The Toronto Blue Jays are limping to the finish line of the 2025 MLB regular season. The Blue Jays have clinched a playoff spot, but have lost six of their last seven games and allowed the New York Yankees to catch them atop the American League East.
Toronto has lost the first two games of its three-game series to the Boston Red Sox, who are fighting for their playoff lives, but there's been some questionable calls that haven't gone the Blue Jays way lately.
However, manager John Schneider sent a crystal clear message regarding those calls and the status of his team, following Toronto's 7-1 loss on Wednesday night.
Schneider Sends Loud Message Amid Struggles
In the seventh inning of Wednesday night's loss to the Red Sox, Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was ejected for arguing a called strike three.
Prior to that, in Tuesday night's loss, outfielder George Springer was rung up on a called third strike he disagreed with after lining the ball down the left foul line the pitch before, which was called foul.
With the bases loaded in a one run game with playoff implications, umpire Scott Barry robbed George Springer of a go-ahead double on a bad foul ball call.
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) September 24, 2025
The very next pitch. umpire Doug Eddings rang up Springer on a pitch well off the plate to end the inning.
The Blue Jays… pic.twitter.com/HmBxtxV0zm
Neither player agreed with the calls, and it seemed like the cherry on top of a frustrating week for the Blue Jays. However, Schneider made it clear on Wednesday night that the umpires aren't what's keeping Toronto from winning.
"First and foremost, we’re not losing because of umpires, all right? Let’s get that out there," Schneider said (h/t MLB.com). "We’re losing because we’re not scoring enough runs. It’s a borderline pitch. I think Vladdy is frustrated. I think a lot of guys are frustrated. Again, it’s not about a call here or a call there, it’s about stringing together good at-bats and productive innings.
"He didn’t say anything. I think the hand gestures were enough, and that’s what Gabe [Morales] told me. But again, I don’t want to feed into the narrative that the umpires are screwing us, because they’re not. We’re not scoring enough runs."
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was ejected from the game after a called strike three. pic.twitter.com/h5CRYLzQKP
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 25, 2025
Schneider said he's always going to have his players' backs, but the fact of the matter is, his team isn't playing winning baseball right now.
However, although the Blue Jays have struggled over the past week, they're still in a much better spot than other teams. The Detroit Tigers have fallen off a cliff in September, and are fighting for their playoff lives, and the Houston Astros have done the same over the last week.
The Blue Jays have already clinched a playoff spot, and simply need to turn things around before the postseason begins. Toronto has allowed the Yankees to creep back for the division, but it still holds the tie-breaker.
The @BlueJays and @Yankees are in a TIGHT race for the AL East 👀
— MLB (@MLB) September 25, 2025
Who will come out ahead? pic.twitter.com/0jjVUlvI2t
"It feels like the sky is falling right now and it’s [expletive] not," Schneider said (h/t MLB.com). "We’ve got 90 wins, we’re in the playoffs and if the season ended today, we’re winning the AL East. I want them to come out and not press. I want them to come out and play confident, play fast, play loose.
"When we do that, we’re really good. I don’t want them to get caught up in the last six days being tough, because this season has been really, really good."
The Blue Jays will be back on the diamond on Thursday night against the Red Sox with a chance to right the ship. Toronto has four games left in the regular season to try to fend off the Yankees and win the AL East crown.