NFL
By: Greg Rector
The Toronto Blue Jays are playing winning baseball finally they are getting both the pitching and the hitting working together.
These Games Matter
While the Toronto Blue Jays have struggled mightily against the AL East rivals by going just 7-20 in those games, they have hammered the opponents outside their division with 46 wins against just 21 losses. These games matter when you aren’t beating anyone in your division. The Toronto Blue Jays’ lone loss against the Detroit Tigers occurred when they had a three-pitcher no-hit tossed against them just before the All-Star break was the only game in which the bats have been silent.
With Alec Manoah back as a starting pitcher Toronto Blue Jays have to hope his early season slide has ended after his first game back when he went six innings struck out 8 and only gave up one earned run. If Manoah can keep pitching like he did in his first two seasons during the second half of the 2023 MLB season the rest of the Toronto Blue Jays pitchers have been outstanding.
The other key to the Toronto Blue Jays dominating teams outside of their division has been the work of the bullpen. Nate Pearson and Trevor Richards have been outstanding along with Erik Swanson and the MLB leader in saves is Jordan Romano.
Bo Bichette just continues to shine as the shortstop continues his American League-leading hits a total of 126 hits 21 more hits than the shoo-in for the MVP race Shoei Ohtani has. Bichette has been joined by Vladimir Guerrero Jr who won the Home Run Derby and became the first ever home run champion to ever hit a home run in his first at-bat in the game back after the All-Star game. The only starting hitter who is struggling has been Dalton Varsho yet his play in the outfield has been outstanding so when you have one of your nine hitters struggling you can overcome that.
Why This Run Matters
The Toronto Blue Jays are in the top spot for the second wild card spot in the American League. Up by just one game on the Houston Astros. The Blue Jays must continue to pound out the wins against the likes of the San Diego Padres Seattle Mariners Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels before they finally return to AL East opponent in the first wild card slot as they will play the Baltimore Orioles in a four-game series followed up by their game against the one team they have yet to beat this season in the Boston Red Sox.
While the Toronto Blue Jays are playing very good baseball those next seven games against the Orioles and Red Sox are going to be vital if the Toronto Blue Jays can overtake the Orioles for the top wild-card spot in the American League. That’s why winning the game against teams outside their division matter the most to any of the Toronto Blue Jays and the fanbase.
The Seattle Blue Jays?
After the series against the San Diego Padres the Toronto Blue Jays head out west to play against the Seattle Mariners. These games are generally great affairs as the fanbase out west up here in Canada tends to outnumber the hometown Mariners fans at the games played in Seattle. If anyone ever doubts the Toronto Blue Jays don’t draw fans in opposing ballparks guess again when it comes to Seattle.
The Blue Jays Rumor Mill
Former starting pitcher Marcus Stroman is rumored to be coming back to the Blue Jays in a deal that must happen before the trade deadline. I don’t see the Toronto Blue Jays needing another starting pitcher especially, since Ryu Hyun-Jin is almost ready to return to the Toronto Blue Jays roster after one more start in the minors.
For my money, the Toronto Blue Jays don’t need pitching if they require anything it’s a veteran right-handed hitter who can come in off the bench against left-handed pitchers. The Blue Jays’ numbers against left-handed pitchers have been abysmal despite having the fewest opportunities against left-handed pitchers in all of MLB.
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