Entering 2025, the Toronto Blue Jays seemed like they were on the brink of collapse. They were coming off a disappointing 74-88 campaign and faced lots of uncertainty throughout the roster. The biggest question centered around star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who was set to become a free agent after 2025. As the season neared, extension talks were going seemingly nowhere, leading to growing speculation that he would be traded. Most projections had the Blue Jays finishing last in the AL East, and few considered them a playoff threat.
The first true bright spot for Toronto came on April 7, just two weeks into the season, when the Blue Jays reached an agreement with Guerrero, locking him up for 14 years and $500 million. The deal was the largest in Blue Jays history, signaling that the organization still believed in its core. Despite the deal, their other offseason moves felt underwhelming for a team intent on competing. Their biggest addition was right fielder Anthony Santander, fresh off a 44-home run season in Baltimore. Beyond that, the club traded for Gold Glove second baseman Andrés Giménez, and signed veterans Max Scherzer, Jeff Hoffman and Yimi García to bolster the pitching staff. They were solid, low risk moves, but not the type that would fix a roster that regressed across the board last year.
The season started as expected for Toronto, with the team hovering around .500 for most of the first half. Guerrero’s production dipped a bit, the rotation was inconsistent, and the offense couldn’t seem to come up with a clutch hit when they needed to. Santander struggled offensively for months before suffering a shoulder injury in May that’s kept him sidelined since. By late June, the Blue Jays sat at 42-37 and looked like they could never quite string together wins. But then, everything changed for Toronto. They finished out the first half winning 13 of 17 with the help of a ten-game winning streak, headlined by a four-game sweep of the Yankees, to claim first in the AL East. The Jays cruised to 14 games over .500 headed into the break, with momentum fully on their side.
A major part of Toronto’s dramatic turnaround has been key offensive players having bounce back seasons. Former UConn Husky George Springer has been one of the team’s biggest storylines, flipping the script from 2024 to have a career year in his age 35 season. Springer’s hitting over .300 with 26 home runs, and his .946 on-base plus slugging is the third best in baseball. Bo Bichette has returned to form, leading the league in hits and posting a .310 batting average, the third best in the majors. Meanwhile, Addison Barger has emerged as an important contributor to the Toronto offense, breaking out as a serious lefty power bat with 18 home runs and providing versatility across the field.
On the pitching side, unexpected names have stepped up. Left-hander Eric Lauer, who hadn’t pitched a full season since 2022, quietly posted a 3.32 ERA and stabilized a rotation alongside Kevin Gausman, José Berríos and Chris Bassitt. Relievers like Brendon Little and Yariel Rodríguez became reliable arms in the bullpen. Behind them is a solid defense with Daulton Varsho continuing to be among the top center fielders and Alejandro Kirk providing significant value behind the plate.
At the trade deadline, the Blue Jays had a clear focus on strengthening their pitching staff. They picked up relievers Seranthony Dominguez and Louis Varland, plus first baseman Ty France for added depth. Toronto also acquired former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, who was in the late stages of recovering from Tommy John surgery. This gamble paid off early on, with Bieber looking like his prime self after striking out nine in his Blue Jay debut.
Blue Jays fans are more excited about their team than they have been in nearly a decade. Toronto hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016, suffering three separate wild card sweeps since then. Ticket sales at the Rogers Centre have surged to near franchise highs, turning the stadium into one of the most hostile environments for opposing teams. As a result, the Blue Jays have been dominant in Toronto, boasting the best home record in the majors by a wide margin.
However, that momentum has started to stall in the past few weeks. The Blue Jays are just 5-5 in their last ten, with many pointing to the bullpen’s sudden collapse as a key reason. Since the All-Star break, Toronto’s relievers have been among the worst in baseball, posting an ERA of over five in that span. This has cost them numerous games in late innings down the stretch. As a result, Toronto’s once-comfortable lead in the AL East has quickly shrunk to just two and a half games, and with the Yankees and Red Sox facing significantly easier schedules, the Jays’ grip on the division is beginning to slip. The Blue Jays’ upcoming series in the Bronx, followed by a late September matchup against the Red Sox, could decide the division.
The 2025 Blue Jays have already surpassed expectations, turning what many believed was a wasted core into a team that controls its own playoff destiny. Now sitting atop the American League, Toronto has the makings of a playoff threat, but they must first navigate their bullpen struggles and a tightening division race. Whether they rise or fall down the stretch, against all odds, meaningful baseball is back in Canada.