Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - July 27 to August 2, 2026
Week 12 saw the Leafs begin the final month of the regular season with a pair of wins.
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| Yuto Nakata arrived at Christie Pits and made a memorable first impression. (photo: Craig Aikin) |
What kind of wackadoodle alternate universe have we slipped into where we can read sentences like:
"In 2026, Yasiel Puig has hit more home runs for Toronto than Vladimir Guerrero Jr.." (What??)
and
"Yuto Nakata struck out 11 batters, more than any other Leaf pitcher in a game in 2026." (Who??)
Have we become wanderers in the fifth dimension?
At the end of July, the Toronto home run tally went thus: Yasiel Puig 13, Vladdy Guerrero 6. There's no way anybody could have predicted this outcome.
As for the guy nobody had heard of a week ago, Nakata was a deadline day acquisition, traded to the Leafs by the Frontier League's Québec Capitales for future considerations.
It was a short week with only two games completed. Puig and Nakata both made big impacts. The Cuban outfielder bopped three home runs, took command of the CBL's home run race and ignited discussion of a possible triple crown. The Japanese pitcher introduced himself with a gem of a performance that sparked excitement throughout Leafs fandom.
And now, here's the recap of Week 12 in Toronto Maple Leafs baseball.
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 - Brantford Red Sox vs Toronto Maple Leafs
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| Yasiel Puig tilted Christie Pits on its axis with two huge home runs. |
Don't hit Brando Leroux.
That was the lesson delivered by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first inning of their game against the Brantford Red Sox.
Shortstop Leroux was plunked in the back by Leandro Mejia to start the game. The next man up, right fielder Yasiel Puig delivered immediate retribution with a two-run home run. His teammates joined in and the Leafs tallied three hits and three runs.
Mejia hadn't learned. Same inning, he hit first baseman Crix Taveras with a pitch. Once again, the Carmines paid the price. Four more hits, four more runs. Mejia got the hook before recording three outs.
The Leafs handed a 7-0 lead to Nick Veselinovic, who likely didn't mind sitting on the bench for 30 minutes during the first inning beatdown.
The Toronto starter showed some effects of the long sitdown and laboured through the second inning. He threw close to 40 pitches and the Red Sox scraped together a pair of runs.
It almost didn't matter because in the bottom of the second, the Leafs scored six more runs to take a 13-2 lead.
The atmosphere at Christie Pits, already festive for Caribana Night, became even more joyous from the score. Fans have missed enjoying blowouts like this.
In the bottom of the fourth, Puig crushed another two-run homer. Absolutely decimated it. This one cleared not only the centerfield fence but also the snack bar. The ball one-hopped against the clubhouse and ricocheted between the two buildings as souvenir hunters gave chase.
Veselinovic is getting more dominant with each start, validating his selection to the CBL All-Star team. He threw five complete innings and ended up surrendering four runs (three earned). He struck out a season-high 10, walked just one, and departed with a 15-4 lead.
Some Leaf numbers. Puig dominated the night, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and 7 RBIs. Centerfielder J.J. Dutton had three hits, an RBI and one run scored. Catcher Matt Brandt and left fielder Ben Sitarenios each drove in a pair.
Kyle Poapst and Alex Lanigan each pitched two innings to close things out. The Red Sox quietly chipped away at their deficit and the game ended up closer than it felt, a 15-11 FINAL.
Veselinovic collected his fifth win of the season, and Mejia took the loss.
Don't hit Brando Leroux!
Brantford 11 12 1
Toronto 15 13 1
W - Veselinovic (5-2, 4.34)
L - Mejia (2-3, 12.17)
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Saturday, August 1, 2026 - Chatham-Kent Barnstormers vs Toronto Maple Leafs
This one will go down as The Yuto Nakata Game.
The Toronto Maple Leafs' newest pitcher made a dominant debut, striking out 11 Chatham-Kent Barnstormers over five-plus innings, and the Leafs won 11-6.
Nakata's performance came in relief, following a rough up-and-down start by Wilgenis Alvarado.
After a strong first inning which he finished with two swinging strikeouts, Alvarado lost control in the second. He gave up two singles and four consecutive walks. That put three runs on the board for Chatham and ended Alvarado's evening prematurely.
Enter Nakata. He struck out the first batter he faced and ended the inning.
In the bottom of the second, centerfielder J.J. Dutton was hit by a pitch from starter Yuri Yokoyama. He advanced to second on a walk and scored on an RBI single by catcher Matt Brandt. 3-1 Barnstormers after two.
Dutton made it a 3-2 game when he hit his first round tripper of the season, a laser over the left field fence.
In the top of the fifth, things got sloppy for the Leafs. Leadoff hitter Spencer Morin hit one off Nakata's glove and was safe at first. He then proceeded to round the bases on three different wild pitches. The third one should have been a strikeout of Yushin Ohta, but the ball got away from Brandt and Ohta took first base. Nakata retired the next two batters and struck out Andy Groening for what should have been out number three. Instead, the ball got away, Groening took first and Ohta advanced to third. Ohta then scored on a steal attempt by Groening that bounced to the outfield. With Groening at second, Iyad Ansari singled to shallow right field. That brought Groening across the plate with the third run of the inning and the Barnstormers pulled into the fast lane with a 6-2 lead.
The stage was set for a great Christie comeback and the Leafs wasted no time.
Yokoyama pitched into the fifth inning, barely. He gave up a leadoff dinger to second baseman Yordan Manduley and got the hook. With reliever Adam McKillican on the mound, Dutton singled, stole second and scored on a double by first baseman Crix Taveras. The Californian came around to score on a ground out by Brandt and after five innings it was a 6-5 game.
Bottom six, the Leafs overwhelmed the visitors. Shortstop Brando Leroux walked and right fielder Yasiel Puig followed with an oppo taco blast over the Solazzo fence. Next man up, Manduley doubled to the right field corner. Dutton returned to the plate, and the 40-year-old Cuban immediately took off for third. The throw from the catcher went past the bag into left field and Manduley trotted home. Dutton walked and Taveras hit a liner to short. Brian Parry dropped the ball, tossed it to second to begin a double play, and the ball ended up in centerfield. Dutton to third, Taveras safe at second. Both runners then scored on a tapper that third baseman Spenser Ross hit up the middle and the Leafs enjoyed a 10-6 lead through six.
On the mound since the second inning, Nakata pitched a scoreless seventh. He put an exclamation point on his Christie Pits premiere with two more strikeouts, ending the night with 11 in total.
The Leafs added one more run in the bottom of the seventh. With Manduley on first courtesy of a fielding error, Dutton hit a grounder that eliminated the Cuban at second. Dutton was safe at first, and with Taveras at the plate he stole another base. Taveras hit a liner off shortstop Parry's glove and Dutton raced home to make it 11-6 after seven innings.
Reinaldo De Paula pitched the final two innings and Chatham went down quietly with an 11-6 FINAL score.
Everybody in the Leafs order got at least one hit. Taveras went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two more driven in. Puig, Ross and Brandt each drove in two runs, while Manduley and Dutton recorded one apiece.
In 5.1 innings of work, Nakata gave up three hits, three runs (one earned), and no walks to go with his 11 K's. He got the W, he got the Player of the Game Award, he got to wear the Toronto Turbo Chain of Office, and he got to blast the Dominico Death Ray. What a night for the newcomer. McKillican got none of these things, only an L for his troubles.
Chatham 6 7 3
Toronto 11 16 2
W - Nakata (1-0, 1.69)
L - McKillican (0-1, 21.94)
Sunday, August 2, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Chatham-Kent Barnstormers
This game was rained out.
The Leafs' 11-20 record raises them to 6th place in the CBL standings. They are 11 games behind the Welland Jackfish and remain 7.5 games away from a spot in the postseason.
The week ahead:
Wednesday, August 5 - Hamilton Cardinals vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits
Friday, August 7 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox, 7:07 pm at Arnold Anderson Stadium
Saturday, August 8 - London Majors vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits
Sunday, August 9 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals, 4:00 pm at Hastings Stadium (resumption of a previously suspended game from June 20)
