Nearly a month ago, it just didn’t seem possible.
Last year’s American League World Series Finalist, the Toronto Blue Jays, found themselves on July 24th, 6.5 games out of the third and final wild card spot with five teams ahead of them.
Looking ahead to the MLB trade deadline, the hot topic on the Toronto sports call-in-shows was whether the Jays should trade certain veterans and start a rebuild with an eye towards the 2027 season.
Can the Blue Jays Secure the Final AL Wild Card Spot?
Injuries Key Reason For Jays Slow Start to Season
This season has seen the Blue Jays suffer numerous injuries, including to an assortment of outfielders such as Addison Barger who missed most of the season recuperating from elbow surgery, Nathan Lukes (missed some time with a hamstring injury), George Springer (earlier this season fractured left big toe) and Anthony Santander (left shoulder labral surgery; will return at the end of the season).
Other key players who missed time this season were catcher Alejandro Kirk (left thumb fracture), and starting pitchers Cody Ponce (knee), Jose Berrios (missed season rehabbing from elbow surgery), Patrick Corbin (shoulder injury), Max Scherzer (right forearm tendentious), Shane Bieber (forearm fatigue)Â and most recently, Trey Yesavage (knee) to name just a few.
Despite the injuries, Toronto has shown tremendous character as they refused to use it as an excuse. Heading into their crucial August 18th three game series at Tropicana Field against the AL East Division leading Tampa Bay Rays, the Jays have gone 16-14 since the All-Star break. Recently the Jays had a gruelling 17 games in 17 days trek where they went an unbelievable 11-6 which trimmed the wild card deficit from 4.5 games out to only .5 games heading into this Tampa Bay series.
Currently, the Jays find themselves in a dog fight with the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Gaurdians, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners in what is shaping up to be an exciting nail biting final six weeks of the season.
The Following reasons are why the Blue Jays should prevail in October as an AL wild card team.
Blue Jays Have Among the American League’s Best Starting Rotation
All baseball fans know that a team must have elite starting pitching if they want to contend for a World Series title.
Anchoring the Blue Jays rotation is Cy Young candidate Dylan Cease who is 7-5 while sitting second in the AL among starters with a 2,42 ERA and first in strikeouts with 201.
Cease is obviously a key reason why the Jays have gotten themselves back into the AL Wildcard race. Since the All-Star break he has in six starts gone 1-1 with a 2,06 ERA along with 53 strikeouts. His greatest moment cane after the break when on July 25th at Fenway Park, he recorded 12 strikeouts and allowed only one hit during a 6-0 Jays win against their East Division rivals Boston Red Sox. This was Cease’s second time this year flirting with a no-hitter. If Cease keeps dominating, it will prove to be a major factor in the Jays being a wild card team.
Shane Bieber, who didn’t start this season until late July due to being on the injured list with elbow inflammation, has had some positive outings in what has been since returning to the mound, an inconsistent comeback.
The good news for Jays fans and another factor for why they will be a wild card team is that Bieber, who had Tommy John surgery in April 2024, has started the month of August with great outings in three of his first four starts.
Bieber, who went 3-1 in those four outings, pitched 24.5 innings where he surrendered 23 hits, eight runs, three home runs, six bases on balls while striking out 22 batters in games against the Houston Astros (August 3rd), Philadelphia Phillies (August 9), New York Yankees (August 14th) and Rays (August 20th).
Max Scherzer is an experienced Blue Jays pitcher who despite being 42 years of age, has played a big role in the team’s march to wild card contention. This three time CY Young Award winner, who has also been in and out of the Jays line-up with injuries has more than held his own during the month of August.
During his first three outings for the month, Scherzer pitched against the St. Louis Cardinals, Phillies and Red Sox where in 16.1 innings pitched he went 0-1 with 13 strikeouts, while surrendering 12 hits, four earned runs, and four runs while giving up only two home runs and three bases on balls.
Two other impact Blue Jays starters who will be a huge help down the stretch are Jose Soriano who was recently traded from the Los Angeles Angels and of course Yesavage who could come back after undergoing on August 11th surgery to repair a meniscus in his left knee. This season, Yesavage has a 5-5 record with 93 strikeouts and a 3.65 ERA.
Currently, the Blue Jays, after 127 games rank 11th among MLB teams with a 3.99 ERA.
The Jays bullpen is another major factor in why they find themselves suddenly in the AL wild card race. This bullpen which features All-Star closer Louis Varland and his 28 saves are also getting dominant seasons from the likes of relievers Tyler Rogers (1.57 ERA), Mason Fluharty (5-1 record) who on August 18th made his MLB leading 66th appearance of the season and Spencer Milles who at 5-2 with a 3.08 ERA has been a pleasant surprise given that he as last December a Rule 5 pick up.
Currently, the Jays bullpen rank fifth overall with a 3.5o ERA. They have after 128 games pitched and 484 innings, which begs the question how fresh will the bullpen arms be in September?
Jays Catcher Alejandro Kirk On Fire Since All-Star Break
It’s no big secret that Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk struggled mightily in the first half.
Kirk, who is a two-time All-Star suffered in early April a fractured left thumb which required surgery and kept him sidelined until June.
In only 26 games during the first half, Kirk hit only 202 with 18 hits, eight runs, four doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs.
Those statistics quickly shot up in the second half as Kirk, who was finally recovered from the thumb injury has in the first 25 games of the second half hit for a ,361 batting average with 30 hits, six runs scored, two doubles, four home runs and 16 RBI.
His elite game calling skills along with of course his hitting is another reason why the Jays have such a good chance of grabbing that wild card spot.
Meanwhile, fitting it smoothly has been centerfielder Brett Bateman who this past August 2nd was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Blue Jays in the Kevin Gausman deal.
Bateman has had quite a few clutch hits while impressing with his defensive skills. Since the trade, Bateman has played 10 games where in 46 at bats he has scored four runs while banging out 13 hits, which includes two doubles and a respectable .283 batting average.
Charles McAdoo, who is a utility player is a name that most Blue Jays fans were probably back in April not familiar with. McAdoo was on May 28th called up from Triple A Buffalo Bisons and like Bateman has had some big moments with the Jays. Before the All-Star break, McAdoo was in eight games where he had 25 plate appearances where he ended up hitting only .160 with four hits, one run scored, one home run and three RBIs.
Since the All-Star break, as of August 19th, McAdoo has in 19 at-bats hit for a .368 average with seven hits, one run, one double and four RBIs.
What makes the Jays offence so scary is the incredible depth one through nine in the order. Every player has come through with big hits this season. Meanwhile, supplying the power is Japanese rookie third baseman Kazuma Okamoto who has hit 25 home runs and 73 RBIs.
Now all they need is slugging first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jt. to get going at the plate. This year in 130 games played, he has only hit seven home runs while driving in 46 runs.
During the stretch drive, Toronto will have a chance to go head to head with the Mariners, Guardians Indians, Orioles, Tigers and Rangers which will obviously go a long ways towards determining who gets that third wild card spot.
Right now, the Jays are a confident team who believe they will get that wildcard spot. As fans, we shall see.
Main Image: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
