Blue Jays are well set up for a big second half of the season

Jul 3, 2021; Buffalo, New York, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays center Charlie Montoyo (25) makes a pitching change to Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Adam Cinder (90) during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Sahlen Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 3, 2021; Buffalo, New York, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays center Charlie Montoyo (25) makes a pitching change to Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Adam Cinder (90) during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Sahlen Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
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Blue Jays
Mar 26, 2021; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) and outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (13) walk onto the field before the start of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

While the first 81 games of the season had some ups and downs, the Blue Jays are well set up for success in the second half of the schedule.

I say that for a few different reasons, and based on the way the team has been playing lately it’s not hard to see at least a few of them. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is firmly in the MVP race, and if not for the heroics of a two-way phenom in Shohei Ohtani he’d likely be the runaway leader in the half-season clubhouse at the moment. The Blue Jays also lead baseball with three All-Star game starters, as Vlad Jr. will be joined by Marcus Semien and Teoscar Hernandez on the American League squad.

While the Jays will have to ride their best players to reach their potential in 2021, there are plenty of other reasons to believe this team is headed in the right direction. They’re finally working with a healthy lineup that is flashing it’s potential, and the results have been a lot better lately as they’ve won 10 of their last 13 games.

Prior to the latest surge there were plenty of fans starting to worry that this team could end up as an afterthought in the playoff race, and maybe even become sellers ahead of the trade deadline. A lot can change in a few weeks, and thankfully the Blue Jays have turned things around and given us plenty of reasons to be excited about the second half.

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