With 106 games left, June and July will be critical for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Photo credit: https://twitter.com/BlueJays
The Toronto Blue Jays are at 28-28 through the first third of the season. Things need to start clicking in the second third if they want to make the playoffs.
With the calendar flipping to June next week the next 55 games is the critical middle third of the season. That said, at 28-28 it could best be described as an uneven first 56. John Schneider is a realist regarding what needs to happen for his team.
With 106 games left, June and July will be critical for the Toronto Blue Jays.
«You definitely want to put your best foot forward right here for the next month, really and see (where you are),» Schneider said on Thursday, prior to his team moving to 28-28 and hitting the .500 mark for what felt like the umpteenth time this season. «I know everyone kind of looks at the (trade) deadline as a go or no. You've got to play pretty well right now.»
However the second 55 concludes the day after the July 30 MLB trade deadline so Schneider, and presumably his players, are well aware of what's at stake over the next two months.
If the team remains in touch with the post season, it's a «go» for general manager Ross Atkins to shop. If they drift towards the basement, it's likely a hard «no» and that means a selloff and major retooling of the core.
«The first 55, it's been up and down,» Schneider said acknowledging both the painful and the obvious. «I think that we can definitely play a little bit better for a consistent period of time. It seems to me that it comes down to (the fact) that performance of the starters, performances with runners in scoring position, base running has been a little up and down."
Where does the season played thus far put them? Perhaps shockingly, in third place in the AL East, albeit 7.5 games behind the leading Yankees.
The upside is they're just two games out of a wild-card spot, a «race» that includes as many as eight teams.
As for projections, analytics heavy website Fangraphs lists the Jays with a a 32.3 per cent chance of making the post season while predicting a win total of 81.6.
So with work to do, here's a look at five areas to watch as the Jays attempt to sprint into what could evolve as a pivotal stretch of their season.
Anthony Santander to morph into 'Tony Taters'
The history lesson tells us that when the calendar switches to June, Anthony Santander transforms into a fearsome, home-run hitting machine. Or at least he did last season.
Santander, who the Jays signed to a five-year $92.5 million US contract to bring some bash to the proceedings, hit a homer on June 1 and never stopped, finishing the month with 13.
By season's end, of course, he had launched a career-high 44 with the Orioles, perfect timing for his foray into free agency.
Through his first 50 games as a Blue Jays, Santander has six homers, only three fewer than at the same point in 2024.
The problem, to anyone who has watched him closely, is that so many of the at-bats have been ugly to the point where the 30-year-old switch-hitter has looked lost at the plate.
He hasn't registered a hit in his last 17 at-bats with a minuscule .179 batting average. Still, it's not difficult to fathom that a couple of big hits here and there and the Jays record would jump notably, especially given the team's preponderance to grind through one-run games.
Perhaps the recent struggles have been injury related. Perhaps there has been an adjustment to a new environment.
But without a significant resurgence from their biggest off-season acquisition, an eventual Jays push for the post season will be seriously compromised.
A resurgence from Max Scherzer and Alek Manoah
While it has reached saga status, the ongoing rehabilitation of Max Scherzer's thumb remains both a source of optimism and intrigue for the Jays.
And the possibility of his return is definitely something for the Jays to dream on, even if it's likely a month away at best.
More than one Jays starter has told me that based on what they saw early in spring training - when Scherzer looked in near peak form - an injection of the multiple All Star and Cy Young Award winner into the rotation would be a massive boost.
Perhaps more importantly, it would bring some stability to a group that has seen No. 4 starter Bowden Francis struggle for much of the season.
As good as the «bullpen days» that have occupied the No. 5 spot has been over the past couple of starts, the Jays don't see that as sustainable over the long arc of the season.
Further off in the distance - we're talking early August if all goes well - the possibility of Alek Manoah re-commencing his once promising career could be another huge addition.
Manoah continues his steady recovery from Tommy John surgery and has the potential to be a force once again.
An existing player to step up
Acknowledging that the front office was at least a meaningful bat shy of getting what the team needed most in the off-season, it's reasonable to suggest that offensive success needs the emergence of a mystery bat to get things chugging along.
Yes, the team needs Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Santander to carry the big freight alongside the 2023 version of leadoff hitter Bo Bichette (whose last two games have shown precisely what he can do.)
But the Jays also need someone else to step up to drive all those wayward runners that Schneider speaks of across the plate.
In his delayed return from shoulder surgery, Daulton Varsho made a loud impression by banging eight homers in rapid-fire fashion, but the talented centre fielder continues to be dragged by too many strikeouts.
Catcher Alejandro Kirk has had flashes as has Addison Barger, mostly with the explosive power that he clearly possesses.
You get the picture. The team needs at least one of those players - or someone else not mentioned - to step up while having the big dogs at the top of the order deliver.
Where do you think the Toronto Blue Jays will be by the July 30th trade deadline? Are they contenders or pretenders?
Tell us what you think in the poll below.
Source: Toronto Sun
Credit: Rob Longley
Credit: Rob Longley
| POLL | ||
MAI 30 | 161 ANSWERS With 106 games left, June and July will be critical for the Toronto Blue Jays. Where do you think the Toronto Blue Jays will be by the July 30th trade deadline? Are they contenders or pretenders? | ||
| Contenders | 84 | 52.2 % |
| Pretenders | 36 | 22.4 % |
| Too early to tell | 41 | 25.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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