For the first time in 2016, the Blue Jays are sitting atop the AL East as summer hits its stride. Back in late May, they were trailing by eight games, and the mood was tense. But this team has clawed its way back, now holding a two-game lead over the Yankees with a 55–40 record. For a fanbase that hasn’t seen a championship since 1993, this surge feels like a jolt of hope, bringing back memories of the franchise’s glory days.

But while the standings paint a promising picture, not everything is clicking right beneath the surface. The Blue Jays’ recent loss to the lowly Oakland A’s served as a reminder that individual performances still leave much to be desired. If you caught that game, one name in particular stood out, not for heroics, but for continued struggles that are becoming harder to ignore.

Well, if you’re still guessing, we are talking about Kevin Gausman! He has yet to find his best form this season, with a 6-7 record and a 4.19 ERA. Fortunately, he has acknowledged his subdued performance, even as the team continues to shine.

“To be honest, I feel like the team’s playing great, but I’m not necessarily pitching very well, or not as well as I would like. So, happy where we’re at as a team, but I know I need to be better,” Gausman said candidly when asked about his struggling first half of 2025, via Ben Nicholson-Smith.

In the game against the A’s, the Blue Jays started on a high note. Leo Jimenez launched a home run, and Bo Bichette followed up with an RBI double. But things took a turn when Kevin Gausman took the mound, and it just wasn’t his day. He didn’t look sharp, giving up four runs over five innings.

To be fair, Gausman didn’t get much help from his defense either. In the third inning, Denzel Clarke led off with a single, and things unraveled from there. A throwing error by Tyler Heineman and a single by Lawrence Butler helped the A’s score a run. While the Jays showed some fight with a late-game rally, proving their offense still has life, Gausman’s shaky outing and Heineman’s miscues stole the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Going forward, the Blue Jays fortunately have the cushion to absorb a few player inconsistencies. However, the first half is gone, and Guasman’s struggles, if they continued, could prove detrimental after October. The grass actually looked greener on the other side this time. Struggling at the bottom of the AL West, the A’s offered a good product against the Blue Jays, riding on Brent Rooker’s brilliance.

On Saturday night, the 2025 All-Star came up big, launching a go-ahead two-run homer and driving in three runs to lift Oakland to a 4-3 win. At the third, the A’s were down by 2-1, and Rooker’s double off Gausman tied the game. His 20th homer of the year was a reminder of why he’ll be in the Home Run Derby in Atlanta.

The Blue Jays are hoping to repeat a few histories

The first half of this season is shaping up to be one of the best in Blue Jays history, and it’s got fans starting to dream about a repeat of some of the franchise’s most iconic years. Could it happen? Maybe. Take 1992, for example. Of the nine times the Jays have made the postseason in a full-length season, their 57-36 record through 93 games was their best at that point. They ended up finishing 96-66, the second-best regular season record in team history.

Currently, the team stands at 55-40. Hence, it is quite possible that they will reach the 1992 mark. That year, the Blue Jays finally broke through in the ALCS, knocking off the A’s in six games. And then came the big one: a World Series win over the Braves in six games, the first championship in franchise history.

For the unfamiliar, most times the Blue Jays have made the postseason, they’ve reached at least the 50-win mark by this point in the season. The exceptions were 1987 and 2015. However, right now, with a 55-40 record, they’re in a solid spot to make a playoff push. Sure, there’s still work to do and moves to be made, but if they can stay above .500 over their final 69 games, there’s a good chance they’ll at least lock down a Wild Card spot.

Remember, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said a few months ago that he was looking for a winning team? The Blue Jays finally seem to be on the winning path after a few struggling years. Hopefully, the postseason will not end up being an all-American affair.