The Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles played a four-game set in a span of three days over the weekend: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The series included a doubleheader on Saturday.
After dropping Friday’s affair 6-3, the Blue Jays went on a historic tear over the next two days.
On Saturday, they won both games of the doubleheader, 11-10 and 11-2.
The first one saw them come from a 10-5 deficit and score four runs in the last inning to turn the game in their favor.
On Sunday, as if scoring 22 runs in 14 innings wasn’t enough, they crossed home plate another 22 times in a 22-7 demolition of the lowly Orioles.
That @BlueJays offense right now… pic.twitter.com/tqLlA1e4Ez
— theScore (@theScore) September 12, 2021
They Feasted Against The Orioles
In total, Toronto scored 47 runs in four games, or 11.75 per contest.
Yes, it was the Orioles, the worst team in MLB with a 46-97 record.
However, what Toronto did still put the league on notice: They are the best offense in baseball, and right now, it isn’t particularly close.
Before exploding against the Orioles, Toronto had swept the New York Yankees in a four-game series, scoring 25 runs in the process.
A 6.25 runs per game average is not quite 11.75, but against one of the best pitching units in the American League, it’s actually not bad at all.
Toronto has proven time and time again in 2021 that it can produce against everyone.
Against the Orioles, they just went off.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit two homers and drove in seven runs on Sunday alone, and hit three home runs and a double in the series, with seven hits in 13 at-bats and 10 RBI.
Marcus Semien, who is currently working on a 13-game hitting streak, had five hits against Baltimore, and three of them went for extra bases (two doubles and a dinger).
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. cemented his case as an MVP hopeful by blasting the poor Orioles pitching corps.
He had five hits, two of which left the yard, and scored six runs in the four games.
Chasing History (And Some Hardware)
At the moment, Guerrero is well-positioned to make a run at the hitting Triple Crown in the AL.
It would be the first time a hitter earns it since Miguel Cabrera did it in 2012.
Guerrero currently leads his league in batting average (.319), home runs (44, tied with Shohei Ohtani), and is third in RBI with 102, not so far behind the league leader (Jose Abreu, with 107).
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can become the 2nd AL Triple Crown winner in the last half-century, and we should start paying a *little* more international attention. He’s batting .319 (first), has 44 HR (tied-Ohtani) and 102 RBI (5 behind Abreu). @MLBNetwork @MLB @SNstats @FAN590
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) September 13, 2021
Vladdy has been a big reason why the Blue Jays’ offense is so feared around the league.
Over the weekend against Baltimore, he took advantage of some bad pitching, but to be fair, he has been raking all year long and deserves MVP consideration, even if his chances of actually winning the award are not particularly high given Ohtani’s presence as a two-way star in the AL.
After dominating the Yankees and Orioles, Toronto seems well-positioned to fight for a playoff spot.
They actually hold one at the moment.
It will be their offense that determines how far Toronto makes it this year, as the unit is deep and powerful.
Just ask the Orioles.
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