The Toronto Blue Jays currently have a commanding five-game lead in the American League East. They got off to a slow start, only to turn things around at the end of May and ultimately steal first place from the New York Yankees. The Boston Red Sox are now their closest competitor. The Blue Jays are looking like a force to be reckoned with as the stretch run of the 2025 season nears.
Toronto actually has the best record in the American League at 73-52. However, there is one issue that may rear its ugly head and cost them in their pursuit of their first World Series title since 1993.
The starting rotation is strong on paper, but there are some underlying issues that could cost them.
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Blue Jays rotation could cost them in World Series pursuit
For starters (no pun intended), Jose Berrios has not pitched well lately. He is 4-2 in his last seven starts, but owns a 5.56 ERA during that stretch. He is 9-5 this season and has a 4.00 ERA in 26 starts over 146 1/3 innings and has struck out 121 batters.
That alone could be a sign of trouble for the Blue Jays as they try to piece together a run this coming October.
They could get a boost soon with the impending return of Shane Bieber, who they acquired at the trade deadline but has not pitched in the Major Leagues this season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery that he underwent at the beginning of the 2024 season. However, he presents an injury risk, as before Tommy John surgery, he had lost velocity on his fastball and had even watched his strikeout rate plummet.
Blue Jays reliance on injury-prone players could catch up to them
Even as he recovers, there is always a risk of an injury. Not to mention, Max Scherzer is not the ace he once was. While he's 3-2 with a 3.83 ERA, he too has struggled with various injuries over the past several years, and his injuries have limited him to just 10 starts this season.
All of those issues could plague the Blue Jays this coming October, and if things continue to go south for Berrios and Scherzer and Bieber can't stay healthy, then it would be safe to assume that a first-round exit is coming for Toronto.
The American League is wide open too, so they may lose out to other teams like the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros even if the rotation holds up – and that remains a major question.