Baseball

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is right: the work isn’t over for the Blue Jays
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is right: the work isn’t over for the Blue Jays
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The Blue Jays, for the first time since 2015, have won the American League's East Division. It wasn't easy, but it's done.

After a tough 2024 season and a few additions, the club managed to take advantage of several guys coming back strong (hello, George Springer) to win the division in game #162 of the 2025 season.

The guys have a right to be happy. After all, nobody believed in them that much, but they managed to get through it.

We know that sometimes, teams that don't play in the Wild Card Series lose momentum. But in the case of the Blue Jays, don't you think avoiding that series is worth a lot more?

I don't know about you, but I have a feeling that John Schneider is glad he's not wondering who will face Garrett Crochet on the mound tomorrow. Eric Lauer? Max Scherzer? A committee of relievers? Shane Bieber on short rest?

I get the feeling that Pete Walker is happy to line up his starting pitchers the way he wants to for Saturday's series opener.

I also get the feeling that the Blue Jays are happy to let the Yankees and Red Sox fight it out while Bo Bichette progresses toward a potential return to the division series.

Because no, Bichette wouldn't have been able to play as early as Tuesday…

But the fact remains that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is right when he says that “the work isn't done” in Toronto. He knows only too well that, in the past, the club's current core has won nothing in the playoffs.

And when I say nothing… I mean nothing.

Take any player from the current edition and I can guarantee you that in 2016, the last time the Blue Jays won a playoff game, he wasn't in Toronto's Major League line-up.

And in 2020, 2022 and 2023, the Blue Jays were swept in the playoffs.

So Myles Straw is right: the fact that the Blue Jays only have to win three rounds instead of four (this is the first time in their history that the Blue Jays have had a bye in the playoffs) is an advantage.

But now, a big week awaits the club. After all, next Saturday, whichever club shows up at Rogers Centre (either the Yankees or the Red Sox) will be hungry. And the Blue Jays will have to be ready.

Will Vladdy be able to perform up to his talent – and his contract? Will the rotation hold up? Which Jeff Hoffman will we see? Can Anthony Santander pick up the pace? How often will the Blue Jays have the “big offensive innings” in the division series?

These are all pertinent questions for the coming weeks. And if these answers are positive (which is not guaranteed), the club will have as good a chance as anyone to emerge from the American League.

PMLB
  • Kyle Hendriks undergoes elbow surgery.

  • Ben Cherington: his job is not in danger.

  • Wow.

  • Managerial issues to watch.

This content was created with the help of AI.

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