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Blue Jays 5-2, Corbin Outpitches Skenes, Springer Leadoff Homer

5/24/2026

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Summary

Corbin Outpitched

The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on May 23, 2026, as Patrick Corbin outpitched Paul Skenes.
George Springer opened with his 65th career leadoff home run off Skenes.
Corbin allowed one run on five hits in six innings with seven strikeouts, while Skenes gave up nine hits and was removed in the sixth, after which Pirates manager Don Kelly and pitching coach Bill Murphy were ejected.

Summary

Blue Jays Rally

The Toronto Blue Jays moved to a 25-27 record, tying Twins and Rangers for a Wild Card spot.
Toronto recorded its fourth straight win, re-entering the playoff race.
Pirates ace Paul Skenes will rewatch tape, tweak execution, and leads starters with a 0.71 WHIP and .161 opponent batting average, the league’s second-best.
The Pirates rose above .500 after a four-game skid, relying on Brandon Lowe, Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz.

History

Historical Context

In 1994 MLB realigned into three divisions and created a single wild-card spot, first used in the 1995 postseason. The format expanded to three wild-card teams per league in 2022, increasing postseason depth. Today, the 2026 Toronto Blue Jays sit in a three-team wild-card tie with the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers, echoing the league’s original wild-card race.

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Corbin Outpitched

The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on May 23, 2026, as Patrick Corbin outpitched Paul Skenes.
George Springer opened with his 65th career leadoff home run off Skenes.
Corbin allowed one run on five hits in six innings with seven strikeouts, while Skenes gave up nine hits and was removed in the sixth, after which Pirates manager Don Kelly and pitching coach Bill Murphy were ejected.

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