The Toronto Blue Jays are getting hot at the right time.
Catcher Alejandro Kirk led the Blue Jays to a 10-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night. Kirk finished the game 3-5 with a home run and three RBI. He added a single and a double to his line, missing the cycle by just a triple.
Kirk is not known for his speed, so his securing a triple to pull off the feat seemed a little far-fetched. He does have one triple in his career, hitting a three-bagger in 2024, ironically, against the Rays at Tropicana Field, where Tuesday night’s game was held.
The Toronto catcher is having another solid season. Kirk came into Tuesday’s game hitting .271 with a .351 on-base percentage. He had five home runs and 22 RBI in 50 games.
Toronto is starting to heat up down the stretch of the season. Tuesday’s win was the Blue Jays’ sixth win in their last eight games.
They have also won 10 of their last 15 games. Six of the wins have come against AL East opponents in what is projected to be a tight race as the postseason nears.
There is still a month and a half left in the regular season, but it is hard not to keep an eye on the current playoff standings.
Heading into Tuesday’s action, the Blue Jays were one of six teams that were within one game of a Wild Card spot.
The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox hold the first two Wild Card spots for now, but the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Minnesota Twins, Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, and Cleveland Guardians are all neck-and-neck in the running for that final spot.
With the win, Toronto moves to 62-65 on the season. The Blue Jays are in the middle of a hugely important AL East stretch. Toronto took 2 of 3 from the Yankees and 3 of 4 from the Red Sox last week.
Tuesday night’s win is the first of a three-game series against Tampa Bay, and the Blue Jays will go on the road to face the Yankees this coming weekend.
Getting hot at this point in the season could be the boost the Blue Jays need to make a move not only in the AL Wild Card race but also in the division.