The Blue Jays blew their best chance to turn their season around

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The Blue Jays’ season isn’t over yet, and that’s either a blessing or a terrible, summer-spanning curse. A week ago in this space, it was pointed out that only three teams had made the postseason after starting the year 1-7: the Jays were 1-8 at that point, and facing the Orioles in a four-game series and then the Red Sox in a three-game set. Toronto only eeked out two victories against their division rivals since then, and are now 3-12, 7¹⁄₂ games back of the East-leading Orioles, and already five games behind fourth-place Tampa Bay. Only one team, the Rangers, is as far back of the first-place team in their division as the Jays are behind the Rays.

Grant Brisbee wrote about how difficult it has been, historically, to come back from 2-10 or worse, and even put together a table so you can see all the destruction for yourself. The Jays aren’t officially doomed or anything just yet, as they could rattle off a 10-game win streak and be right back over .500, or they could win 22 games in a single month and erase much of this damage, but the issue is that it’s April 21 and there is no more slack left in their entire 2017. The Blue Jays need to play .600 ball over their remaining 147 games just to get to 91 wins: last year’s AL East winner had 93, and the 2016 Jays had 89.

This iteration of the team doesn’t have Edwin Encarnacion, and it began its season 3-12. So, you can see that, while it’s possible they turn things around and get right back in the middle of the race, the chances are slim. The Jays are assuredly not the worst team in the league or even in the AL, but they might have to play like they’re the best team there if they are to have any real chance of winning the East, or even of securing one of the two Wild Card spots. Again, it’s not impossible, but after failing to take down either the O’s or the Red Sox in the last week, life just got a whole lot harder for the Jays.