The Toronto Blue Jays grew from a pleasant surprise to one of the teams on the inner circle of contenders. While their moves at the trade deadline were small upgrades to their roster, fans are excited to see what Toronto can do. The pressure now shifts to John Schneider to make the most of new additions like Ty France, Seranthony Dominguez, and breakout starter Eric Lauer.
The Blue Jays' attack was centered around its offensive prowess for year's. In the past Schneider's game plan was simple; score a lot of runs and hope that the pitching is just good enough. To a certain extent, Toronto still plays that way. The Blue Jays scored 35 runs in a three-game set against the Colorado Rockies in one of the best offensive series the league has seen in years.
Vladimir Guerrero's contract extension was the first indication that Toronto is committed to contending. While their mid-season takeoff wasn't planned, the front office rolled with the punch and took full advantage of the trade market. Having Dominguez in the mix helps the bullpen remain strong around Jeff Hoffman. At the plate, France brings even more power to the DH spot.
The Blue Jays are a powerhouse in the American League. Even though the Boston Red Sox are lurking behind them, Toronto is in the driver's seat and could have home-field advantage for the first time in many years this postseason. That being said, the Blue Jays would love for Max Scherzer to get off to a good start against the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend.
Now that Toronto is on the short list of contenders, every move matters a little bit more. Small tweaks could decide playoff series. It is up to Schneider to press the right buttons down the stretch of the season.
Seranthony Dominguez needs to be the premier set-up man
Dominguez was the centerpiece of one of the trade deadline's strangest deals. However, his arrival to Toronto helps fix one of their lingering issues. The Blue Jays leaned on Yimi Garcia to start the season. Unfortunately, his injury threw a rather large wrench into Schneider's plan. He and the front office had to pivot, and Dominguez was the best answer they could come up with.
There are some set-up men around MLB that are more popular than Dominguez. However, he brings depth and experience to Toronto. Dominguez and Yariel Rodriguez have formed an one-two punch out of Schneider's bullpen. In a perfect world, Garcia comes in and take over once the eighth inning rolls around. In reality, though, the Blue Jays can't depend on an injured pitcher.
There is no way to tell how much time Garcia needs before making a full recovery for the Blue Jays. If he can't come in and be effective immediately, Toronto needs a backup plan or two. Luckily for Schneider, he already has two on his roster. Dominguez and Rodriguez need to have more responsibility down the stretch of the regular season in order to succeed in the playoffs.
Ty France needs to be the everyday DH
When the Blue Jays made their deal with the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline, Louis Varland was the centerpiece. However, Toronto also received France in the trade. The veteran infielder was in the middle of another productive season before the Twins sent him away in their fire sale. Now, the questions for Schneider is what kind of role France has to play on his new team.
Obviously, France is not going to play at first base. Barring injury, that spot belongs to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the next 15 years. However, he slots in perfectly at one other spot; designated hitter. With George Springer on the Blue Jays' injured list, France has stepped in and done well. In 17 at-bats, France already has six doubles and carries a .353 batting average into the weekend.
When Springer comes back from his injury, he gives Schneider a better offensive option. However, both he and France are better than Joey Loperfido, who is also dealing with injury. The Blue Jays have depth in their outfield, and adding Springer to the top of that pile gives them the best chance in the playoffs. Giving France the DH spot everyday gives him the reps to stay in rhythm.
Eric Lauer needs to be a big part of the playoff rotation
The Blue Jays added Shane Bieber in their biggest trade deadline move. However, their breakout pitcher was already on the roster. Over the last two months, Lauer is 6-1 and has not given up more than three runs in a single start. That kind of dominance has Schneider facing a decision when it comes to choosing his starting rotation when the postseason begins this fall.
Scherzer is near the end of his career. Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios have also been shaky recently. Assuming that Bieber comes back anywhere close to his prior form, he slots in perfectly behind Kevin Gausman as the No. 2 starter. With the top two spots taken care of, the conversation surrounding Lauer and the Blue Jays' rotation gets much more interesting.
At the end of the day, Toronto's season is a success. The only question now is whether or not Schneider and the coaching staff can take advantage of their dominance. World Series are won by teams who have the right mix of talent and luck. However, all it takes is one adjustment to unlock the best version of a contending team. If the Blue Jays can figure it out, the sky's the limit.
