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Blue Jays May Not Have to Clutch Straws Reach Playoffs

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By Christian Webster - - 5 Mins Read
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer bats against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum.
Featured photo | Conor P. Fitzgerald / Shutterstock

Blue Jay's playoff history hasn't been impressive, but they still have a chance, thanks to Rob Manfred's expanded post-season format.

Despite a weak offense, they're close to a wild-card spot in the American League East. They're tied with Boston, just two games behind the Minnesota Twins.

Despite their recent struggles, the upcoming actions of the Blue Jays are crucial.

With summer approaching, there's still an opportunity for a turnaround. A winning streak is essential for them to regain momentum.

While the Blue Jays have a limited playoff history, they are not eliminated yet.

Despite their struggles with scoring and the bullpen, they are still in the running. It's crucial for the Blue Jays to make the right moves to secure a spot in the playoffs.

On most nights, the team's strong starting rotation saves the day. José Berríos, Yusei Kikuchi, Chris Bassitt, and Kevin Gausman keep them in the game. But the lineup often lets them down.

The Blue Jays haven't been doing great lately. Their record this year is the worst since 2019, when they were still building. They used to be much better, even fighting for playoffs.

Good news is, now there's a third wild card. That helped the Blue Jays make it to the playoffs in 2023. But they got swept by the Twins. So, what's the Blue Jays' next move?

This year, the Blue Jays are struggling big time. They're far behind the Yankees and Orioles in the standings. Even catching up for a wild card spot seems unlikely.

But, there's still hope because other teams aren't doing great, either. The Twins, Red Sox, Tigers, Rays, Astros, and Rangers have problems.

The Twins are okay, the Red Sox might fall off, and the Tigers are still young. Even lower, the Rays and Astros are struggling with offense and injuries.

The Rangers have a good rotation but a shaky bullpen. So, what's the Blue Jays' next move?

Manfred added a third wild card to make more playoff revenue and meaningful regular season games.

Right now, there are 12 playoff spots to grab in baseball. About 13 other teams are pretty close to getting one of those spots. But we can say bye-bye to five teams the Angels, Athletics, White Sox, Rockies, and Marlins.

When we look at teams with winning records, there are only 10 of them in the MLB. Last year, there were 17 teams with winning records.

The Twins might end up with about 85 wins this season, but last year, the Blue Jays needed 89 wins to get the last wild card spot.

Maybe one of these teams will suddenly start winning a lot and end up with around 90 wins. Or maybe it's becoming normal for okay teams to get into the playoffs. Remember last year when the Diamondbacks got to the World Series with just 84 wins?

The Blue Jays may not seem fully prepared to win big. They have a strong pitching squad, but their hitting is lacking.

Additionally, they face a challenging schedule ahead. Nonetheless, being three games behind isn't the end of the world.

Despite not being flawless, the Blue Jays still have a chance at the playoffs, partly due to their connections within the league.

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