Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - June 22 to 28, 2026
A tough Week 7 ended on a high note as the Leafs team we've been waiting for appeared at last
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| The party returned to Christie Pits on Sunday and Marcus Knecht led the fun. |
Has a Toronto Maple Leafs team ever put its fans to such extremes?
Me after Friday's game: "This team sucks, baseball is terrible, I'm gonna quit this shit and get into crypto."
Me after Sunday's game: "This team rules, baseball is awesome, I'm gonna double the amount of unpaid time I devote to the Leafs."
Friday night in London, the Mapes were miserable, committing four errors and losing 17-1.
Sunday afternoon at home, they were electric, crushing six home runs and winning 11-7.
This is turning out to be a whiplash summer like never seen before. It's becoming impossible to predict which Leafs team will show up on any given day.
They are never not watchable. Here's hoping we see fewer train wrecks and more celebrations.
And now, here's the recap of Week 7 in Maple Leafs baseball.
Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - Welland Jackfish vs Toronto Maple Leafs
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| Brando Leroux scores the first of his two runs on the night. |
This game might have been a turning point.
After a lousy week and riding a three-game losing streak, the Toronto Maple Leafs looked like they might beat the Welland Jackfish at Christie Pits. The visiting team are the defending Dominico Cup champions, but according to online chatter they are weak and wobbly this season.
For a few innings, the game looked winnable. Were the Leafs on the verge?
Not so. No point was turned. The skid continued.
Nick Veselinovic took to the mound during Christie's golden hour and he did his part. The giant from Windsor pitched into the sixth inning and held the high-flying Welland offence to three runs.
Yoilan Quinonez toed the rubber for the visitors and he gave up an early lead to the Leafs. Shortstop Brando Leroux led off the bottom of the first with a single. Centerfielder J.J. Dutton, who leads the club with a .372 batting average, drove him in with a single later in the inning and the home side led 1-0 after one inning.
The score remained that way until the top of the fourth. Ethan Mann hit a leadoff homer to tie the game 1-1.
In the top of the sixth, Mann singled. He stole second and scored on a hit by James Smibert. The next man up, Justin Gideon, hit a Veselinovic pitch to the right field corner. It appeared as though Yasiel Puig thought the ball was going foul and he did not move toward it. Only when it landed in play did he dash over and make the throw in. By then, Gideon had pulled into third base and another run scored. Frankie Gulko relieved Veselinovic on the mound and got out of the inning, but the Jackfish now led 3-1.
No sign of panic from the Leafs. Second baseman Yordan Manduley and catcher Matt Brandt both singled and Leroux knocked a three-run homer to put the Leafs ahead 4-3 through six.
Just when the Leafs had reeled the 'Fish in, they got away for good.
In the top of the seventh inning, reliever Reinaldo De Paula gave up a double and single that tied the game 4-4.
Top of the eighth, the visitors added two more runs off reliever Luis Florentino to move ahead 6-4.
Top nine, Graham Sim gave up another run, Welland led 7-4, and the Leafs had one last chance at a comeback.
Not happening. Deivy Mendez struck out three batters in a row to lock down a 7-4 FINAL and earn his third save of the season. Former Leaf Pedro De Los Santos grabbed the win in relief and De Paula took his second loss of the season.
Leroux supplied most of the firepower for the Leafs, going 2-for-5 with three RBIs and scoring twice. Dutton marked the team's other RBI.
Welland 7 11 1
Toronto 4 8 1
W - De Los Santos (1-1, 6.33)
L - De Paula (0-2, 11.57)
S - Mendez (3)
Friday, June 26, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at London Majors
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| Yasiel Puig and Matt Fabian look sheepish and Yordan Manduley can't bear to watch after an inning-ending pop up landed harmlessly between them. (image: London Majors YouTube) |
Another eye-popping score.
This time, the Toronto Maple Leafs were on the losing end of a 17-1 decision at Labatt Memorial Park.
It was a total team loss. The London Majors led from the first inning and never looked back.
Starting pitcher Wilgenis Alvarado couldn't survive three innings. He was assaulted for eight runs (four earned) off eight hits and two walks. He couldn't strike out a single batter.
Behind him, a comedy of errors played out. Poor throws, poor fielding. Four E's on the night.
By the end of the third inning, the Majors led 8-0 and Yadian Martinez was on the mound in relief. He silenced London bats until the sixth inning when they exploded again.
Newcomer Ethan Boisvert and Kyle Poapst were mauled for nine more runs.
On the opposite side of the mound, Victor Payano pitched six scoreless innings en route to his fifth win of the year.
The Leafs scattered eight hits. Early on they showed some heart. Shortstop Brando Leroux led the game off with a single, advanced on a sac bunt by third baseman Crix Taveras, but ended up stranded. In the second inning, second baseman Yordan Manduley hit a two-out single. The 40-year-old then stole second base. Forty years old! Manduley was also stranded, but these were early flashes of hope before the game got away.
In the ninth inning, the Leafs spoiled the shutout. Centerfielder J.J. Dutton singled, took second on defensive indifference, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a ground out by left fielder Dennis Dei Baning. But this game was over long before then.
Toronto 1 8 4
London 17 19 0
W - Payano (5-1, 3.38)
L - Alvarado (1-2, 5.24)
Sunday, June 28, 2026 - Chatham-Kent Barnstormers vs Toronto Maple Leafs
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| Yasiel Puig lit up the Pits with a three-bomb afternoon. |
Remember that time when Cito Gaston tore into David Wells in front of 50,000 fans?
It was during a 1991 game at SkyDome. Wells, who often marched to the beat of his own drummer, was struggling on the mound. He compounded the matter by acting up and crossing a line in his manager's eyes.
That set Gaston off. He stormed to the mound, chewed his pitcher out and gave him the hook. Wells threw the ball away and left the field defiantly. Gaston followed him into the tunnel and the altercation continued out of view.
Gaston's performance was real Furious Dad stuff, belt to ass.
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| David Wells receives a tongue-lashing from Cito Gaston. (image: Richard Lautens/Toronto Star) |
Sunday at Christie Pits, Rob Butler took a page from his former manager's book.
In the Leaf skipper's eyes, outfielder Yasiel Puig, who often marches to the beat of his own drummer, had been acting up and crossed a line. Midway through the game, Butler went Furious Dad on his star player in front of the Leafs bench, staff, and fans within earshot. Belt to ass for all to hear.
Puig responded by taking bat in hand and hitting his third home run of the game.
After that it was all smiles, both on the bench and around the entire ballpark.
The Maple Leafs we've been waiting for had appeared at last.
The boys in blue put on a 6-home run, 17-hit show and beat the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers 11-7.
Cam Dimidjian took to the mound in search of his first win. He was handed a nice early led by his teammates and carried it into the fifth inning before running out of gas.
The early lead came from an extended rally. Chatham starter Mizuki Akatsuka opened the game by serving up a single to shortstop Brando Leroux, a home run to right fielder Yasiel Puig, and a walk to third baseman Crix Taveras. DH Marcus Knecht reached on an error. Taveras and Knecht both scored, thanks to a single by second baseman Yordan Manduley and a ground out by catcher Matt Brandt. The Leafs were off to a 4-0 lead after one inning.
In the top of the second, Iyad Ansari hit a two-run homer to cut the lead in half.
In the bottom of the inning, Puig struck again with a solo potato. 5-2 Leafs through two.
Top four, two singles and a sac bunt put two Barnstormers in scoring position. One of them scored on a Dimidjian wild pitch to make it 5-3.
Top five, Dimidjian battled the visitors to a draw. A two-run home run by Yushin Ohta tied the game 5-5 and Frankie Gulko came on in relief.
Top six, the momentum stayed with Chatham. Gulko gave up a couple of walks to start the inning. A single and a ground out brought both runners home and the Leafs were down 7-5.
Down, but not out. In the bottom of the sixth, Knecht launched a solo dinger to make it 7-6.
Reinaldo De Paula pitched a scoreless top of the seventh.
After getting chewed out by Butler, Puig hit his club-leading sixth home run of the season off reliever Garret Day. That tied the score 7-7 and swung momentum back to the home side. The Leafs ganged up on Day. Taveras walked and centerfielder J.J. Dutton singled. Knecht followed with his second blast of the game, a glorious three-run shot that put the Leafs ahead for good. Manduley put a cherry on top with a bomb of his own, the Leafs' sixth of the day.
Luis Florentino pitched two shutout innings to seal an 11-7 FINAL. De Paula grabbed his first win of the season and Day took the hard-luck loss.
Following the game, the Toronto turbo chain of office made a rare appearance. It went around Knecht's neck as the player of the game honour.
Maybe this will prove to be the turning point after all.
Chatham-Kent 7 13 3
Toronto 11 17 1
W - De Paula (1-2, 7.27)
L - Day (0-2, 5.17)
Seven weeks into the 2026 season, the Maple Leafs remain mired in last place with a 4-13 record. They are 8.5 games behind the London Majors and 6 games away from a postseason berth.
The week ahead:
Wednesday, July 1 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Welland Jackfish, 6:05 pm at Welland Stadium
Friday, July 3 - Barrie Baycats vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits
Saturday, July 4 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals, 2:00 pm at Hastings Stadium
Sunday, July 5 - London Majors vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 2:00 pm at Christie Pits
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