Joey Bats continues to believe!

Entering the third decade of the 21st century, it looked like the Toronto Blue Jays were going to emerge sooner than later as one of the MLB’s best ballclubs — a legitimate AL East powerhouse. Alas, they simply have not been as good as many had envisioned. In 2024, the Blue Jays have struggled out of the gates, as they currently sit in last place in the division with a 27-29 record.

Nonetheless, Blue Jays legend Jose Bautista remains ardent in his belief that it’s only a matter of time before his beloved team figures it out. After all, they have won four straight games and it looks like they are rounding into form.

“Everybody knows [the Blue Jays] have a great team on paper. It’s just about getting together and getting that consistency, then continuing to enjoy the health. I’m excited,” Bautista said, per Keegan Matheson, Blue Jays reporter for MLB.com.

“You can see it. It’s coming. I can’t wait for these guys to get on a hot streak and hit the summer with some wins, then be in the playoff hunt again. They’re a capable team. It’s just a matter of time. I’m looking forward to that moment when they’re back at the top of the standings.

On paper, the Blue Jays have one of the deepest, most talented teams in the MLB. They have established names such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and George Springer, while they have also gotten major contributions from starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, Jose Berrios, as well as unheralded position players such as Daulton Varsho, Davis Schneider, and Danny Jensen. Alas, ballgames are won on the field, not on the lineup card.

There is plenty of room for positive regression for the team’s top stars; Bichette, in particular, has struggled to start the year. Moreover, the pitching staff is performing much better in recent weeks. With not even halfway of the season having passed, the Blue Jays have plenty of time to figure it out.

Can the Blue Jays break their duck?

The Blue Jays, for as talented of a roster as they have fielded over the past few seasons, have been a major disappointment. Sure, they may have won nearly 56 percent of their games from 2020 to 2023. But all they have to show for it is a grand total of zero playoff wins after crashing out of the AL Wild Card series in just two games in their three playoff berths over the past five seasons.

Of course, winning a playoff game isn’t exactly what’s in the mind of the Blue Jays at the moment. They are not close to the AL East leader New York Yankees whatsoever, as they are currently behind by 11 games. Suffice to say, a miracle of biblical proportions is what’s necessary for the Blue Jays to win the division. But perhaps they could make a push for one of the Wild Card spots.

At present, the Blue Jays are only 4.5 games behind the current last Wild Card team, the Minnesota Twins. That is a deficit that they could realistically make up ground for, especially when they have 106 games left to play in the season. But the time for dilly-dallying is over; they have two months to get themselves back into the playoff picture, because if not, they may have to entertain the idea of selling off some of their best pieces.

Pressure is on with two months to go before the trade deadline

The clock is ticking on the Blue Jays; after all, they might want to recoup some value for some of their more established players in the scenario that they relapse and struggle yet again, forcing them even further down the Wild Card race.

Teams will be circling around the Blue Jays if they do end up being a selling team. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, being under just one more year of team control, could be on the move. Alas, trades involving those two are rather unlikely, especially when there is plenty of time for the Blue Jays to figure out an extension with them.

Yusei Kikuchi, however, might be the team’s best trade piece if push comes to shove. Kikuchi is currently leading the team in WAR (per Fangraphs) with 1.8 thanks in large part to his rock-solid 3.25 ERA that’s boosted by great peripherals. He is suppressing hard contact and is striking out nearly five batters for every walk. Kikuchi is set to enter free agency at season’s end, so he could be a great rental option for a team that needs starting pitching help.