It’s true: deals that are more than a decade long rarely work out, wherever they’re signed and whoever signs them. Yet, since April, the Toronto Blue Jays have been breathing easy seeing this much-beloved sports personality staying in Toronto. The club boasts an incredible 70-51 overall record, with a stunning 39-20 record at home. What’s behind the surge? Yes, sure, all the collective efforts of the players, coaches, and John Schneider.

However, back in April, when the Blue Jays signed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for a massive $500 million, 14-year contract, the Blue Jays felt closer to winning the World Series. Across the last 10 games, the Blue Jays have gone 6-4, hitting .319 as a team and holding a 3.54 ERA.

In a candid interview with Pedro Martinez — the Dominican-American former baseball starting pitcher — Guerrero Jr. was asked what the biggest reason was for the Blue Jays to be in first place this season.

Well, Guerrero Jr. believed that his extension back in April changed everything for the club. “Well, I think what changed everything was that I signed. At the beginning, it was intense; everyone was asking if I was going to stay or not. I think when I got signed, things changed. The clubhouse changed, and obviously, as we said, that contract made me understand that I have to work hard and try to keep the whole team together. Thank god I have been doing that the last few months, and I’ve felt good about the role I have now,” he said.

It’s true. Things have indeed changed for the Blue Jays since locking in Guerrero. They have outscored opponents by 28 runs. In the Tuesday game against the Chicago Cubs, the Blue Jays notched a 5-1 win. It extended their lead in the AL East to four and a half games.

They have cruised ahead of the AL rivals—the New York Yankees. They may have lost 4-1 to Chicago on Wednesday, but that one loss didn’t derail their overall lead.

After their recent road trip, the Blue Jays have set a stunning modern-era major league record. They have posted 63 hits across three games against the Rockies.

The Blue Jays have company after securing a stunning winning record

We are nearing the home stretch, and the Blue Jays have just become the first team in the American League to reach 70 wins. This stunning record came right after their Tuesday’s 5-1 win over the Chicago Cubs. It’s their consistency and depth in swinging the bat that helped them to notch a 70-51 record.

While the club expected to have that space all by themselves for some time, they were joined by the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. Yes, the Tigers also hit the 70-win mark on Wednesday.

The Blue Jays have notched 18 wins in July and entered August with the same unmatched energy. Their offense has looked hotter than ever as they handed a sweep to the Rockies last week, outscoring them at 45-6. After all the road trip games, the club is back in Toronto. In both batting average and on-base percentage, the Blue Jays are leading the league.

Their batting order is led by shortstop Bo Bichette and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero. It is partly why they have been able to be dominant offensively. The lineup is about to get stronger than ever when outfielder George Springer returns.

The only concern is that Bichette is about to become a free agent after this season. The Blue Jays are reportedly going to have a hard time keeping him. What do you think?