Toronto Blue Jays look to bury Red Sox in AL East race

Jul 1, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A general view as a Canadian flag is unfurled across the outfield for Canada Day before the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays are making playoff noise. Roberto Osuna picked up the nail-biting save on Sunday to earn the series win over the Texas Rangers to move the club to 41-36 on the season, squarely in the AL East and Wild Card hunt.

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It’s reaching the point in the season where the Toronto Blue Jays will be linked to every available pitcher, so there’s always the chance that this is the series where Alex Anthopoulos pulls the trigger on an addition to the bullpen or rotation. The Blue Jays are expected to give Matt Boyd another start following R.A. Dickey, Marco Estrada and Mark Buehrle, all of whom have performed admirably in June.

Toronto’s offense continues to soar, but the heart of the order still hasn’t been forced to carry the load. Kevin Pillar leads the team with an incredible .371 average in June, including four home runs and 18 RBI. Through June, ten Blue Jays have posted nine RBIs or more.

Not only will the Jays be hunting at least three out of four from the Red Sox, they’ll also have the opportunity at some more revenge. Whether you’re still sour about John Farrell‘s departure or not, the Jays have a prime opportunity to cause their old friend to change jobs once again. Tension is high in Boston, presenting an excellent opportunity to continue Toronto’s climb up the standings.

Next: First up: A look at the Red Sox