Blue Jays and the AL East Recap: Week 1

Baseball season is finally here! A lot has happened in a week as the Blue Jays got their first look at some division rivals.

Every week Jays Journal will take a look at the bigger picture of the AL East to help frame not only where the Blue Jays are in the standings, but why they are there.

Blue Jays:  3-4

The Blue Jays did not exactly get off the the start they were hoping for. Toronto has three wins scattered between 4 consecutive losses to division foes the Rays and the Red Sox.

That said, the team that took the field this week and presented itself as a tough contender just trying to shake off the rust, rather than a team that was a complete bust. Both teams the Jays faced in the first week were division rivals, the only other team to do so was the Rays. The Sox, Yankees, and Orioles have all had the chance to play outside of the division, which has proven to be as tough as advertised so far.

While the Blue Jays have had productivity offensively, defence and pitching have been slow to produce. These production problems hurt where it counted and paved the way for the 3-4 record the Jays currently possess. On a positive note, the bats have gotten off to a quick start. Reigning MVP Josh Donaldson leads the team with 4 Home Runs, 9 RBI’s, and a .310 Average.

Both Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista too have all contributed within expectation. Additionally, Michael Saunders has performed on par with his Spring numbers, and if he keeps it up, he’s looking at a career year.

Final Takeaway: The Blue Jays looked more rusty than anything this week. The biggest concern appears to be the bullpen, but given the Blue Jays’ depth, it is only a matter of time before a winning combination is found.

Next: First Impression of the Rays