Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stepped into the spotlight on Sunday with a clear message for the New York Yankees: The Toronto Blue Jays are not merely content with a postseason berth. After an 8-5 triumph over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, Guerrero made it unmistakably clear. “The job is not finished. We want to win the division.” The Blue Jays, having snapped a four-game losing streak, now sit two games ahead of the Yankees in the AL East, with six contests remaining in the regular season.

The victory was built on contributions from multiple players. Andrés Giménez opened the scoring in the second inning with an RBI single, followed by a safety squeeze from Tyler Heineman and a run-scoring double by George Springer. The Royals clawed back to 3-2 in the fourth, but Toronto responded in the fifth with singles by Heineman and Daulton Varsho, both driven in by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who later scored on a double from Addison Barger. Kansas City trimmed the lead in the sixth, but the Blue Jays sealed the win with an Ernie Clement RBI single and a Giménez triple in the eighth.

Amid all these celebrations, attention now turns to Bo Bichette, Toronto’s $186 million shortstop, whose injury had sparked concern over the team’s postseason potential. Bichette provided reassurance regarding his status, though.

“Getting better every day. I’m just doing everything I can to be ready whenever that time is.” Keegan Matheson added context, noting, “Bo Bichette called this the closest team he’s ever played on and says the #BlueJays have everything it takes to win a World Series. He gave special credit to Ernie Clement and Myles Straw for the work they did ‘bridging the gap between a lot of players.’”

Bichette’s performance this season has been remarkable.

Leading MLB with 494 at-bats and 147 hits through August 11, he posted a .298/.338/.470 slash line with 16 home runs, 35 doubles, one triple, and 78 RBI. His offensive resurgence following the All-Star break has been instrumental to Toronto’s success, producing a .379/.421/.597 line in 133 plate appearances since July 7, including four home runs, 15 doubles, and 27 RBI. The Athletic even stated, “Bichette’s numbers this season align neatly with the career track record he compiled before last year’s unpleasantness, and he’s been especially hot (as Toronto has) since just before the All-Star break.”

Now, as it appears, the Blue Jays have positioned themselves as serious contenders, relying on Guerrero’s determination and Bichette’s return to full strength.

But what about the Bronx Bombers, then?

Aaron Judge leads Yankees’ late-season surge toward AL East title

Momentum shifted decisively for the New York Yankees as the season approached its final chapters. As Aaron Judge and his teammates surged with authority, they grabbed five victories in their last six contests. Their series triumph over Baltimore just made it clear how the team kept the elusive division title within tangible reach. 

A recent analysis from FanGraphs revealed that Toronto has an 86% probability of winning the division. Unfortunately, for New York, the numbers now stand at 14%. But despite the calculations, the Yankees’ recent form might shift the predictions.

Meanwhile, looking at the scheduling, it seems like the pinstripes are at an advantage. The Yankees face their six remaining games entirely at home, divided evenly between the White Sox and Orioles, both sitting at the end of their respective divisions. On the contrary, the Blue Jays will have a more difficult path as they will clash against the Red Sox, followed by the Tampa Bay Rays.

So, Toronto needs to keep itself on track, or else, the Yankees might ruin Vladimir Guerrero’s dream. Do you have any speculations about the division winner?