The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees on Monday, 5-4, to maneuver two video games behind the AL East leaders. Due to their latest scorching streak, the Blue Jays have emerged as a authentic division contender.
Toronto was led by first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who went 2-for-4 with three RBI. General, Blue Jays batters had been 10-of-32 (.313) on the plate, together with 4-of-11 (.364) with runners in scoring place.
Since Could 28, when the Blue Jays had been a season-high eight video games out of first place, they’ve gone 20-10 to trim the hole by six video games. Solely the Astros have extra wins (21) throughout that span. (h/t FanGraphs)
Toronto’s resurgence is much more spectacular contemplating its coincided with a subpar stretch of pitching. In its 29 most up-to-date video games coming into Monday, Blue Jays pitchers had a 4.45 ERA, twenty third within the majors.
Throughout that very same interval, the Blue Jays had been third in runs scored (158), a mean of 5.4 runs per sport. Toronto had a .278/.343/.444 staff slash line, rating within the high 5 in batting common, on-base common and slugging share.
With the Blue Jays (46-38) discovering their rhythm on the plate, they could possibly be improved pitching away from surpassing the Yankees (48-36) and second-place Tampa Bay Rays (47-38) within the AL East standings.
Max Scherzer, making simply his third begin this season after battling a proper thumb harm, gave Toronto motive to be hopeful its greatest days on the mound could possibly be forward of it in opposition to the Yankees. In 5 innings, the three-time Cy Younger Award winner allowed two earned runs and three hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.
The Blue Jays want extra of that from Scherzer, and the remainder of the pitching workers, going ahead. If that’s the case, they may have sufficient to climb atop the AL East.
