Toronto Blue Jays fans finally have an October to look forward to after clinching the AL East last Sunday following a resounding win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
The first-seeded Jays have a bye for the first round after just edging out the Yankees in the race for the top. Securing a bye is important for getting rest and getting key players, including injured shortstop Bo Bichette, healthy..
But the season is about more than clinching the top spot in the East. The Toronto Blue Jays went from worst to first, and the most significant reason for this surge is their offence.
Toronto fans had been bracing for another summer of mediocre play after the Jays finished in the bottom half of most offensive stats last season. And the team’s explosive turnaround has fans now filled with joyful anticipation.
The Jays developed one of the most dangerous offences in the league, leading the MLB in total hits at 1,461. They also lead in the team batting average with a .265. Despite his knee injury, Bichette finished second in the league in hits with 181.
The team also improved in on-base plus slugging (OBS), rising to number three in 2025 from number 18 in 2024. There was also a major jump in slugging percentage, to .427 from .389 in 2024. Also, the Jays are first in on-base percentage with a .333 after having a .313 in 2024.
The Jays jumped to 191 this year from 156 home runs in 2024. They also made a major leap in runs batted in, rising to 771 from 640. They also have seen a small increase in stolen bases, 77 from 72.
The big boost in offensive stats in just a year has come from a large increase in weighted on-base average (wOBA). The Toronto Blue Jays saw the largest increase in wOBA in the MLB, and it is thanks to players who have stepped up like Bichette, George Springer, Addison Barger, Alejandro Kirk, and Dalton Varsho, who all went over a .300 wOBA while finishing under .300 last season.
The bottom of the batting order also stepped up to the plate in the drive to clinch first. Names like Ernie Clement, Davis Schneider, Joey Loperfido and Nathan Lukes provided slugging prowess during the season.
But Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can't be left out of this tale of redemption. It was a good sign when Jays President Mark Shapiro and General Manager Ross Atkins secured his 14-year $500-million contract, showing they were committed to contending in one of the hardest divisions in the MLB.
Vladdy is having another great season, and this stellar offence has helped hide some of the team’s flaws – especially pitching – going into the postseason. The Jays' pitching is going to finish the season in the bottom half in earned runs averaged with a 4.19, but they have to step up when it matters most in October
The last time the Jays won the AL East was in 2015.
The last three times the Jays made the postseason, they all resulted in the same way: a first-round exit. This year, things can be different if they can come in healthy and keep firing on all cylinders, so they can make up for their sloppy work on the pitching mound.
The Jays now await the winner of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees series.
Going from worst to first is impressive, and now, the Jays need to keep those bats hot when it matters most.
