The Toronto Blue Jays are headed for the MLB playoffs for the third time in four years, but that won’t be the limit of their ambitions during the regular season.
The Blue Jays maintain a 2.5-game lead on the second-place New York Yankees in the American League East. A first division title since 2015 is within reach.
NL Wild Card (Top 3 Teams Make Playoffs)
*Denotes clinched playoff spot
On the heels of an 88-loss season, expectations for Toronto were somewhat muted coming into the year. When it happened, a lot of people will have thought Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s $500 million extension would be the organization’s signature achievement in 2025.
Instead, the Blue Jays have fully capitalized with their division rivals falling short of their preseason predictions.
Guerrero hasn’t lacked for support offensively.
Bo Bichette warmed up after failing to hit a home run through April. He has 16 homers and 86 RBI with a .469 slugging percentage. George Springer is putting together one of his best seasons at the plate. He boasts a .304/.393/.550 slash line and a 155 OPS+. Myles Straw and Ernie Clement have provided enough pop to complement their plus defense.
Toronto’s lineup hasn’t suffered in the slightest from big offseason signing Anthony Santander being limited to 50 games.
Pitching is the area of concern for manager John Schneider.
The Blue Jays lack a true ace in the starting rotation. Kevin Gausman continues to pitch well but not up to his standard from 2021-23, when he garnered Cy Young votes. At 41, Max Scherzer’s best years are clearly behind him. Shane Bieber has had an encouraging start following his midseason arrival, though two appearances isn’t enough to draw any firm conclusions.
It’s a similar story with the bullpen. Closer Jeff Hoffman has a 4.57 ERA. Yimi García, a good option for high-leverage situations, underwent season-ending elbow surgery. Seranthony Domínguez has allowed seven earned runs in 18 innings after his trade to Toronto.
If Bieber can sustain his current performance level, then a three-man rotation of him, Gausman and Scherzer could be a strong unit. Combine that with the Jays offense and you have a potent mix in October. The bullpen is likely to be a glaring weakness unless a surprise arm emerges, though.
That’s something to dwell about later on. For now, Toronto and its fans should celebrate making the postseason and potentially winning the AL East.
