That’s what stands between the Blue Jays and either a return trip to the playoffs or another winter of regret.
asserted
what → ’ → regret
Five years ago, the Jays had a deep and star-studded roster that had the makings of a championship contender.
asserted
that → have → contender
They caught fire in early September and appeared to be a serious threat to win it all.
asserted
They → catch → it
Then those same Jays hit a rough patch in the middle of that month, and all of a sudden their struggles from earlier in the year came back to haunt them.
asserted
struggles → hit → them
With no margin for error, three consecutive series losses created a deficit they could not overcome.
uncertain
they → create → deficit
Instead of playing for a title, the Jays packed up and were left wondering what might have been.
uncertain
what → play → title
It’s something the Jays hope to avoid this season, but following a 3-6 stretch, they entered Thursday’s off-day trailing the Chicago White Sox by 1 1/2 games for the final American League wild-card berth.
asserted
they → ’ → berth
Just as in 2021, that poor stretch means the Jays no longer control their own destiny.
asserted
Jays → mean → destiny
They require help from other teams while needing to take care of business when they play Texas, Baltimore and Cincinnati to close out the season.
asserted
they → require → season
“I think trying to stay in the present is most important,” Jays manager John Schneider said.
asserted
Schneider → think → present
“I let myself think about where we were, where we could have been, sometimes.
uncertain
we → let → ?
But I think the most important thing is to think about Friday, that’s it.
asserted
that → think → Friday
I’d be lying if I said I was thinking about anything else.
asserted
I → lie → anything
We are where we are because of how we’ve played and performed.”
asserted
we → play → ?
In 2021, the Jays opened September as the hottest team in Major League Baseball.
asserted
Jays → open → Baseball
They started the month on an eight-game winning streak, sweeping the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees before rattling off series wins over the Orioles, Rays and Twins.
asserted
They → start → Orioles
The Jays had a 1 1/2 game lead over the Yankees for the final wild card on Sept. 19.
asserted
Jays → have → Sept.
They then lost three consecutive series to the Rays, Twins and Yankees to fall out of the last playoff spot.
asserted
They → lose → spot
They ended the year with a sweep of the Orioles, but by then it was too late as the Red Sox clinched on the final day of the regular season.
asserted
Sox → end → season
This year, the Jays got rolling after the trade deadline.
asserted
Jays → roll → deadline
On Aug. 2, they were eight games under .500 and trailed the last wild card by 4 1/2 games with six teams ahead of them in the standings.
asserted
teams → trail → standings
The Jays then went 20-11 to move above .500 for the first time since early April.
asserted
Jays → go → April
In doing so, they also stepped into a playoff position.
asserted
they → do → position
Crushing losses to the Royals, Athletics, Orioles and Tigers soon followed as the inconsistency that has defined their season returned.
asserted
that → crush → season
Now the Jays head to Texas for a three-game series against the Rangers.
asserted
Jays → head → Rangers
If they win at least two of three, the season is still on.
asserted
season → win → three
If they lose two or more, it’s almost certainly over.
asserted
it → lose → two
But inside the clubhouse, the mindset hasn’t shifted to panic quite yet.
asserted
mindset → shift → panic
“I feel like we do a good job on the road,” Jays outfielder Myles Straw said.
asserted
Straw → feel → road
“We’re excited.
asserted
We → ’re → ?
It’s meaningful baseball.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
We’re right in this thing and that’s what you want.
asserted
you → ’re → what
You want to play games that matter and hopefully we can jump out there and take some wins.”
asserted
we → want → wins
The 2021 Jays finished with 91 wins and were a much better team than this year’s 76-77 version, but the one thing they have in common is that both were built to succeed in the playoffs.
asserted
both → finish → playoffs
Back then, the roster centred on one of MLB’s most potent lineups and an elite starting rotation of Robbie Ray, Hyun-Jin Ryu, José Berríos and Alek Manoah.
asserted
roster → centre → Ray
The Jays don’t have nearly as much offensive firepower this year, but they do have high-end starting pitching.
asserted
they → have → pitching
Ace Dylan Cease and mid-season acquisition José Soriano give Toronto the potential to steal a short series against anyone, with a veteran like Max Scherzer and a deep bullpen backing them up.
asserted
veteran → give → them
Add in that Trey Yesavage will soon return from a knee injury and that the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox project to be on the other side of the playoff bracket, and there are still some reasons to be excited about what this team could accomplish if everything clicks at the same time.
uncertain
everything → add → time
“We know what Trey can do, we know when he’s right he gets a lot of big hitters out,” Scherzer said.
asserted
Scherzer → know → hitters
“We all want to see that, but it’s one game at a time right now.
asserted
it → want → time
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
