Life in the AL East still difficult for Blue Jays, even after Rafael Devers gets shipped out

As the Toronto Blue Jays prepare for a big series at home against the Diamondbacks, they have to be happy with what they have done over the last month. Even though they are coming off a series sweep at the hands of the Phillies over the weekend in Philadelphia, Toronto is still five games above .500 and have pulled themselves out of a rut where they were relying on the pitching staff to win about 90% of their games.

They are getting excellent performances from just about everyone in the lineup over the last 30 days. As a team they have hit 30 home runs, with a slash line of .261/.329/.415 with a .744 OPS. The average and OBP rank fourth in the league while the OPS sits eighth and the slug sits 11th. That feels like a breath of fresh air compared to an offence that was near the bottom third of the league in several of those stats for the first month or so of the season.

But even with an 18-12 record over that stretch, the Rays and the Red Sox have somehow kept pace. Tampa is 20-10 over their last 30 games and have outscored their opponents 206-153. The Red Sox have played .500 ball the past month, going 15-15 in their last 30, but have gone 8-2 in their last ten taking five of six games from the Yankees and two of three games from the Rays in that span.

Heading into Monday night’s action, the Rays are a game ahead of the Blue Jays at 39-32 and the Red Sox are two games back at 37-36. What’s really kept those teams hovering around Toronto is their terrific run differentials. The Rays are +62 on the season while the Red Sox are +22. One of the things these teams have in common is a lights out bullpen. The Rays rank second in MLB with a 3.05 bullpen ERA and the Red Sox are ninth with a 3.53.

The Rays 3.45 overall team ERA sits seventh in the league while their .235 opponents average against is ranked 11th. They are a team that knows how to stifle their opposition, while they have three guys in the lineup that are putting up power numbers with Junior Caminero’s 17 home runs ranked fourth in the American League. Brandon Lowe (13 ) and Yandy Diaz (10) are also in double digits, and first baseman Jonathan Aranda has an OPS+ of 158

The Red Sox are getting just enough out of the top end of their rotation with Garrett Crochet (6-4 2.24) leading the way. They have a solid top three that also includes Hunter Dobbins (4-1 3.74), and Brayan Bello (2-1 3.96) but beyond that have some questions marks in Walker Buehler (5-4 5.01), Lucas Giolito (2-1 5.45) Tanner Houck (0-3 8.04) before he hit the injured list. It remains to be seen whether the new acquisitions in Jordan Hicks or Kyle Harrison (who was demoted to Triple-A) can play a role in fine tuning the pitching staff, however, what we know for sure is that the Red Sox no longer have Rafael Devers bat and that is a huge presence to replace.

Devers was leading the team in home runs (15), walks (56), and OBP (.401). He was also the face of the franchise and his trade to the Giants sent shockwaves across the industry. The Red Sox are trying to frame it as this: they no longer are attached to a $300-million contract, and they have the opportunity to cycle in their young promising core of players that includes Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Kristian Campbell and Roman Anthony. It also gives them a chance to prove who should stay or who should go from that group when Masataka Yoshida returns from the 60-day IL. Furthermore, it frees up some cash for the Red Sox to think about long term extensions for any of these young players – or even an extension for Alex Bregman, who has an option at the end of this season and can elect to once again test free agency.  

Whatever the Red Sox decide to do, it is going to have an effect on division rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays who also have to contend with the Rays who somehow find a way to stay competitive year in and year out. And so, life continues in the ever difficult AL East and it will be up to the Blue Jays to keep battling and taking care of their own business while teams directly around them try to do the same.