Latest news with #CentralDivision-leading
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
With second half set to begin, Blue Jays are riding high atop AL East standings
TORONTO - With 55 victories and a two-game cushion atop the American League East, the Toronto Blue Jays are on track for a worst-to-first rebound this season. The team has had significant contributions from unexpected sources while some big names have not performed up to expectations. Injuries have also been an issue but backups have often shone with the opportunity. Here's a look at five things to watch ahead of the unofficial start of the second half of the season on Friday night. PLAYOFF PUSH Never mind the wild-card series. The Blue Jays are aiming for a top-two finish in the AL standings and a direct berth in the divisional round. Entering Friday's series opener against the visiting San Francisco Giants, Toronto is just one game behind the West Division-leading Houston Astros and 3 1/2 games behind the Central Division-leading Detroit Tigers. If the post-season started today, Toronto would be the top wild-card seed and host the Seattle Mariners in a best-of-three play-in round. The wild-card series has not been kind to Toronto in recent years. The Blue Jays, who missed the playoffs with a 74-88 record last season, were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays (2020), Seattle Mariners (2022) and Minnesota Twins (2023) in their last three post-season appearances. Toronto hasn't won a playoff game since reaching the AL Championship Series in 2016. SPRING SURGE After a mediocre start to the season, the Blue Jays have come on strong over the last two months. Toronto has posted a 39-21 record (.650 winning percentage) since May 8 and has led the major leagues in several offensive categories over that stretch. The Blue Jays have won 13 of their last 17 games and 29 of their last 42. BATTER UP Addison Barger, Eric Lauer, Nathan Lukes, Ernie Clement and Brendon Little have emerged as key players for the Blue Jays this season. Barger is second on the team with 13 homers while Lukes is hitting .276 with a .371 OBP. Clement has a .288 average and offers strong defence with positional versatility. Lauer, meanwhile, has become a reliable member of the starting rotation. With a 4-2 record and 2.78 ERA, the journeyman southpaw helped filled the void when Max Scherzer was out with a thumb issue. Little (4-1, 2.03 ERA) leads the squad with 45 appearances and has held opponents to a .184 average. BIG GUNS Bounce-back seasons from George Springer (.270 BA, 16 homers, 53 RBIs) and Bo Bichette (.282 BA, 12 homers, 53 RBIs) have helped restore some pop to Toronto's offence. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who signed a 14-year, US$500-million extension in April, has been steady if unspectacular while Alejandro Kirk has blossomed in a full-time catcher role. Those successes have helped mitigate some of the challenges the team has faced due to injury and underperformance. Slugger Anthony Santander (shoulder) struggled mightily before landing on the injured list. Second baseman Andres Gimenez (ankle), centre-fielder Daulton Varsho (hamstring) and setup man Yimi Garcia (ankle) are some of the other notable names on the IL. The Blue Jays could get a boost as early as next month if right-hander Alek Manoah (elbow surgery) continues his progression after elbow surgery. He finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2022. COMING UP Toronto will close out its six-game homestand next week with a big three-game series against the second-place New York Yankees. That will be followed by a four-game set in Detroit against the Tigers, who lead the major leagues at 59-38. Blue Jays fans will also be keen to see if general manager Ross Atkins can swing some deals ahead of the MLB trade deadline on July 31. Toronto will close out its regular season on Sept. 28 against Tampa Bay. The Blue Jays have an 83.4-per cent chance of making the playoffs, per FanGraphs projections. The website gives Toronto a 37.1-per cent chance of winning the East and a 4.6-per cent shot at winning its first World Series title since 1993. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
With second half set to begin, Blue Jays are riding high atop AL East standings
TORONTO – With 55 victories and a two-game cushion atop the American League East, the Toronto Blue Jays are on track for a worst-to-first rebound this season. The team has had significant contributions from unexpected sources while some big names have not performed up to expectations. Injuries have also been an issue but backups have often shone with the opportunity. Here's a look at five things to watch ahead of the unofficial start of the second half of the season on Friday night. PLAYOFF PUSH Never mind the wild-card series. The Blue Jays are aiming for a top-two finish in the AL standings and a direct berth in the divisional round. Entering Friday's series opener against the visiting San Francisco Giants, Toronto is just one game behind the West Division-leading Houston Astros and 3 1/2 games behind the Central Division-leading Detroit Tigers. If the post-season started today, Toronto would be the top wild-card seed and host the Seattle Mariners in a best-of-three play-in round. The wild-card series has not been kind to Toronto in recent years. The Blue Jays, who missed the playoffs with a 74-88 record last season, were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays (2020), Seattle Mariners (2022) and Minnesota Twins (2023) in their last three post-season appearances. Toronto hasn't won a playoff game since reaching the AL Championship Series in 2016. SPRING SURGE After a mediocre start to the season, the Blue Jays have come on strong over the last two months. Toronto has posted a 39-21 record (.650 winning percentage) since May 8 and has led the major leagues in several offensive categories over that stretch. The Blue Jays have won 13 of their last 17 games and 29 of their last 42. BATTER UP Addison Barger, Eric Lauer, Nathan Lukes, Ernie Clement and Brendon Little have emerged as key players for the Blue Jays this season. Barger is second on the team with 13 homers while Lukes is hitting .276 with a .371 OBP. Clement has a .288 average and offers strong defence with positional versatility. Lauer, meanwhile, has become a reliable member of the starting rotation. With a 4-2 record and 2.78 ERA, the journeyman southpaw helped filled the void when Max Scherzer was out with a thumb issue. Little (4-1, 2.03 ERA) leads the squad with 45 appearances and has held opponents to a .184 average. BIG GUNS Bounce-back seasons from George Springer (.270 BA, 16 homers, 53 RBIs) and Bo Bichette (.282 BA, 12 homers, 53 RBIs) have helped restore some pop to Toronto's offence. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who signed a 14-year, US$500-million extension in April, has been steady if unspectacular while Alejandro Kirk has blossomed in a full-time catcher role. Those successes have helped mitigate some of the challenges the team has faced due to injury and underperformance. Slugger Anthony Santander (shoulder) struggled mightily before landing on the injured list. Second baseman Andres Gimenez (ankle), centre-fielder Daulton Varsho (hamstring) and setup man Yimi Garcia (ankle) are some of the other notable names on the IL. The Blue Jays could get a boost as early as next month if right-hander Alek Manoah (elbow surgery) continues his progression after elbow surgery. He finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2022. COMING UP Toronto will close out its six-game homestand next week with a big three-game series against the second-place New York Yankees. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. That will be followed by a four-game set in Detroit against the Tigers, who lead the major leagues at 59-38. Blue Jays fans will also be keen to see if general manager Ross Atkins can swing some deals ahead of the MLB trade deadline on July 31. Toronto will close out its regular season on Sept. 28 against Tampa Bay. The Blue Jays have an 83.4-per cent chance of making the playoffs, per FanGraphs projections. The website gives Toronto a 37.1-per cent chance of winning the East and a 4.6-per cent shot at winning its first World Series title since 1993. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2025.
Global News
4 days ago
- Sport
- Global News
Blue Jays riding high atop AL East standings
TORONTO – With 55 victories and a two-game cushion atop the American League East, the Toronto Blue Jays are on track for a worst-to-first rebound this season. The team has had significant contributions from unexpected sources while some big names have not performed up to expectations. Injuries have also been an issue but backups have often shone with the opportunity. Here's a look at five things to watch ahead of the unofficial start of the second half of the season on Friday night. PLAYOFF PUSH Never mind the wild-card series. The Blue Jays are aiming for a top-two finish in the AL standings and a direct berth in the divisional round. Entering Friday's series opener against the visiting San Francisco Giants, Toronto is just one game behind the West Division-leading Houston Astros and 3 1/2 games behind the Central Division-leading Detroit Tigers. Story continues below advertisement If the post-season started today, Toronto would be the top wild-card seed and host the Seattle Mariners in a best-of-three play-in round. The wild-card series has not been kind to Toronto in recent years. The Blue Jays, who missed the playoffs with a 74-88 record last season, were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays (2020), Seattle Mariners (2022) and Minnesota Twins (2023) in their last three post-season appearances. Toronto hasn't won a playoff game since reaching the AL Championship Series in 2016. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy SPRING SURGE After a mediocre start to the season, the Blue Jays have come on strong over the last two months. Toronto has posted a 39-21 record (.650 winning percentage) since May 8 and has led the major leagues in several offensive categories over that stretch. Story continues below advertisement The Blue Jays have won 13 of their last 17 games and 29 of their last 42. BATTER UP Addison Barger, Eric Lauer, Nathan Lukes, Ernie Clement and Brendon Little have emerged as key players for the Blue Jays this season. Barger is second on the team with 13 homers while Lukes is hitting .276 with a .371 OBP. Clement has a .288 average and offers strong defence with positional versatility. Lauer, meanwhile, has become a reliable member of the starting rotation. With a 4-2 record and 2.78 ERA, the journeyman southpaw helped filled the void when Max Scherzer was out with a thumb issue. Little (4-1, 2.03 ERA) leads the squad with 45 appearances and has held opponents to a .184 average. BIG GUNS Bounce-back seasons from George Springer (.270 BA, 16 homers, 53 RBIs) and Bo Bichette (.282 BA, 12 homers, 53 RBIs) have helped restore some pop to Toronto's offence. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who signed a 14-year, US$500-million extension in April, has been steady if unspectacular while Alejandro Kirk has blossomed in a full-time catcher role. Those successes have helped mitigate some of the challenges the team has faced due to injury and underperformance. Story continues below advertisement Slugger Anthony Santander (shoulder) struggled mightily before landing on the injured list. Second baseman Andres Gimenez (ankle), centre-fielder Daulton Varsho (hamstring) and setup man Yimi Garcia (ankle) are some of the other notable names on the IL. The Blue Jays could get a boost as early as next month if right-hander Alek Manoah (elbow surgery) continues his progression after elbow surgery. He finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2022. COMING UP Toronto will close out its six-game homestand next week with a big three-game series against the second-place New York Yankees. That will be followed by a four-game set in Detroit against the Tigers, who lead the major leagues at 59-38. Blue Jays fans will also be keen to see if general manager Ross Atkins can swing some deals ahead of the MLB trade deadline on July 31. Toronto will close out its regular season on Sept. 28 against Tampa Bay. The Blue Jays have an 83.4-per cent chance of making the playoffs, per FanGraphs projections. The website gives Toronto a 37.1-per cent chance of winning the East and a 4.6-per cent shot at winning its first World Series title since 1993. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2025. Story continues below advertisement
Reuters
07-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Kings aim to capitalize on Stars' defensive injuries
February 7 - The two-week break in the schedule for most of the Dallas Stars couldn't come at a better time, but they still have two more games to play this weekend. The Stars are scheduled to visit the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night and the San Jose Sharks on Saturday before a handful of Dallas players head to the 4 Nations Face-Off in Boston and the rest head home. "You get this close to a break, I'm sure your mind starts to wander about what you're going to do," Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said following a 2-1 loss to Ducks in Anaheim on Tuesday. The Stars, who had a five-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday, would like to collect four more points before going their separate directions. They entered Thursday 10 points behind the Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets and three points ahead of the third-place Minnesota Wild. A pack of hungry wild-card teams also lurk behind, including the Colorado Avalanche. "These are important games," Dallas forward Colin Blackwell said. "We're trying to finish this on a strong note. We don't play for a little while, so there's nothing to save it for." Dallas could also use the extra time to get healthy, particularly on the defensive end. The latest player to go down was defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin, who sustained an undisclosed injury in the second period against Anaheim and did not return. The Stars are also missing defensemen Miro Heiskanen (knee surgery) and Nils Lundkvist (shoulder surgery). "We're four days away from a two-week break," DeBoer said. The Kings, who entered Thursday six points behind the second-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division, have won two straight following a season-long four-game losing streak (0-3-1). The Kings topped the visiting Montreal Canadiens 6-3 on Wednesday night, using their speed to wear down the Canadiens before putting them away with four goals in the third period. "That's one thing we've done, especially the last two games, is playing more north," said Kings forward Warren Foegele, who scored his first NHL penalty shot against the Canadiens. "We've got a lot of fast forwards, and we're utilizing our ability to move our feet and our speed. Playing north, it's just hard to play against." Kevin Fiala has been spearheading many of Los Angeles' attacks of late. He has scored four goals in the past two games, and the two he scored against Montreal gave him his sixth consecutive 20-goal season. "I think he's going to have a really good second half," Kings coach Jim Hiller said. "He's been working hard and consistently and really, I think, playing some of his best hockey, consistently. You can probably go back about 10 games. It hasn't got all the results, but you can just feel it coming, or we could, at least. It's nice to see it start to go in for him, but I maintain I think he's going to have a really strong second half." Hiller said Fiala's hot streak has helped elevate the games of linemates Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere. Byfield had three assists against the Canadiens, and Laferriere had another. "Kevin and Laf are probably a little bit more pure offensive players, and Q just does a great job of complementing them offensively, yes, but also taking care of them defensively," Hiller said. I think it fits pretty good. I think just good chemistry through the three of them."
