The Toronto Blue Jays are gearing up for a crucial stretch of games as they head into the final 30 games of the regular season. They kick off this important phase by facing the Kansas City Royals at home on Tuesday night.
Currently, the Blue Jays are trailing the Cleveland Guardians by two games for the last American League wild-card spot. The Guardians have been on a hot streak, winning five consecutive games. Meanwhile, the Houston Astros are closely trailing behind the Guardians, with the Texas Rangers leading the AL West division. The Minnesota Twins are also in the mix, tied with the Blue Jays and trailing the Guardians by two games.
Other teams like the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and Detroit Tigers are still in contention for a wild-card spot as well.
In the upcoming game, veteran pitcher Max Scherzer will take the mound for the Blue Jays, who are sitting at a record of 64-68. The Royals, with a record of 58-74, will have Seth Lugo as their starting pitcher. Despite the Royals’ recent eight-game winning streak, they are six games behind the Blue Jays in the wild-card race.
After the series against the Royals, the Blue Jays will play the Mariners in a three-game weekend series. The Mariners are just one game behind the Blue Jays in the standings.
The Blue Jays have been performing well this month, winning 13 out of 22 games. They had a seven-series winning streak before losing two out of three games to the Yankees over the past weekend.
Looking ahead, the Blue Jays have a favorable schedule with no games remaining against teams above a .500 winning percentage. Their remaining opponents collectively have a winning percentage of .464, with 18 games against direct wild-card competitors. Additionally, 15 of their final 30 games will be played at Rogers Centre, providing them with a home-field advantage during this crucial playoff push.