A year after they were (to a degree) deadline sellers, the Blue Jays are soaring
Even when they traded away a handful of established players at last year's deadline, the Toronto Blue Jays clearly believed a rebound was possible.
A year later, they have a comfortable lead atop the AL East.
It's hard to say that last year's deadline jump-started Toronto's turnaround, but the important thing is the Blue Jays didn't give up on their core despite being on their way to a last-place finish in 2024. They dealt players like Yusei Kikuchi and Justin Turner — but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette remained with Toronto.
Keeping those two was something of a risk given that both could become free agents after this season. Bichette still can, but the Blue Jays were able to sign Guerrero to a $500-million, 14-year contract in April.
Guerrero, Bichette and George Springer are part of a Toronto team that ranks third in the American League in OPS while leading the majors in batting average and on-base percentage. Even after a lopsided loss to Detroit on Sunday, the Blue Jays have a 5 1/2-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees — although Toronto also has the second-worst run differential in the division.
The Blue Jays have the best record in baseball by a half-game over the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers. Toronto has won 21 of its last 27 games, and included in that stretch is a 6-1 record against the Yankees. The Blue Jays are 7-3 against New York, meaning they have clinched that season series should it become a tiebreaker.
New York is just 11-18 against the AL East.
Trivia time
The Blue Jays last made the World Series in 1993. Who are the only other American League teams with longer droughts since their most recent pennants?
Tumbling Tigers
Detroit's 10-4 win over Toronto on Sunday snapped a six-game skid for the Tigers — and that does not do justice to how poorly they were playing. Detroit had lost 12 of 13, being outscored 89-33 in the process.
Ace Tarik Skubal can only do so much. The lone win during that stretch came in one of his starts — a 2-1 victory over Texas on July 20. When he took the mound six days later against Toronto, he threw six scoreless innings, only to have the Tigers go on to lose 6-1.
Before Detroit fans panic too much, the Tigers had built up such a big lead that they still have an eight-game advantage over second-place Cleveland in the AL Central after Sunday's victory. FanGraphs gives them a 95.9% chance to make the playoffs.
But their chances of earning a first-round bye — by having one of the top two records among AL division winners — is down to 52.6%.
Line of the week
More like line of the decade. Or perhaps the century.
A's rookie Nick Kurtz went 6 for 6 with four home runs, eight RBIs and six runs in a 15-3 rout of Houston on Friday night. Kurtz became the 20th player in major league history — and first rookie — with a four-homer game. He also doubled and singled, so he tied the single-game record for total bases with 19.
Comeback of the week
Minnesota had a one-run lead at Los Angeles in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday — and Griffin Jax retired the first two batters for the Dodgers. Then it all unravelled for the Twins. Mookie Betts singled, Shohei Ohtani was walked intentionally, Esteury Ruiz drew another walk and then Freddie Freeman singled home two runs for a 4-3 win.
The Twins had a win probability of 95.6% after the second out, according to Baseball Savant.
Trivia answer
The Orioles (1983), Athletics (1990), Twins (1991) and Mariners (never).
___
Noah Trister, The Associated Press
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