Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. If you haven’t seen it yet, I’m really proud of our newest “Stadium Wonders” video that was released before the holiday. I went to Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa, a small stadium in a small town that is nonetheless regarded as one of the best in baseball.
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In today’s SI:AM:
⚾ MLB first-half storylines
🦬 Bills preview
👏 2,000 for Machado
Nine straight for Toronto
No team in baseball is hotter right now than the Toronto Blue Jays.
An 8–4 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Monday marked the Jays’ ninth consecutive win, tied for the third-longest winning streak in franchise history and the second-longest by a team this season. (The Minnesota Twins won 13 in a row in May.)
The streak comes at the perfect time for Toronto, given that the New York Yankees, who had spent much of the season in first place in the AL East, are currently floundering. The Blue Jays had fallen as many as eight games behind the Yankees and were four games back just two weeks ago. Since June 23, though, Toronto has won 12 out of its last 14 games to go up 3 ½ games in the division. The Yankees are 4–9 over that same span and 14–20 since May 30.
The Blue Jays’ current .582 winning percentage would be their highest in a season since 1993, when they were 95–67 (a .586 winning percentage) and won the second of their two straight World Series. Their strong start this year is a welcome palate cleanser after last season’s 74–88 debacle that snapped a streak of four-straight winning seasons.
The Jays’ biggest issue last year was an anemic offense (23rd in the majors with 4.14 runs per game). Their biggest free-agent signing this offseason was adding veteran slugger Anthony Santander on a five-year, $92.5 million contract, a move intended to boost the lackluster lineup. But Santander got off to a lousy start in Toronto (a dismal 61 OPS+) and has been out since late May with a shoulder injury. Even still, the Blue Jays’ offense has been much improved, averaging 4.62 runs per game (ninth-best in the majors). Vladimir Guerrero Jr., fresh off signing a 14-year, $500 million contract shortly after Opening Day, has been predictably impressive at the plate (a .277/.384/.440 slash line), but the biggest difference for the Jays has been the improvement of several players who struggled at the plate last season. George Springer’s .872 OPS is nearly 200 points higher than the .674 he posted last season and his best since 2021, his first season in Toronto. Youngster Addison Barger is tied for second on the team with 12 home runs after an unimpressive debut as a rookie last season. Alejandro Kirk is looking more like the guy who won a Silver Slugger in 2022 than the one who was below average offensively in the past two seasons. His .768 OPS is a significant improvement from last year’s .677.
Kirk is also a key part of what really sets the Blue Jays apart from the rest of the league this season: defense. Fangraphs ranks them as the best defense in the majors, and Kirk’s framing behind the plate is a major reason why. He’s tied with San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey for the best framing in the big leagues this season, although Kirk’s arm and blocking ability make him the best defensive catcher in the majors, according to Baseball Savant. Of the 16 Blue Jays players who have played at least 100 innings in the field, nine have been above-average defenders by Baseball Savant’s calculations. That includes utility infielder Ernie Clement, Barger and two offseason acquisitions: center fielder Myles Straw and second baseman Andrés Giménez. Giménez landed on the injured list on Sunday with an ankle sprain, joining another defensive wiz, center fielder Daulton Varsho, among Toronto’s group of injured elite defenders.
The Blue Jays will be hoping to get some reinforcements in the second half of the season when several injured players are ready to make their return. Varsho is nearing a return from a hamstring injury that has kept him out since late May. Santander was transferred to the 60-day injured list last week, meaning he is not eligible to return until the end of this month, but manager John Schneider said Santander will hopefully begin hitting again soon. Former All-Star pitcher Alek Manoah continues his rehab from Tommy John surgery and could be back before the end of the season.
With the second half of the season looming, the AL East is shaping up to be one of the more compelling division races. The Blue Jays’ hot streak has reminded the rest of the league that they’re a real contender in the division and placed some serious pressure on the Yankees to turn things around. And don’t count out the Tampa Bay Rays, lurking just four games behind Toronto.
Around the W
In this latest Around the W episode, host Maria Clifton chats with Los Angeles Sparks guard Rae Burrell about Candace Parker’s legacy, WNBA expansion buzz and how teammate Kelsey Plum may be overlooked.
The best of Sports Illustrated
- Gilberto Manzano writes in the latest installment of 32 Teams in 32 Days that the Buffalo Bills kick off the 2025 NFL season with MVP Josh Allen and top young talent, but still face the dilemma of sticking with their homegrown core or taking bolder steps to finally break through to the Super Bowl.
- Conor Orr writes that Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams are among ten breakout candidates expected to earn their first NFL Pro Bowl nods in 2025, thanks to their ascending play and improved team situations.
- Tom Verducci highlights the biggest stories of MLB’s first half, from record home run totals and dominant pitching to surprise contenders and off-field drama.
- Ryan Phillips celebrates San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado’s milestone 2,000th career hit—a feat that places him in an elite group of sluggers and showcases the blend of superstar talent and consistent grind that has defined his Hall of Fame–caliber career.
- Matt Verderame writes that the Washington Commanders and quarterback Jayden Daniels surprised the football world in 2024, but that likely won’t be the case this season.
The top five…
… things I saw yesterday:
5. A nice off-balance shot by the Dream’s Allisha Gray.
4. The wild final play of the Jazz–Grizzlies Summer League game.
3. Manny Machado’s 2,000th career hit.
2. A diving catch by Tigers left fielder Riley Greene on a sinking liner.
1. Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas’s range on a preposterous catch.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as SI:AM | Blue Jays’ Hot Streak Sets Up Exciting Second-Half AL East Race.
