Toronto Blue Jays vs Washington Nationals

Toronto Blue Jays at Washington Nationals (2026-07-27). Max Scherzer vs Andrew Alvarez at Nationals Park.

Starters — Scherzer has a 10.23 ERA and 1.73 WHIP over 22 innings, with 5.73 K/9, 4.50 BB/9, and a very high 3.68 HR/9. His last three starts were uneven: 3.1 IP, 5 ER, 4 K, 3 BB; 2.1 IP, 7 ER, 0 K, 3 BB; and 6 IP, 2 ER, 1 K, 1 BB. The trend is up, but the home run damage and short outings remain major concerns. Alvarez carries a 4.22 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 53.1 innings, with 9.28 K/9, 4.22 BB/9, and an excellent 0.34 HR/9. His last three starts were 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 2 K, 3 BB; 2 IP, 3 ER, 2 K, 1 BB; and 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 3 K, 5 BB. The trend is up, though recent command and workload have been less stable than his season-long run prevention.

Teams — Toronto enters with a .682 OPS, 416 runs scored, a .243 average, and a pitching staff at 4.16 ERA with a 1.31 WHIP. The Blue Jays are 3-7 in their last 10, so the offense has not consistently supported the staff. Washington has the stronger offensive profile here with a .776 OPS, 584 runs, and a .255 average. The Nationals’ pitching staff has a 4.78 ERA and 1.40 WHIP, and they are 6-4 over their last 10. That combination points to a lineup edge for Washington, while Toronto owns the better full-team pitching baseline despite Scherzer’s rough individual form.