Toronto Blue Jays face capital foe in Washington Nationals

May 31, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson (20) celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. The Twins won 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays continue to take one step forward and two steps back.  In a series that easily could have been a sweep over the Minnesota Twins, the Toronto Blue Jays dropped two of three due to a rash of self-inflicted wounds.  The Jays will now travel to Washington to face the talented Nationals, who sit atop the NL East with a 28-22 record.

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One of the biggest holes in Toronto’s boat has been an outfield defense that very loosely resembles “baseball”.  Chris Colabello has swung a hot stick since his recall from AAA Buffalo, but his ability to track fly balls has been downright ugly.  Mercifully, Jose Bautista will be returning to right field for this series which should allow for a stronger defensive look.  I’ll be holding my breath on his first long throw, though.

Despite their flaws, the Blue Jays remain just 3.5 games out of first place in the AL East.  While many find solace in this statistic, it’s important to realize that this division will not stay weak forever.  Boston and New York will not hesitate to flood high-priced talent onto their roster should this race remain tight, meaning that the time to make a move is now.

Next: Across the diamond: Meet the Nationals