The Toronto Blue Jays were expected to make a run at the AL East title this season.
But, they have yet to take that next step toward becoming division champions.
They are headed to the playoffs though with only a few weeks left in the regular season.
Toronto sits firmly in the third Wild Card spot and has the chance to make a push for the first spot.
As winners of 10 of their last 13 games, they have caught up to the Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners in the standings.
Now all three teams will jostle for playoff position as they sit within one game of each other.
One big reason for the Blue Jays’ resurgence has been the breakout of Bo Bichette.
In his last 15 games, Bichette is hitting .444 with seven home runs, 21 RBI, and an OPS of 1.422.
The hottest hitter on the planet: Bo Bichette 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JslydLXcRh
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 13, 2022
The 24-year-old was a shell of himself the first half of the season, but since the All-Star break he has turned it on.
Bichette now leads the Blue Jays in hits and RBI and will be a big reason for their success down the stretch.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk were two All-Star hitters for the Jays this year.
Guerrero was the runner-up for AL MVP last year, but in 2022 he has not been as good.
The righty still has good numbers but not the otherworldly stuff we saw from him last year.
This Toronto lineup was considered one of the best in baseball before the year.
Even though they have not matched those lofty goals, if they can be dominant in October this team can make a deep run.
Pitching Concerns
The Blue Jays’ pitching would be the one concern on the roster.
They have two aces in Alek Manoah and Kevin Gausman who have been very good.
Also, Ross Stripling is having a very good season as a back-end starter with an ERA of 3.03.
Jose Berrios has been one problem in their rotation.
The righty has thrown 152.2 innings with only 133 strikeouts and an ERA of 5.07.
His lack of strikeouts is the glaring issue.
Berrios has a 7.8 K/9 which is the lowest since his rookie season in 2016.
He has given up the most earned runs and home runs this season.
His 28 homers allowed are a career-high and he still has a few starts left in this season.
It is going to be tough to trust Berrios in a playoff series when that time comes.
Also, the bullpen for Toronto has been okay.
They have the eighth-best bullpen ERA in the American League.
But, one player that has stood out in a good way is Jordan Romano.
The 5th Canadian-born pitcher in MLB history with 30 saves in a season 🔥
The 1st Canadian-born pitcher in #BlueJays history with 30 saves in a season 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/KbmN0EeQh0
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 5, 2022
The closer for Toronto has 33 saves this season and an ERA of 1.94.
If the Blue Jays can just get to the ninth with the lead, Romano has a good shot of securing the victory.
Overall, this Blue Jays team will be carried by their hitting and top two starters.
But, if they can continue their hot stretch and carry it into the playoffs the Blue Jays will be a team to reckon with.
NEXT: Bo Bichette Is Matching An MLB Legend In September