The Toronto Blue Jays are not dead yet in 2021.
Very few people expected Toronto to contend for a playoff bid this season, but with September upon us, the club is still in the mix.
No matter what, the Blue Jays’ campaign has already been a smashing success, but making the postseason would be the cherry on the top of an outstanding year.
Although the team has a lot of work to do in the standings, the upcoming week could provide Toronto will an opportunity to gain substantial ground.
There’s no time left to tread water, and if the Blue Jays want to crack the postseason this year, they’re going to have to rise to the occasion the rest of the way.
Let’s take a look at what’s in store for the club this week.
Toronto Will Have Four Stabs At The New York Yankees In A Head-To-Head Series To Open The Week
Currently, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox occupy the two Wild Card bids in the American League.
New York has a razor-thin lead over Boston for the top Wild Card spot.
The Jays, meanwhile, trail New York by 4.5 games and Boston by four games.
Toronto just needs to catch one of those teams.
With less than a month remaining in the regular season, those deficits may seem daunting, but the Jays could find themselves in a much better position just a few days from now.
That’s because Toronto and New York are about to meet for a mammoth four-game series.
Buckle up folks, the next 4 days are going to be a wild ride:
🔸Mariners at Astros
🔸Blue Jays at Yankees
🔸Rays at Red Sox
🔸White Sox at Athletics (starting Tuesday)— Mariners Wild Card Update (@MsPlayoffHope) September 6, 2021
When you’re trying to make up ground in the standings, a four-game head-to-head series against the team you’re chasing serves as a fantastic opportunity to flip the script.
It’s very hard to do damage in a head-to-head three-game set unless you sweep the whole thing, because taking two out of three only nets you one game in the standings.
However, in a four-game set, you can make up some serious ground without sweeping, as a 3-1 series victory is good for a two-game swing.
Now, with that said, Toronto likely wants to take all four from New York.
That would drastically change the complexion of the AL Wild Card race.
Just a half game would separate the Yankees and Blue Jays if Toronto swept the series.
It’s a tall task, but with New York scuffling lately, it’s not impossible.
To Wrap Up The Week, The Jays Have A Date With The Lowly Baltimore Orioles For 3 Games
After the Jays meet the Yankees, Toronto will get to cool off with a three-game set on the road against the Baltimore Orioles.
The Orioles are far and away the worst team in the AL, and this is absolutely a series the Blue Jays should win.
It’s not unreasonable to expect a sweep.
The only cause for concern is that the Orioles have been playing marginally better of late.
After snapping a 19-game losing streak, the team has managed to win two of its last four series.
The streak is over… The Orioles snap a 19-game losing streak with a 10-6 win over the Angels.
It had been the longest losing streak since the 2005 Royals also lost 19 straight. pic.twitter.com/lWEatBue7d
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 26, 2021
But Toronto is 8-4 against Baltimore this season, and truthfully, you don’t deserve to be a playoff team if you can’t get past the Orioles.
The Jays will likely take care of business here.
That’s the expectation, anyway.
From there, the team will have to reset and keep the momentum going into the following week.
NEXT: Blue Jays Cut Reliever Brad Hand And Admit Mistake
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