Blue Jays: Which teams do they have to worry about the most?

A talented team with nothing to lose

I know that most of baseball is enjoying what’s happening with the Baltimore Orioles these days, but I think I can speak for a large majority of Blue Jays fans when I say that we don’t care for it one bit. This isn’t supposed to be happening so soon.

The Orioles were one of the safest bets to finish near the bottom of the MLB standings this year, and instead they’re in the thick of the postseason hunt in the American League. After beating the Guardians on Thursday night they’re now 68-61 and just 2.0 games back of the Blue Jays for the last Wild Card spot.

Looking at their minor league pipeline over the last couple of years, I figured this day was coming, but I didn’t think they’d really turn things around until at least 2024. Instead they’re a real threat to the Blue Jays’ playoff chances, and one to be taken very seriously.

I choose to look at this as good news, although you can view it however you like, but I think it helps that the Blue Jays and Orioles still have 10 head to head games to play before the regular season is over. They’ll play four games in three days in Baltimore from Sept 5-7, three games in Toronto from Sept 16-18, and then finish the season with three more back at Camden Yards.

As a Blue Jays fan I’m hoping that the last series of the season is uneventful, and maybe even a time where John Schneider can rest a few regulars. More likely, it could be a very important three-game set, and one that could even determine a playoff spot. If those three games don’t help settle the picture, I’m sure the remaining 10 will in one way or another.