The Lead

Royals Streak To Nine, Jays Rotation Thins Further

Salvador Perez drove in two runs and Seth Lugo worked five effective innings as Kansas City extended its winning streak to nine games with a 5-3 win over Toronto on Tuesday. Max Scherzer worked five innings for the Blue Jays, tying a season-high with 92 pitches while walking five, a control issue that matters more than the two runs he allowed on the board.

The more consequential move happened off the field: Toronto placed Shane Bieber on the 15-day injured list with right teres major inflammation and recalled Chad Dallas in a corresponding roster move. Losing a rotation arm in late August, with Spencer Miles now walking into a planned bullpen game Wednesday, tests how much pitching depth is actually left before rosters expand next week.

The Rest of the Slate

US Open

Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils became the first team into the US Open mixed doubles semifinals, beating Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten 5-4(6), 4-5(3) (10-8). A married pair combining for a deep Grand Slam run gives a discipline that rarely draws attention outside finals week an actual storyline.

US Open

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz's mixed doubles pairing ended with a 5-4(4), 4-1 loss to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, one round after beating Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1. It was Williams' first appearance at the tournament since 2022, and a short run does nothing to how her career gets remembered.

The Number

11-26

Toronto Tempo's record this season, already eliminated from playoff contention, so tonight's trip to Seattle is about auditioning pieces for next season rather than positioning for this one. Watch the minutes distribution against the Storm tonight: a shift toward younger rotation players would be the clearest sign the front office has already turned the page to next year.

What's On Tonight

            7:07 PM ET · Blue Jays vs. Royals · Sportsnet
10:00 PM ET · Toronto Tempo at Seattle Storm · No Canadian broadcast confirmed
          

Top Dog — Betting Angle

The pick: Royals moneyline. Toronto turns to a bullpen game while Kansas City rides a nine-game winning streak, and until the Jays offense proves it can string together at-bats against a parade of relievers, the streak is the safer side.

“Nine straight wins for someone else always looks easier than it is”