After dropping Friday’s series opener 20-1 to the Kansas City Royals, the Toronto Blue Jays can erase any memory of the drubbing on Saturday as they are back in position to punch their ticket to the playoffs.
Just one of the three outcomes the Blue Jays needed in order to clinch Friday played out, but Toronto has two pathways to secure its spot on Saturday.
The scenarios are as follows, according to MLB:
The Blue Jays would clinch with a victory over the Royals, combined with a loss by one of the Detroit Tigers (vs. Atlanta), Boston Red Sox (at Tampa Bay) or Cleveland Guardians (at Minnesota).
OR
The Blue Jays could clinch without a win if Detroit and Boston both lose and if Cleveland loses both games of its doubleheader against the Twins.
Shane Bieber will take the mound for Toronto opposite Noah Cameron in Saturday’s decisive game, looking to build off his six-inning outing against the Baltimore Orioles, in which he allowed just four hits and one run.
You can watch the Blue Jays game on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+, beginning at 7:10 p.m. ET / 4:10 p.m. PT.
If the Jays get in, it will mark the first time that they have appeared in the post-season since 2023, when they were downed by the Minnesota Twins during the wild-card round.
The Blue Jays shouldn’t take their foot off the gas, however, since the AL East divisional title — and a first-round bye — is still on the table. After the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees on Friday, Toronto’s magic number to clinch the division stands at five.
