TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Washington Nationals 5-2 on March 31, 2025, at Rogers Centre, improving to 3-2 and holding fourth in the AL East. The Nationals, now 1-3 and fourth in the NL East, managed only two runs despite a late push. A closed-roof crowd of 20,137 watched the Blue Jays secure the win behind strong pitching and timely hitting.
Toronto built its lead early against Nationals starter Michael Soroka, who took the loss after allowing four runs over five innings. Andrés Giménez sparked the offense with a solo home run in the second and finished with two hits and three runs scored. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled in a run in the third, and Alejandro Kirk and George Springer added RBI hits in the fourth to make it 4-0. The Blue Jays tacked on a fifth run in the eighth via Kirk’s double off Eduardo Salazar.
Washington broke through in the sixth against Toronto starter Bowden Francis, who earned the win with six innings of two-run ball. CJ Abrams and James Wood hit back-to-back solo home runs, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Francis, supported by relievers Connor Sandlin, Ben Little, and Yimi García—who notched his first save—held the Nationals to five hits total. Toronto’s bullpen allowed no runs over the final three innings.
The Blue Jays outhit the Nationals 10-5, with five players recording multi-hit games. Giménez, Kirk, and Springer each doubled, while Guerrero Jr. and Nathan Lukes drove in key runs. Washington’s offense struggled with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-4, and left six on base. Wood led the Nationals with two hits, including his homer, while Abrams added his first of the season.
Defensively, both teams were clean, with no errors. Toronto’s Giménez stole a base but was caught stealing later, and the Nationals turned a double play to limit damage. Soroka struck out three but surrendered a home run and three doubles, dropping his record to 0-1. Toronto’s Francis struck out four, allowing two homers but managing 10 groundouts to keep Washington at bay.
The game, lasting 2 hours and 41 minutes, saw umpires Erich Bacchus, Laz Diaz, Derek Thomas, and Mike Estabrook officiate under 68-degree conditions with the roof closed. The Blue Jays’ balanced attack and stout relief pitching proved decisive, while the Nationals look to rebound in their next outing.
