronto. For the Reds, Carlos Jorge recorded two hits and the team's lone RBI, while Zach McCambley provided 2.0 innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts.
Season and playoff context
This game marked the final contest of the 2026 regular season for both clubs. The Toronto Blue Jays finished fifth in their division with a 79-83 record, sitting 19.0 games back and 5.0 games out of a wild-card spot. The Cincinnati Reds also finished fifth in their division with a 75-87 record, 28.0 games back and 13.0 games out of the wild-card race. Both teams were eliminated from postseason contention prior to this matchup.