Blue Jays’ rise to first, broken down by numbers
The Toronto Blue Jays have turned their season around with a scorching-hot stretch.
On May 28, the Blue Jays were under .500 and trailed the New York Yankees by eight games for first in the American League East. A little more than a month later, Toronto topped the division with a three-game lead over the Yankees heading into Monday’s game against the Chicago White Sox.
Here’s a by-the-numbers look at how the Blue Jays clawed their way to first place.
(All stats before Monday’s games)
26-10 — Toronto’s record since May 28. The Blue Jays improved from 27-28 to 52-38 with series wins against the Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels and the Yankees. Toronto swept New York in a four-game home set for the first time in franchise history last week before rattling off three victories against the Angels, pushing its winning streak to eight.
7 — The Blue Jays have swept seven series through 90 games this year, including four since May 28. Toronto only had five sweeps all of last season.
21 — George Springer is Toronto’s MVP so far this season, turning back the clock after a poor 2024 showing. In the last 15 days, he has led MLB with 21 RBIs — 11 of which came against the Yankees. The 35-year-old Springer is also tied for first in home runs (six) and on-base percentage (.500) during that stretch.
.301 — Alejandro Kirk has bounced back from a couple of down years and ranks second among catchers in batting average. He’s one of several players who stepped up to power the Blue Jays into first. Third baseman Addison Barger has also been a key contributor since joining from Triple-A Buffalo in mid-April. And in Sunday’s 3-2 victory over the Angels, Joey Loperfido batted in a key run while reliever Ryan Burr earned a win — both in their season debuts.
40 — The Blue Jays are getting it done without some top players. Anthony Santander had missed 40 games this season after signing a five-year, US$92.5-million deal last off-season. He hasn’t played since May 29 due to left shoulder inflammation. Toronto has also gone through most of the season without fellow big addition Max Scherzer. The three-time Cy Young winner, who’s 40, has pitched in only four outings this year.
52 — Toronto was one victory away from tying the franchise record for wins before the All-Star Game. The Blue Jays had 53 wins before the break in 1985 and 1992, the year they won their first of back-to-back World Series titles. Toronto had six games remaining against the White Sox and Athletics — two American League bottom-dwellers — before the July 15 MLB showcase in Atlanta.
12 — Despite topping the AL East, the Blue Jays only had a plus-12 run-differential, ranking fourth in the division. New York, meanwhile, was plus-95. Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay struck a chord with Blue Jays fans when he noted the lopsided differentials and said Toronto was “not a first-place team” after the Blue Jays tied New York atop the division last week.
14 — Of the 26 wins during their hot streak, the Blue Jays won 14 by one or two runs.
20 — One explanation for Toronto’s success in close games: playing situational baseball. The Blue Jays have bought into small ball and manufacturing runs with 20 sacrifice bunts, which ties Kansas City for the major-league lead. Ernie Clement scored Myles Straw, with help from a throwing error, with a walk-off bunt in the 10th inning of Friday’s 4-3 win over the Angels. Toronto had only 14 sac bunts last season, and only five teams totalled 20 or more.
605 — Blue Jays batters have also shown discipline at the plate with just 605 strikeouts, fewest in the majors. Toronto’s lineup is consistently swinging for contact with a majors-leading 2,489 batted balls.
2016 — This is the furthest into the season Toronto has held first place in the AL East since 2016, when the Blue Jays led the division in early September.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2025.
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