We just witnessed the best week the Toronto Blue Jays have had yet this season. The team went 5-1, including a sweep of the Braves in Atlanta, to move their overall record to 22-17. That puts the team up in a very favorable spot heading into a massive series against the Red Sox.
Let’s take a look at some of the significant storylines from the previous week.
Jays Sweep the Braves…. Again
The Braves have not had a great start to the 2021 season, despite being loaded with superstars such as Freeman and Acuña Jr. They hosted the Jays for a three-game set this week, and Toronto outscored them 17-8 in those three games.
It was the second time this season the Blue Jays have accomplished a three-game sweep of the Braves. They seem to have their number, and the Jays probably are wishing that they could play the Braves again this season. Sadly, they don’t, but the confidence a team can gain from a sweep is valuable, and Jays have now done it twice against a good team in Atlanta.
Guerrero Jr keeps on rolling
This man can’t slow down, so when will we start discussing the words “all-star”? Vlad has been on another level lately; this week alone saw him hit four home runs and tally seven RBI’s.
That brings his totals on the season up to 11 home runs and 30 RBIs while hitting .319. He’s near the top of the league leaderboards in several offensive categories. This is no longer just a hot start to the season; he’s been consistent since the season began and might be in for a historic year.
Ryu looks like himself
Blue Jay’s ace Hyun Jin Ryu looked confident and back to himself on the mound for Wednesday’s game against the Braves. He threw seven innings and only allowed one run with six strikeouts.
He was doing all the things that make him such an elite pitcher, keeping the batters guessing and locating his pitches effectively. Here’s to hoping he can remain healthy for the rest of the season as his value to this team is irreplicable.
Looking Ahead
The Jays get a rest day Monday, which is much needed as they have some crucial matchups this week. They start a three-game set on Tuesday against the team they are chasing down for first in the AL East, the Boston Red Sox. They then begin a four-game series against another division rival, the Tampa Bay Rays, starting on Friday.
These divisional games are so important, and the farther we get into the season, the more important they become. The Blue Jays would love nothing more than to carry over last week’s momentum into this week and pick up as many wins as they can against both Boston and Tampa.
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