The Blue Jays have put themselves back in the mix, and now the next step is simple: keep winning.
Toronto enters its three-game set in Sacramento against the Athletics at 72-72, sitting one game behind Cleveland for the final American League wild-card spot. The Guardians hold that sixth position at 73-71, while the Texas Rangers are right there too at 71-73 after splitting a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Baltimore Orioles are also sliding, dropping six straight and potentially falling out of the race if Toronto takes care of business this weekend.
For a club that has spent much of the season underperforming, the timing of this push matters. The Jays have suddenly found some life with series wins over the Cleveland Guardians and Kansas City Royals, turning what looked like a fading season into something far more interesting. Their three-city road trip now closes with a chance to keep that momentum rolling.
The math has changed in Toronto’s favor, too. According to fangraphs.com, the Blue Jays now have a 38.6 percent chance to make the playoffs, up 13 percent from last week. That surge reflects a team that has at least made the race competitive again, even after Sunday’s 6-1 loss put a dent in the mood.
Kazuma Okamoto summed up the mindset to Keegan Matheson of mlb.com: "We've come this far, so all we can do is win and hopefully go to the postseason," Okamoto said through his interpreter, Yusuke Oshima. "That's all we're thinking about. Every game, we're giving it our all."
The assignment in Sacramento is clear. The A’s are 30 games below .500, so Toronto should be aiming for at least two wins in the series. John Schneider is lined up to send Dylan Cease and Jose Soriano out for the first two games, and after that the Blue Jays head home for a crucial three-game series against the Orioles.
The route to October is right there in front of them. Beat the teams around them, keep climbing, and let the standings do the rest.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Already Look Smarter For Moving On From This Prospect
Torontos decision to move on from Leo Jimnez has looked better with time, especially after the former Blue Jays prospect was designated for assignment and then released by the Miami Marlins in 2026. Jimnez never found much traction offensively in Miami, where his bat stayed quiet over 66 games and the expected infield depth never really materialized into production.
The Blue Jays, meanwhile, already have something tangible to point to from that deal after sending Jimnez to Miami earlier in the year for infielder Dub Gleed and international bonus money. It is the kind of trade that can look minor in the moment, but it has given Toronto a cleaner long-term return while Jimnezs path has grown more uncertain. [Read more 🡒]
Former Blue Jays Coach Is Suddenly Tied To Arizonas Biggest Mess
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For Lovullo, the timing matters because the noise around Marte is colliding with bigger questions about where the franchise is headed next. Reports have suggested the Diamondbacks could eventually move on after the 2026 season, when his contract expires, and rival executives and scouts are already watching for offseason changes if the club decides it needs a reset in how it handles these repeated absences. [Read more 🡒]
Brett Bateman Is Creating A Blue Jays Debate They Can't Ignore
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What makes Batemans case especially interesting is how he is doing it without the usual power numbers grabbing the spotlight. He has been better than Daulton Varsho, the player he replaced, because his value has come from the less glamorous parts of the game, with defense and baserunning driving his production. Even without a home run to his name, he has given the Blue Jays a reason to keep asking whether what theyre seeing is a hot start or something closer to a new standard. [Read more 🡒]