Show Notes
Perhaps you've heard, but Sean Keys has had a meteoric and completely unexpected rise through the Blue Jays system so far this year, reaching the majors by the end of June and making his name known throughout the nation on Canada Day with an impact home run to help propel the club to a series win amid what has easily been their worst stretch of a dismal season. The 23-year-old now has more home runs at Rogers Centre this year than Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
In other words: things could be worse. Well, maybe except for that last bit, I suppose. But they were a whole lot worse just a few days ago!
Unfortunately, they could certainly go south again quickly.
Vlad is still a mess. Springer and Kirk aren't much better. Bieber and Yesavage, despite some positive steps, have questions still to answer. And even though the Jays could theoretically coast somewhat into the All-Star break with series against the disappointing Mariners, Giants, and Padres, all nine games against those foes will be played on the road, as they're about to embark on a difficult three-city west coast road trip.
And the week we talk all about it! Plus the return of Bo Bichette, a check-in on Arjun Nimmala and JoJo Parker, obligatory fifth starter stuff, and more!
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More from Blue Jays Happy Hour
A disappointing 2026 season for the Blue Jays is in the books, Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro have already put a bow on it with their annual end-of-season media conferences, and we're forced now to look back one last time to a season of bad vibes, to praise Brett Bateman for saving the whole thing to the extent that it could have been saved, to try to make some news from Atkins' word salad, and to look ahead to the reshaping of the team that's to come—including a surprising second base target—and (hopefully) a full schedule of baseball in 2027.
The Blue Jays have officially been eliminated from playoff contention, and their season is now winding to a close. But rather than talking about playing out the string, or looking back on a season of disappointments, we're mostly talking about the latest Vladimir Guerrero Jr. flap, and the disproportionate response to it!
The Blue Jays can afford to spin their wheels no longer. Or, well, if we're being real, they couldn't afford to spin their wheels the way they did over the last week either—squandering multiple opportunities and losing multiple winnable games, just as they've done far too often all season. But here we are. Three massive weekend games with the Texas Rangers, then we'll see on Monday just how much hope remains.
The Jays did themselves—and the vibes surrounding them—no favours this week, dropping two of three to the battered Athletics in Sacramento. Fortunately, the Orioles did do them a favour, taking a pair from Cleveland, meaning they're right back where they started the week, a game back of the third AL Wild Card spot—only now there are just 15 games to go.
The Blue Jays have started September the way they ended August, taking a crucial series in Cleveland—including the biggest game of the year (so far) on Thursday afternoon—to pull within a half game of the Guardians in the AL Wild Card race, while also securing the tiebreaker against them. Vlad had a huge game, Cease is incredible, Brett Bateman has been an enormously unexpected surprise, and the bullpen is holding it all together. Even the rotation, which remains messy, got good news this week in the fact that Trey Yesavage is progressing from knee surgery and may be able to return before the playoffs. He’s pitching this year.