KANSAS CITY -- Can you believe it? The Blue Jays, just 19 games from the finish line, own the final postseason spot in the American League.
Saturday’s 4-3 win over the Royals moved the Blue Jays into a tie for the final AL Wild Card spot with the Guardians, but they hold that tiebreaker based on their head-to-head record this season (4-2).
The win also moved the Blue Jays to 72-71. Yes, the number on the left is finally bigger than the one on the right. For the first time since April 3, when the Blue Jays were 4-3, they’re back above .500.
“Feels like it’s been a while, but I love the way we’re playing,” manager John Schneider said. “Love the way we’re being resilient. We struck first, got punched back in the mouth and stayed on it.”
This is what mattered most:
1. Kazuma Okamoto: The complete package
This may have been the best night of Okamoto’s big league career, his first four-hit performance with two runs driven in.
Okamoto did it all, from his classics to some new material. There were two doubles, including one ripped just inches inside the third-base line, and that’s what we’re used to seeing from Okamoto. Everything he hits is hard, and just about everything he hits is yanked to the left side of the diamond. Oddly enough, though, Okamoto’s most impressive swing of the night may have been the sixth-inning single, which he shot out to right-center field, which is rare territory for the Japanese slugger.
Okamoto’s game is built on highs and lows. On one hand, he’s struck out 167 times, just three shy of the Blue Jays’ all-time franchise record shared by José Bautista (2017) and Matt Chapman (‘22). The trade-off has been Okamoto’s power, though, with 28 home runs.
“There have been some ups and downs,” Okamoto said through interpreter Yusuke Oshima. “I know my weaknesses, but I’m always working to make sure that I can hit the ones I’m having a hard time hitting.”
Okamoto cannot be turned into a contact hitter, and thankfully, the Blue Jays haven’t whispered that idea. They’ve let him lean into his incredible natural power, and while everyone involved understands that will come with some empty at-bats in between, Saturday showed us the next level of Okamoto. When he’s at his best, Okamoto isn’t just a complementary power bat, he can change games.
“We’ve come this far, so all we can do is win and hopefully go to the postseason,” Okamoto said. “That’s all we’re thinking about. Every game, we’re giving it our all.”
2. Max Scherzer keeps the fight alive
All the Blue Jays needed from Scherzer was “enough,” and that’s exactly what he gave them. Allowing just three runs over 5 2/3 innings, Scherzer kept the Blue Jays in the game just long enough and gave the bullpen just enough help -- another solid day from the 42-year-old.
“I feel great. My body’s really responding. I’m getting stronger every outing and I’m executing better,” Scherzer said. “Outside of the first inning, I felt like I did a pretty good job. Let’s keep this going. I feel healthy, I feel good, everything’s in a good spot. Keep it going.”
Scherzer’s late-season run is one of the best stories we’ve seen this season. Now past his thumb, forearm, ankle and back issues, Scherzer is helping keep this rotation together with Dylan Cease and José Soriano as the only other healthy, full-length starters.
From there? It’s scramble mode, but the Blue Jays don’t want to mess with Scherzer’s schedule.
“As of now, we’re trying to keep Max where he is and have him go after the [Thursday] off-day,” Schneider said. “We’ll cross that bridge after we get through tomorrow.”
3. The path forward: Going for the sweep
It’s scoreboard-watching season, and starter Spencer Arrighetti will try to lead the Blue Jays to a sweep against Randy Dobnak in Sunday's finale.
If you’re a Blue Jays fan, you’ll spend one more day pretending to be a Red Sox fan, where lefty Payton Tolle takes on the Orioles. The Blue Jays and Orioles still have six games against one another, so it’s important that the Blue Jays create a bit of a gap there to eliminate the risk of a run.
The Guardians, though, have Gavin Williams, who mowed down 13 Blue Jays batters this past Tuesday, so the AL Wild Card rival is positioned well against the Tigers.