The Toronto Blue Jays are running out of time to make the MLB playoffs. After a second straight loss at home to the Detroit Tigers, they enter Wednesday sitting two full games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final American League wild card spot.
Even though they own the tiebreaker, they have just 10 games remaining to close the gap. To make matters worse, the Texas Rangers are also in the mix for the same spot.
The Blue Jays will hit the road to face Texas this weekend in a three-game set, and a sweep or series win would give Toronto considerably more control over their own destiny.
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The Blue Jays were originally supposed to go with their two best arms, AL Cy Young contender Dylan Cease and trade deadline acquisition Jose Soriano, for Saturday and Sunday’s games against Texas.
However, after using Friday’s scheduled bulk starter Spencer Arrighetti during Tuesday’s matchup against Detroit, the team had to adjust their plans.
Rather than going with another spot starter on Friday, Schneider has decided to move both Cease and Soriano up a day, starting Friday and Saturday respectively, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.
The reasoning behind the move stems from multiple factors. Moving Cease up ensures he gets one more start for Toronto during the remainder of the regular season. Cease did show signs of fatigue during his last start against the Baltimore Orioles, struggling to maintain his full velocity, which makes the decision somewhat concerning.
But for a Blue Jays team trying to save their season, having their ace and his 2.38 ERA on the mound while fighting for a playoff spot is exactly the right call regardless of the circumstances.
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