The Toronto Blue Jays are heating up at exactly the right time.
Toronto completed a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners on Sunday with a dominant 7–0 victory at Rogers Centre, but the biggest story of the afternoon was 42-year-old Max Scherzer. The veteran right-hander delivered one of his best performances of the season, throwing seven scoreless innings and striking out 10.
Scherzer allowed just one hit before Toronto’s bullpen finished the shutout, while Alejandro Kirk and Kazuma Okamoto supplied the power with home runs.
It was the perfect finish to an impressive weekend for the Blue Jays.
Toronto outscored Seattle 19–4 over the three-game series, combining strong starting pitching with an offence that consistently put pressure on the Mariners. Seattle left Toronto having lost four consecutive games.
For Scherzer, the performance carried some extra weight. The three-time Cy Young Award winner earned his first victory since March and showed that, even at 42, he can still take over a game when his command and arsenal are working.
More importantly, Toronto is building momentum with September approaching.
The Blue Jays now turn their attention to Cleveland for a three-game series against the Guardians beginning Tuesday. With the postseason race entering its final stretch, every series becomes increasingly important — and Toronto arrives in Cleveland playing some of its best baseball.
A sweep in late August doesn’t guarantee anything, but performances like Sunday’s are exactly what contenders need.
Toronto has momentum.
Scherzer just reminded everyone what he can still do.
And the Blue Jays are entering September looking increasingly dangerous.