Macko to Make First Career Start for Blue Jays Against Orioles

Adam Macko gets the ball Friday, May 29, and macko is making his first career start for the Blue Jays against the Baltimore Orioles. The 25-year-old left-hander has worked only in relief so far in the majors, but Toronto is moving him into a starting role at a point when it needs innings.

In six big league games, Macko has thrown 4.1 innings without allowing a run or issuing a walk. He has four strikeouts, four hits allowed and a.232 batting average against, with a 1.91 FIP.

Macko’s brief major league sample

The numbers in that short stint are clean enough to explain why Toronto is giving him this look. Macko has kept runners off base and missed enough bats to earn the chance, even though he has barely begun his major league career.

His road to this point has been uneven. Macko missed significant development time because of various injuries going back to 2022, then spent most of the 2025 season at Triple-A after appearing in 23 games and making 14 starts between the Florida Complex League and Triple-A.

Blue Jays rotation scramble

The start also fits Toronto’s current rotation situation. Eric Lauer began 2025 in the minors, worked as a swingman out of the bullpen and then started 15 games for the Blue Jays, logging 104.2 innings that ranked fourth on the club.

Lauer also posted the best K/9 rate among Blue Jays starters who pitched at least 50 innings in 2025. Toronto now turns to Macko in the same space Lauer occupied earlier in the year, testing whether a rookie left-hander can cover a start after showing enough in relief to get the assignment.

That opportunity carries extra weight because Macko was once far down Toronto’s depth chart when spring training opened. He also arrived in the organization in the trade with the Seattle Mariners for Teoscar Hernandez, and this start gives the Blue Jays a direct look at what they have after years of interrupted development.