Forget AL East crown, Blue Jays taking aim at top of AL or MLB
And here's where what happens off of the field over the next 10 days matters in a large way. With a fired-up fan base, a united clubhouse and a team that seems to be relishing the intangibles of what a winning team feels like, it's on general manager Ross Atkins to enhance what's happening in a meaningful way.
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As obvious as the comparisons to 2015 are, it's impossible not to draw parallels to a decade ago. The players feel it. The fans feel it. And a renovated Rogers Centre feels like the place to be in the peak of a Toronto summer.
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Which brings us back to the present. The week ahead certainly serves up a stout test on a couple of fronts for the Jays. First, you can bet the Yankees won't roll over like they did earlier in the month when they were swept away in the four-game series that allowed the Jays to surge to the division lead.
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Following that, there's a four-gamer at the other end of the 401 when the Jays meet the Tigers in perhaps the most important showdown against their closest geographical rival in decades. Over the seven games, the Jays will face the Yankees top two starters — Rodon on Monday and Max Fried on Wednesday. And in the Motor City, they'll take on ace of aces, the Tigers Tarik Skubal on the weekend.
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As for the Yankees, when they previously arrived in Toronto on June 30, they held a three-game lead over the Jays before the four losses — including a resounding Canada Day celebration — caused them to surrender top spot.
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Since then, the Jays have been on an historic run in terms of franchise accomplishments. There was a 10-game winning streak, matching the club mark. There have been the 10 consecutive wins at the dome, equalling another franchise record and what a way to eclipse it with a fifth consecutive Toronto win over their division rival.
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The Jays are well aware of what's at stake — it's impossible not to be. They can read and digest the standings like you and I, they can feel the energy at the Rogers Centre, which is full or close to it every day and night now.
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Presumably, they're also well aware of what got them to this place (on pace for 95 wins) and that's a laser focus on the immediate task and to quickly flush the big win or loss the previous night.
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