The AL East is the toughest MLB division where we have seen the most frequent power shifts in recent years. While the Yankees often grab the headlines, another contender might be on the rise. According to an MLB insider, the Blue Jays’ surge in 2025 isn’t a one-off, and despite the concerns, the Jays are “for real.”

“I think you could make a case, Blue Jays are the best team in the American League,” Tim Kurkjian said in a March 16 Foul Territory interview. 

Kurkjian was discussing the spring training and admitted that teams like the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central and Seattle Mariners in the West are in good shape. But he was particularly impressed by the Toronto Blue Jays. And it’s not just the Yankees, Red Sox, or the other AL East teams. The analyst believes Jays can top all 29 MLB teams this time. 

“I think Toronto is better than it was last year, and something happened to them,” he said. “They got a taste. The fans got a taste, and now I think the Blue Jays are for real.”

The analyst noted how they have improved their rotation. The rotation overhaul is headlined by Dylan Cease for the Blue Jays. He signed a major seven-year, $210 million deal. And he will be spearheading alongside Kevin Gausman, who’s in his walk year. 

The team further added depth with a three-year deal for Cody Ponce and a one-year extension for Max Scherzer. Ponce, the KBO MVP in 2025, posted a dominant 1.50 ERA this spring. The veteran Scherzer is more like an injury coverage, strengthening the depth. 

But Kurkjian brought attention to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and how he proved the doubters wrong. 

“Until the postseason, there were people out there who thought he was just some heavyset, lumbering first baseman,” he said. “I always knew he was a good first baseman because he’s got great feet and great hands.”

The 5x back-to-back All-Star has a .288 career AVG and 183 HRs. His 2025 campaign included 23 homers and 84 RBI, which catalyzed an explosive playoff surge. His 2022 AL Gold Glove and career-best 8 DRS in 2025 stand as proof of his defensive growth. This also silenced the ones who criticized his physique. 

Guerrero Jr. slashed .397/.494/.795 in the postseason last year and was impressive in the Dominican Republic’s quarterfinal WBC run in 2026. 

The Blue Jays’ first baseman made it hard to argue when Kurkjian said, “When it comes to complete players in the game, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is nearing the top of that list because of the things that he can do beyond just hit a ball as hard as any man on the face of the earth.”

But the new additions and the explosive performance don’t make it a perfect roster. The 2025 World Series runners-up have deeper concerns with Opening Day right around the corner. 

Injury concerns might test the Toronto Blue Jays’ contender status

The Blue Jays must have all the guns in firing condition if they want to top the AL East again in 2026. Ricky Tiedemann, one of Toronto’s promising young pitchers, has faced an array of injuries in recent years. 

While he resumed training on March 10, he hasn’t pitched in the Grapefruit League. This means he will likely start in the minor league to build up his workload before he is ready for MLB action. 

Trey Yesavage had a dream rise last year as he jumped from Triple-A to the World Series. And he pitched a total of 139.2 innings in 2025. But the front office decided to limit his workload to avoid injury. This means he will be limited to 3-4 innings even if he joins the roster on Opening Day. 

Beyond Tiedemann and Yesavage, Toronto is concerned about several other pitchers as well. Shane Bieber is recovering from his TJ, and his forearm inflammation has delayed his spring ramp-up. 

Veteran José Berríos faced an elbow inflammation during the WBC and is currently not pitching. Bowden Francis is out for the entire season due to his Tommy John surgery in early February. All these injuries aren’t pumping the hope for the franchise. 

The Toronto Blue Jays had “fallen short last season to the Dodgers in Game 7.” But Tim Kurkjian is confident that they can go all the way this year. They did load up the arsenal for 2026. And if they can work around the injuries, maybe they can actually achieve what they “got a taste” of last year.