The Toronto Blue Jays had a 94-68 record and won the AL East title for the first time in ten years. They were the top seed in the American League playoffs. But now that the celebration is over, people are worried because their offense fell apart at the end, with star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. only getting a .375 OPS in the last 14 games. The Blue Jays are facing their biggest test without one of their most reliable players, and the weight of expectations is heavy on a franchise that has been waiting years for this moment.

Bo Bichette’s knee injury has set off a chain reaction that could ruin Toronto’s chances of making it to the World Series. The shortstop hurt his knee and had to go on the injured list at the worst possible time, taking away the team’s most reliable contact hitter. Bichette had a great .311/.357/.483 slash line in 139 games, hitting 18 home runs, 94 RBIs, and 44 doubles for an offense that was all about getting balls in play.

Without Bichette, the Blue Jays’ offense has been weak, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has had to carry the team under a lot of pressure. The 26-year-old just signed a huge 14-year, $500 million contract extension in early April. And Guerrero Jr. has a solid .293 batting average and .851 OPS for the season, but he has looked lost at the plate and clearly frustrated as the Blue Jays’ division lead slipped away in recent weeks. Manager John Schneider publicly criticized his star player for the first time, saying that Guerrero “kind of just gave an at-bat away” in a key loss to the Rays on September 18. It was unusual for Schneider to publicly criticize his franchise’s cornerstone, since managers rarely do that.

This is the worst time for the Blue Jays, who have built their success on not striking out and keeping their offense steady. Bichette hasn’t been given the go-ahead to start running yet, so it’s unclear if he’ll be able to play in the playoffs. The Blue Jays’ hopes of winning the championship now depend on whether their core players can find the magic that helped them win 94 games and the AL East title.

However, Toronto may have found an unexpected advantage on its way to glory in October. The division title that seemed pointless when they were having trouble on offense could give them the space they need. Sometimes, all a hurt team needs to get better is more time.

Blue Jays’ division title could be Bichette’s lifeline

But the Toronto Blue Jays’ championship hope may have turned this terrible situation into something good. The statement win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday not only gave them their first AL East title in ten years, but it also gave them a crucial first-round edge that could help them stay alive in the playoffs.

The division crown puts Toronto in the same league as the Yankees, who also have the best record in the American League. That tiebreaker advantage gives them a week off, which could make it more likely that Bichette will be available. Before Sunday’s clincher, manager John Schneider admitted the harsh truth: “It’s pretty unlikely Bo Bichette would be available for a Wild Card series.” But he did give an important warning: “Hope would be for ALDS if possible.”

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic understands how much this situation changes Toronto’s chances of winning the championship. He says that getting Bichette back puts the Blue Jays in a good position to win, writing, “This version of the Jays is better positioned to succeed, particularly if Bichette makes a successful return from a left knee strain when the Jays open the Division Series on Saturday against either the Yankees or the Boston Red Sox. No team strikes out at a lower rate.”

Bichette’s return would give an offense that really needs it a boost. Before he hurt his knee and ruined his season, he was leading MLB in hits and anchoring a lineup that was built to win in October. They won their first division title in ten years, so anything less than an American League pennant would feel like a failure. Having their superstar shortstop’s health could make all the difference.