The Toronto Blue Jays could have reason to celebrate on Friday night.
The Blue Jays can clinch a postseason berth with a win against the Kansas City Royals and losses by at least two of the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians, per MLB.
You can watch Friday night’s Blue Jays game on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+, beginning at 7:40 p.m. ET / 4:40 p.m. PT.
If the Blue Jays beat the Royals on Friday, they cannot finish the season with more than 72 losses. Because Detroit will play a series against both Boston and Cleveland next week, if at least two lose Friday, one team will be guaranteed to finish with at least 73 losses, worse than Toronto’s worst-case scenario.
If the Blue Jays get in, it will mark the first time they have appeared in the postseason since 2023, when they were downed by the Minnesota Twins during the wild-card round.
The Blue Jays shouldn’t take their foot off the gas, however, since the AL East divisional title — and a first-round bye — is still on the table.
Heading into Friday night’s action, the Blue Jays, losers of two straight, are up three games on the second-place New York Yankees and up six games on the Red Sox.
Max Scherzer draws the start against the Royals on Friday. The Royals will counter with Michael Lorenzen on the bump. Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage, the latter dazzling in his first major-league start last week, are expected to round out the series in Kansas City.
