The Toronto Blue Jays are in the playoffs for the first time in two decades and the team is one of the favorites in the American League after adding David Price and Troy Tulowitzki at the trade deadline. The team traded for Josh Donaldson in the offseason and he is the MVP favorite in the AL and could help power the team to the World Series with Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion.
The trade deadline moves could go down as all-timers
The Blue Jays were considered a playoff contender heading into the season, but they vaulted ahead of the pack after an active trading deadline. The team was just under .500 heading out of the first half of the season and that put Alex Anthopoulos in a position to be aggressive if he wanted to save the season. The Blue Jays traded for two stars in Price and Tulowitzki, but the team also added less notable players with with Mark Lowe, Ben Revere and LaTroy Hawkins to help add depth.
Josh Donaldson has been MVP worthy and could be the key to a World Series run.
Donaldson should win the MVP in the American League this season and he has been an impact bat in a lineup full of them. Bautista has slowed down a bit but can still mash home runs, while Encarnacion has also turned into one of the most productive players in the league. Donaldson came into the week with a .299 batting average, 40 doubles, 41 home runs, 122 RBIs and an OPS of .948. Donaldson has been the best player in the AL for one of the best teams and he should win MVP.
The rest of the lineup is not shabby
Bautista and Encarnacion have nearly 80 home runs between the two of them and players like Justin Smoak, Russell Martin, Kevin Pillar and Chris Colabello are all in the double digits. Martin has had a strong season with 22 home runs and Smoak has been solid at times with 17 home runs and 57 RBIs. The Jays have offense and with Price at the top, they could be the deepest team in the AL.
David Price could win the AL Cy Young
Price was a huge acquisition for the Blue Jays and this season he has put up numbers that have him in the Cy Young race along with Dallas Keuchel. Keuchel probably will win, but Price is right in the mix with a 2.45 ERA, and 18-5 record and 225 strikeouts in 220 innings pitched. Price gives the team a top of the line starter ahead of RA Dickey and Mark Buehrle and they have depth with Marco Estrada and Marcus Stroman.
The AL East title could be crucial
The Blue Jays are coming into the playoffs as division winners (most likely) and playing at home could be big in the postseason. The team is 53-28 at home and just 38-37 on the road and that could make a huge difference for the team.