The Blue Jays have an important rest of May

To say the Blue Jays have been struggling lately would probably be an understatement. The team is 2-5 in their last two series and the offense has gone completely cold, averaging just three runs per game over their previous 12. It’s obviously still early, but it’s important that they get back on track sooner rather than later, and their upcoming schedule for the remainder of May will play a huge role in that.

May 10-11 @Yankees

Player to watch: Anthony Rizzo

Following an off-day, the Blue Jays head to the Bronx to take on the Yankees, who at the start of the series hold the best record in baseball. The Yankees took the first game in a dramatic fashion that saw Jordan Romano blow the save off an Aaron Judge three-run home run. Reliever Yimi Garcia also got ejected along with manager Charlie Montoyo and Pete Walker, so getting a split at the very least would be a big step toward bouncing back and maybe starting another hot streak.

May 13-15 @Rays

Player to watch: Brandon Lowe

Following another off-day, the Blue Jays head to the Trop to face the reigning division champs for the first time in 2022. Tampa has always been a tough matchup for the Jays and last year the Rays took the season series 11-8. They’re currently neck-and-neck in the standings so this three-game series is about as important as a May series can be.

May 16-18 vs Mariners

Player to watch: Robbie Ray

Coming off their 11-day road trip, the Blue Jays host the Mariners, who at the time of writing this are ice-cold, having won just four of their last 15 games. Despite this, Seattle has a talented young roster that many people expect to make the playoffs, so this series is by no means a gimme. These two teams could be fighting for a playoff spot down the line so getting a series win now could go a long way.

After opening May with series losses to the Yankees and Guardians, the Blue Jays have a very important stretch of games for the rest of the month.

May 20-22 vs Reds

Player to watch: Hunter Greene

As of writing this, the Cincinnati Reds have won three of their last five games, which has improved their record to 6-24. It’s no secret that the Reds are tanking, so anything short of a series sweep at home would likely be a disappointment. One of the defining qualities of a good team is winning games they should win, and the Jays can prove that here.

May 23-24 @Cardinals

Player to watch: Tyler O’Neill

Following the week-long homestand, the Blue Jays go back on the road for their second consecutive interleague series, this time in St. Louis. The Cards currently sit in a similar situation as the Blue Jays, where they have a solid record, but have failed to really get their game going yet. They own what is almost certainly MLB’s best defense to go along with some above-average arms, so runs may be at a premium in this series.

May 26-29 @Angels

Player to watch: Taylor Ward (and also obviously Trout and Ohtani)

The Blue Jays begin to close out May with a four-game series in Anaheim against one of baseball’s hottest teams. Headlined by arguably the world’s two best players in Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, this series against the Angels is always a must-watch affair. Throw in the fact that both these teams could be vying for the same playoff spot down the line, and it becomes one of the biggest series of the Jays’ season thus far.

May 31-June 2 vs White Sox

Player to watch: Michael Kopech

To finish up May, the Blue Jays play host to the Chicago White Sox. Considered an AL pennant contender entering the year, the Sox have yet to find their groove yet, as they currently sit just above the .500 mark. Don’t let that fool you though, this team can bring it at the plate and on the mound, so expect a tough series to lead the Jays into June.