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[MyDaily = Reporter Kim Jin-seong] “How did they fall to such a poor record?”
As of the 21st (Korean time), the Toronto Blue Jays sit at 22-27. The defending American League champions have stumbled out of the gate this season and now trail the first-place Tampa Bay Rays by a staggering 11.5 games.
Shortstop Bo Bichette departed in free agency for the New York Mets, and that loss clearly matters. Still, few expected Toronto to slide this far. The primary problem, by far, has been injuries.
Injury issues have piled up. Shane Bieber and José Berríos have yet to make their season debuts; Berríos is reportedly headed back to the operating room. Cody Ponce suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his first appearance. Even veteran Max Scherzer has been slowed by lingering ailments. The return of Trey Yesivig and the emergency signing of Patrick Corbin have helped, but the rotation remains thin and inconsistent.
Designating Eric Lauer for assignment — and his subsequent move to the Los Angeles Dodgers — has also had a ripple effect. Lauer’s departure ultimately strengthened the Dodgers, and while additions like Kazuma Okamoto have exceeded expectations, the club’s overall performance hasn’t matched last year’s level.
On the 20th, The Athletic mapped out each of the 30 teams’ stances heading into the trade deadline and labeled Toronto a buyer. They suggested the Blue Jays would look to add pieces to chase a postseason spot. In the wild-card race, Toronto is only two games behind the third-place Texas Rangers.
The Athletic asked, “How did the defending American League champions fall to such a poor record?” and pointed to a long list of setbacks — injuries to Alejandro Kirk, Cody Ponce, Shane Bieber, George Springer, Trey Yesivig, Max Scherzer, José Berríos, Nathan Lukes, Edison Varger and Anthony Santander — plus the loss of Bo Bichette in free agency.
Still, The Athletic noted some positives: “Dylan Cease has been a successful signing and helped stabilize the rotation, and third baseman Kazuma Okamoto has strengthened the lineup.” Even so, more players have underperformed than expected.
The Athletic concluded: “Toronto is a buyer. Their defense isn’t as sharp as last year’s, but if the bullpen grows deeper and healthier, the team can refocus on reaching the postseason. They should be above .500 by July, and at that point the front office will aggressively pursue whatever reinforcements are needed.”
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