Based on Baseball Reference’s postseason probabilities, the Toronto Blue Jays have a 0.1 percent chance of reaching the postseason. Pictured: First Baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Photo Credit: Blue Jays/X.
As the Toronto Blue Jays begin their unofficial second half of the season Friday at home against Detroit, the franchise is at a crossroads.
The team at (44-52) is in last place in the American League East, and in twelfth place overall in the 15-team American League.
Their best opportunity of sneaking into the playoffs is via the Wild Card, and they’re currently 9.5 games back of the third and final spot.
Based on Baseball Reference’s postseason probabilities, the Jays have a 0.1 percent chance of reaching the postseason.
The two biggest assets on the Jays roster are Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette – both started their professional baseball careers in the Toronto organization working their way up.
Guerrero Jr. has repeated multiple times the past few weeks he’d like to be Blue Jay for life, and his .288 batting average with 14 home runs and 55 runs batted in are more than acceptable for the Blue Jays lone all-star representative.
“I would love to be in Toronto,” Guerrero told reporters earlier this week in Texas – the site of the 2024 All-Star Game.
“My family loves Toronto, my kids love Toronto, but at the end of the day it’s a business. We all need to understand that, so whatever happens. Definitely, I would like to stay there.”
Bichette, on the other hand, entered the Major League Baseball All-Star break on the injured list with calf soreness, but his presence at the plate this season, and perhaps more importantly his body-language, suggest his days in Toronto might be over.
Bichette is hitting just .222 with four home runs and 30 RBI, including just .199 at home with 11 runs batted in.
He’s a .290 career batter.
The Jays starting shortstop, when healthy, basically called out the organization last week in San Francisco when asked about playing for the Giants in the future.
This from an interview that made its round on X (formerly Twitter):
“I haven’t really explored the city much,” said Bichette on NBC Sports San Francisco. “For me, first and foremost, I want to win. That would be the No. 1 priority for me if I was choosing a team, and the Giants are obviously committed to that.”
“They’re in a position to get the right type of players and I think that’s what’s important.”
Wow.
It certainly sounded like he was calling out the Toronto organization there.
All that being said, will general manager Ross Atkins make a splash before the MLB trade deadline on July 30 at 6 p.m. EST?
Spencer Horwitz has been a pleasant surprise since being called up from the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, and his .324 batting average supports those who say he should be a regular in the Blue Jays lineup.
The Jays have five pending free-agents at the end of the season: pitchers Yusei Kikuchi and the injured Yimi Garcia, utility man Justin Turner, outfielder Kevin Kiermaier and catcher Danny Jansen.
Kikuchi seems to be garnering the most chatter in trade rumors.
So it’s Atkins on deck in the batter’s circle. Will he swing for the fences, or keep the proverbial bat on his shoulders?
Stay tuned.
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
