After several years of witnessing MLB mediocrity, casual and diehard Toronto Blue Jays fans are being rewarded with a reason to watch and cheer for Canada’s only baseball team.
Depending on how this week’s games play out — theirs and others — the Jays, already leading the American League East division with a 59-42 record, could find themselves in possession of the top record in baseball.
And while a franchise-best 11-game home game winning streak ended with a 5-4 ninth-inning loss to the second-place New York Yankees Tuesday night, there’s a lot of baseball left to play.
But even if they don’t finish as MLB’s top overall team — a feat never accomplished by any Jays team — if they keep playing this brand of baseball, they could produce one of the best regular seasons in the organization’s 49-year history and a possible rival to those that led to back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993.
Finishing as one of the top two teams in the American League (AL), meanwhile, would still be a major boon as it would grant the team a bye past the wildcard round that has vexed the organization. The team has gone winless in its last three straight best-of-three play-in series appearances (2020, 2022 and 2023).
Statistically speaking, the Jays’ best season ever came in 1985 when an all-star lineup featuring the likes of George Bell, Jesse Barfield and Dave Stieb finished atop the division with a 99-62 record, good for a .615 winning percentage. (Only the St. Louis Cardinals were better at 101-61, or .623)
At the end of the 1985 season, a rained-out game wasn’t made up because it would have no implications on the standings or playoff picture. That means if the 2025 squad can go 41-20 in their remaining 61, they’ll finish 100-62 with a .617 winning percentage.
Only the players, coaches and management can make it happen, but their body of work over the last two and a half months following a sluggish start to the season certainly makes it seem like it’s possible.
It’s worth noting here that the Jays’ 55 wins before the All-Star Game this year eclipsed the record set by the 1985 crew and matched that of the first World Series lineup. They also hit 50 wins in their 88th game, something else that hasn’t happened since 1992.
How they got here
Heading into May, the team was playing sub .500 ball and languished in the standings, falling eight games behind the Yankees at one point. By month’s end, however, the bats had come alive and the Jays climbed to just above .500.
In June, they played just as well, if not better, and, as July approached, the Jays found themselves within striking distance of top spot in the AL East.
They clinched it and haven’t looked back since sweeping the Yankees in a four-game set at Rogers Centre to start the month.
The team is 43-21 since May 8, and 29-14 since the start of June, a record second only to the Milwaukee Brewers, who are currently tied with the Chicago Cubs for first in the National League Central division and best record in baseball.
Those Rogers Centre crowds…
Different 💙🇨🇦 #lightsupletsgo pic.twitter.com/bgyJJIzxKL
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 22, 2025
It’s certainly helped that the Yankees have struggled since June 1, posting a 21-23 record.
Toronto, a dominant 13-4 thus far in July, has eight games remaining in the month after they wrap things up with New York on Wednesday night — a crucial four-game series against the central division-leading Detroit Tigers and a trip to Maryland for four with the AL East bottom-dwelling Baltimore Orioles.
If the Jays can hang on to the AL East lead for the rest of the year, it’ll be the first time they’ve won the division since 2015.
Who got them here
Outside of the obvious All-Star and veteran talent, on paper, this wasn’t a lineup that was expected to be this good.
But from one end of the clubhouse to another, pitching to batting, just about everyone has meaningfully contributed to the surprising success so far.
Veteran George Springer, who despite being among the squad’s elder statesmen at 35, has always had the enthusiastic zeal of a much younger player, is now putting up numbers to match. Undoubtedly the team’s MVP so far, the rightfielder leads the team in home runs (17) and on-base plus slugging percentage (.874) and was the hottest hitter through June and July.
After a couple of middling seasons, shortstop Bo Bichette and catcher Alejandro Kirk have found consistency at the plate. The former leads the AL in doubles while the Mexican-born backstop has a team-best .304 batting average and a paltry 33 strikeouts in 303 at-bats.
Addison Barger, called up from Triple-A Buffalo in mid-April, has settled into the majors nicely and become the most serendipitous bright spot for the Jays. The 25-year-old utility player — who looks very comfortable on third base — is second in dingers (14) and leads the club in slugging (.517) among active players.
As for the face of the franchise, Vladimir Guerrero, who inked a 14-year $500-million contract extension just as the season began, the All-Star first baseman is putting up solid numbers — he’s second in hits (104) and leads the team in runs (62) — but his home run and RBI production is short of where it’s been over his career.
Should he find more consistency at the dish, there’s no telling how it could impact the club’s fortunes.
Meantime, players like Ernie Clement, Nathan Lukes, Will Wagner, Myles Straw, Tyler Heineman and, at times, Davis Schneider, have provided timely hitting and defence in the absence of Gold Glove centrefielder Daulton Varsho and $92-million newcomer Antony Santander, both out with injuries.
Collectively, the team leads the majors with a .260 team batting average and the fewest strikeouts (671).
On the rubber, the team ERA (4.10) could use improvement, but the core trio of Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios and Chris Bassit have been consistently improving as the season goes on, aided by a bullpen that’s seen a lot of action. Manager John Schneider doesn’t tend to let his starters go deep into games.
As for Max Scherzer, who signed a one-year deal for $15.5 million, the three-time Cy Young winner is just getting going, having returned from an injury suffered in his Blue Jays debut in March.
The 41-year-old hurler was tough on himself after surrendering four runs to the Yankees on Monday.
“I put them in a tough spot by giving up four runs, but the rest of the team did their job,” said Scherzer, per the Associated Press. “Guys are out there fighting.
“We’re a great team. They’re a great team. These are fun series to be in. You just want to be out there helping your team win more.”
The series continues Wednesday night, 7:07, before what’s expected to be another 40,000-plus fans in Toronto.
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