Penton: Blue Jays’ fans enjoying the 2025 surprise
By Bruce Penton
Major League Baseball in 2025 has produced a wide variety of spectacular catches, some outstanding hitting, precise pitching and more than a few surprises, with the Toronto Blue Jays’ early-season performance one of the leaders in that ‘surprise’ category.
If you thought a Rafael Devers trade from Boston to San Francisco was a shocker, how about the Blue Jays at one point in June being eight games above .500, solidly in second place in MLB’s most competitive division, the A.L. East, and — if the season ended today, which would be a shock — in a wildcard playoff position.
Pre-season prognostications by baseball insiders pegged the Blue Jays for another last-place finish in their division, which lately has been dominated by the Yankees, Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles. The Jays, according to the experts, were likely to battle it out for fourth place with Tampa Bay.
But if somebody named Cal Raleigh (a catcher with Seattle) can be on a pace to belt 60 home runs and if Aaron Judge can be batting around .370 near the halfway pole, and if Max Fried can prove to be one of the best free-agent signees ever (9-2, 2.05 ERA with the Yankees), then what’s so surprising about the Blue Jays being a contender?
One of the team’s least celebrated players, catcher Alejandro Kirk, is one of the major providers of diamond magic that has propelled the Blue Jays to their unexpected heights. After 76 games, Kirk was batting .311 and was striking out only once in every 10 at-bats. Behind the plate, Kirk has been well above average, with his defensive stats ranked third in the A.L.
Think how good the Blue Jays could be if their No 1 off-season signee, outfielder Anthony Santander, was performing anywhere close to what he did last year. His 44 home runs with Baltimore in 2024 was the magnet that led to his $92.5 million five-year contract offer from the Jays, but he has been more poof than pop in this season’s first 76 games. Santander had a mere six home runs and a .179 batting average in mid-June, and was on pace for 13 homers. At the team’s season-ending banquet, Jays’ management should ask that Santander return part of his salary due to non-performance.
Besides Kirk, Toronto is also getting solid offensive performances from outfielder George Springer, shortstop Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero,Jr., and decent bat work from rookie third-baseman Addison Barger.
The Jays’ big three starting pitchers have been so-so, with Chris Bassitt, Kevin Gausman and Jose Berrios giving Toronto a chance every time they take the mound. In a tight game, bet on the Jays, because closer Jeff Hoffman has been an A.L. leader all season in saves. In fact, at last glance, the Jays’ were tied for the A.L. lead in saves.
Add it all up, and while Canadian fans aren’t expecting a repeat of 1992-93, when the World Series flag flew north of the 49th parallel, it’s great to have a contender again. Let the surprises continue.
Jack Finarelli at sports curmudgeon.com, on food fare at the Houston Astros’ stadium: “A footlong hot dog garnished with BBQ beef brisket, mac-and-cheese and fried pickles. And for dessert, a roll of Tums.”
Scott Michaux of globalgolf.com., on the rough at Oakmont, site of the 2025 U.S.Open: “Old-fashioned USGA/Oakmont punitive gouge-out rough – the way hell intended golf to be played.”
Vancouver columnist Steve Burgess, on the Stanley Cup final: “The Oilers were hoping it would be different this year. It was. Six games this time.”
Cathal Kelly of the Globe and Mail, on Florida’s dominance over the Oilers, especially the great play of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky: “If the Oilers were getting Panther’d overall, they were mostly getting Bob’d.”
Vancouver comedy guy Torben Rolfsen: “There are two seasons of clothing in Edmonton: Parkas and Oilers sweaters.”
Rolfsen again: “Aaron Rodgers signed with the Steelers ‘pending a physical.’ How about a ‘psychological’?”
From the Canadian parody website The Beaverton on Florida’s Stanley Cup win over Edmonton: “The City of Calgary has announced a co-belligerents victory parade, where a photo of Connor McDavid looking sad will be paraded through the streets.”
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “Erik Guay retired as Canada's most decorated skier with 25 podium finishes and two overall titles. In the minds of Canadians, he's 1-2 with Justin Bieber for going downhill fast.”
Headline at fark.com, after Browns’ draft pick Shedeur Sanders was ticketed for driving his car 101 MPH in a 60 zone: “Shedeur Sanders has had enough of Cleveland and decided to leave really quickly.”
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: “What a nice pickup Jonathan Toews is for the Winnipeg Jets, no matter how much he has left. The Jets are a team that has to learn how to win when it matters. Toews is a professor on the subject.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca