Urgency level high as Toronto Blue Jays look to make push for playoff spot

TORONTO — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was walking to the shower area in the Toronto clubhouse after a 7-3 win over Baltimore when he stopped to look at the TV screen above the stalls.

The slugger smiled as the Minnesota Twins recorded a key late-game out in an eventual 4-3 win over Cleveland, the team Toronto is chasing in the race for the final American League wild-card spot.

It’s officially scoreboard-watching season and the Blue Jays are doing their share.

Saturday’s results trimmed the Guardians’ lead over the Blue Jays to just one game. Toronto holds the tiebreaker between the clubs, giving each matchup a must-win feel over the next fortnight.

“It’s hard not to pay attention (to other games) but we’re all pretty locked in here,” said Toronto right-hander Dylan Cease, who’ll start Sunday’s rubber game against the Orioles. “I mean we know we’ve got to win.”

Brett Bateman and Alejandro Kirk homered to power the Blue Jays to their 10th win in 16 games. Spencer Miles opened for Toronto in a bullpen game that was capped with three outs by closer Louis Varland.

The reigning American League champions improved to 74-75 with 13 games left in the regular season. All of Toronto’s opponents have sub-. 500 records.

“The urgency level has been high for a while, as has stress, as has everything,” said manager John Schneider. “But that’s going to be the same going forward.”

Bateman — who’s not known for his slugging — hit his first big-league homer in the series opener. He followed it up Saturday with a blast that landed in almost the same spot over the wall in right-centre field.

“It’s like Willie Mays Hayes in ‘Major League 2,'” Schneider joked, referencing a movie character known more for his speed than his power. “Yesterday on a slider and today on a fastball, it’s just good swings.”

The American League is so weak right now that the third wild-card team will likely face an opponent with a similar record.

As the sixth overall seed, the third wild-card team will visit the lowest-seeded division winner in a best-of-three playoff series. Entering Saturday’s games, the Chicago White Sox (Central) and Houston Astros (West) were clinging to first place in their respective divisions as they hovered just over the .500 mark.

The Blue Jays, meanwhile, may soon get some much-needed reinforcements.

Starter Trey Yesavage (knee) was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Sunday. If it goes well, he could return to the rotation next week.

Starter Shane Bieber (shoulder) hopes to throw off the mound during the current six-game homestand.

Slugger Anthony Santander (shoulder) is playing regularly at triple-A Buffalo and could provide some pop to the batting order if he gets back to the big leagues.

The Detroit Tigers will visit Rogers Centre next week ahead of the Blue Jays’ six-game road trip to Texas and Baltimore. Toronto will then return home for a season-ending interleague weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds.

A middling campaign still has the potential to be capped in style. It will take a heightened level of play to get there.

“Every game matters and there’s still important games that are going to played all the way down the stretch,” Schneider said.

Toronto started the day with a 26.5-per cent chance of reaching the playoffs, per FanGraphs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2026.