The Toronto Blue Jays are gearing up for a crucial stretch in their season, with only 30 games remaining in the regular season. They kick off this crucial period on Tuesday night against the Kansas City Royals at home.
Currently, the Blue Jays are trailing the Cleveland Guardians by two games for the final American League wild-card spot. Over the next six games, they will play at Rogers Centre before embarking on a challenging road trip of nine games in nine days.
In the wild-card race, the Houston Astros are closely trailing the Guardians, while the Texas Rangers lead the AL West. The Minnesota Twins are also in contention, tied with the Blue Jays, both two games behind the Guardians.
Other teams still in the hunt for a wild-card spot include the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and Detroit Tigers.
The Blue Jays will have veteran right-hander Max Scherzer on the mound against the Royals on Tuesday, while the Royals will start right-hander Seth Lugo. Despite the Royals’ recent eight-game winning streak, they are still six games behind the Blue Jays in the wild-card race.
Following the series against the Royals, the Blue Jays will face the Mariners in a crucial three-game weekend series. The Mariners are just one game behind the Blue Jays in the standings.
The Blue Jays have been performing well, winning 13 out of 22 games this month. However, they recently had their seven-series winning streak snapped after losing two out of three games to the Yankees over the weekend.
Looking ahead, the Blue Jays have a favorable schedule with no remaining games against teams above .500. Their upcoming opponents have a combined winning percentage of .464, with 18 games against their direct wild-card rivals. Additionally, they will play 15 of their final 30 games at Rogers Centre.