The Toronto Blue Jays finished the 2024 season in last place in the AL East Division.
Given the prowess of the rest of their divisional foes, it would've been tough to see Toronto making a huge rebound this season.
But here we are, the middle of August, and the Blue Jays are in first place.
They've even had a gigantic turnaround since late May, when they were eight games out.
It's been a special season in Toronto. If the Blue Jays can keep it going, they can join a short list in MLB history.
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Only 13 times in the divisional era has a team gone from worst one season to first the next season in a division, per MLB.com. The Blue Jays would be the 14th, and the first since the 2015-16 Boston Red Sox.
MLB.com did an in-depth breakdown of the situation, and it turns out some of Toronto's leading contributors just got a lot better this season.
Addison Barger, Alejandro Kirk and George Springer are three of the eight-most improved hitters in MLB from last season to this season by the analytical stat wOBA+.
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The Blue Jays sent a lot of players out at last season's trade deadline, but the returns for those guys haven't been crucial. Offseason acquisitions haven't really been the key, either. The biggest of those, Anthony Santander, has been injured most of the season.
This is really just a team that grew into its own, continued to improve and uncovered a swagger that allows it to keep winning close games and shutting down its divisional foes.
There's still work to be done, but it's hard to bet against the Blue Jays right now. They're playing too well to do anything but believe in them.
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