Sluggish start for Blue Jays results in a significant drop in latest power rankings

The Toronto Blue Jays, even at their worst, didn't think their first 15 games of the year would go like this. But that's what happens when you not only get off to a slow start, but you lose more than $100 million in payroll to the Injured List just two weeks or so into the season. The Blue Jays were finally given a soft schedule to begin the year and instead of taking advantage of facing some of the lesser teams in the league, they instead find themselves below .500.

And while slow starts seem to be a calling card for the Blue Jays, over the last three years they've been 8-7 (2025), 7-8 (2024), and 10-5 (2023) through their first 15 games, making the playoffs in two of those three years. So while it's not something to get too worked up over just yet, the Blue Jays' slow start in 2026 can't be ignored, and it hasn't been in the latest FanSided power rankings.

During Spring Training, the Blue Jays ranked second behind the LA Dodgers, but dropped to third just before the season opened, with the Chicago Cubs sneaking into the number two slot. Last week they were still a top five team, but this week they have taken a free fall, all the way to being a bottom five team. FanSided has the Blue Jays ranked 26th in the latest power rankings, which seems fair given how the season has gone.

Blue Jays low ranking is justified after poor start

*All stats written before Tuesday nights game

"An already nightmarish injury situation for the Blue Jays – Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce, Shane Bieber, Jose Berrios, Alejandro Kirk, Addison Banger and Anthony Santander are all on the IL – somehow got even worse over the weekend, when George Springer fractured his toe in a loss to the Twins. It’s unclear how much time he might miss, but Toronto can’t afford many more losses, even in a division in which every team appears to be taking on water right now," writes Chris Landers.

And that does seem to be the saving grace at the moment. Nobody else in the AL East is running away with anything, or looks like world beaters. The New York Yankees (9-7) and Baltimore Orioles (9-7) sit at the top of the division, but both teams have thrown away wins in the early part of the year, and there's also been moments of frustration with the lack of production of some of their star players.

The Rays, sitting at 8-7 have beaten their expected win-loss rating by one game, and might be lucky to be treading above water right now with a -10 run differential. However, they've got the makings of being one of those prototypical pesky Rays teams that just seem to hang around all year.

With players like the exciting Chandler Simpson, Yandi Diaz, and Taylor Walls having great starts, while Jonathan Aranda has three home runs and 14 RBIs, this is a lineup that can hurt opponents in multiple ways, but still have holes they'll try to plug as the season goes on, mainly in their bullpen that currently has a combined 6.35 ERA, the third worst in the majors.

Lastly, there's the Red Sox who sit at 6-10 on the year and, just like the Blue Jays, can't find any consistency in their game as of yet. They have a talented, veteran laden pitching staff, and enough guys in the lineup that have proven major league track records that suggests they won't be this bad all year - but Blue Jays fans wouldn't complain if they were.

So while the rest of the AL East is struggling, it increases the level of frustration for the Blue Jays and their fans, that they couldn't take advantage of both their soft schedule and their rivals' slow starts. However, everyone in their division is ranked ahead of them with Boston 21st, Tampa Bay 14th, Baltimore 8th, and New York 6th. Not only do the Blue Jays have work to do in the real standings, they also are climbing up hill in the power rankings.

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