The Toronto Blue Jays strengthened their hold on the American League’s top seed with a 4-2 victory Friday night, keeping them ahead of the New York Yankees on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Nathan Lukes paced the offense, collecting two hits and driving in three runs, including a two-run home run. On the mound, Shane Bieber gave up two runs over five innings. Toronto’s bullpen handled the rest, combining for three scoreless frames before Jeff Hoffman closed it out in the ninth for his 33rd save of the season.
Lukes’ homer also marked another milestone for Toronto’s lineup. The Blue Jays have now hit a home run in 101 of their 160 games this year. In those contests, they are an impressive 71-30.
What makes the stat even more remarkable is that the Blue Jays do not rank among baseball’s elite power-hitting teams. They sit 14th overall in total home runs and have only one player with more than 25 this season — George Springer with 31. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has added 23, while Daulton Varsho and Addison Barger have both contributed 20.
Toronto now turns its attention to the final two games of the weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays as it looks to lock down its first division crown since 2015. The Yankees remain hot on their heels, riding a six-game winning streak and finishing the year against the last-place Baltimore Orioles.
Regardless of the final standings, Toronto has secured a postseason berth and will at minimum host a wild-card series. If they maintain the No. 1 seed, they’ll enjoy a first-round bye and home-field advantage through the American League playoffs.