Yes, this includes the lightning-in-a-bottle juggernaut in 2015. The excitement around this club is palpable, and with good reason. With the Jays nomadic status on the back and the padlock on now, a summary of 162 games and the extended postseason are sure to offer some summer excitement. Once again, Steve Phillips, TSN baseball expert, and I are ready to address some key questions about what should happen to the Jays this summer. We are also trying to predict the next seven and a half months, until the awards season in November. See last year’s forecasts here. How high should the expectations be for this Jays team? MITCHELL: Does Sky high work for you? Coming from a 91-win campaign that saw the club get better and better as the season went on, the Jays are a modern World Series choice for many and it makes sense. The rotation is more talented than those of 2015 and 2016, while the composition, even without Marcus Semien, is going to provide more than enough support on a night basis. The bullpen was the weak link last season, but it also improved as the season progressed and there is currently an interesting set of weapons for coach Charlie Montoyo to consider. It would be an extreme disappointment if this team did not win more than 90 games and secure a place after the season, but it is also a team that believes it will satisfy nothing less than a trip to the World Series. PHILIPS: On paper, the Blue Jays are arguably the best team in the American League. They have balance and depth. They have youth and experience. I have never seen a team lose the Cy Young Award winner and a nominee for the top three MVPs in an off-season and expectations rise. But there is this team with the additions of Matt Chapman, Kevin Gausman, Yusei Kikuchi, Raimel Tapia and Yimi Garcia. Remember, the young body of the team will be better due to age and experience. In addition, a full season with Jose Berrios, Alek Manoah and a healthy George Springer will make a big difference. Jay finished an off-season last year while jumping from Dunedin to Buffalo, Toronto. Installing in Toronto this year will really help. Which player’s health is most vital to Jay’s hopes? MITCHELL: Although it is easy to say one of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s two MVP candidates. or Bo Bichette, the lineup did without George Springer for half a season, so they would probably still score a lot. This makes me show the rotation. The loss of either Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman or Alek Manoah will immediately test the depth of rotation and possibly shift the club’s priorities until the trade deadline expires in July. PHILIPS: Losing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for a long time would be awful, but losing Bo Bisset would be worse. The Jays have more depth and flexibility to handle the loss in the first base than in the shortstop. Bichette is the face and voice of the Blue Jays. It is the glue that holds them all. What will GM Ross Atkins and the front office do by the trading deadline in July? MITCHEL: The rumors about Jose Ramirez will start as soon as Cleveland fails to sign a contract extension for its protagonist, but every candidate will be interested in an MVP level bat that can play both in the hot corner and in the second base. The best strategy may be to try to create a dominant bullpen back end by adding one or two of the top reliefs on the market to combine with Jordan Romano. It is very likely that the needs of the Jays today are not what they are three months from now. PHILIPS: The only concern for the composition is that the right hand dominates. Maybe they should consider adding a switch or a left bat to the DH or a second base on the deadline. Many of these will depend on the bounce of the Cavan Biggio. Can he contribute again? I would also like to see another left-handed bullfighter. What needs to happen for the Jays to do the postseason? MITCHELL: First and foremost, stay healthy. There is a lot of talent up and down in this roster to get things on the sidelines when everyone is on the field. With a strong spin that helps mitigate any unpredictable bullpen instability, they can reach the postseason, even the most difficult part of baseball. It is honestly difficult to imagine a way in which this team will not advance to the playoffs without something completely strange happening. But this strange thing happened in 2021, when they won 91 games and surprisingly did not qualify, as they say, that’s why they play games. PHILIPS: Avoiding catastrophic injuries is crucial. Jays have the depth to manage short-term aches and pains. They should also play well in AL East. There are no breaks in this section. Playing each team in the category 19 times can be very helpful or extremely damaging. A win or loss in the category has a double impact. Losing a game against the Kansas City Royal is a tough loss, but losing a game to the Yankees is a loss for the Jays and a win for New York. AL East is so tough that the clubs there could beat each other by opening the door for teams in other categories to enter the wild game. What will be Jay’s record – the over / under is set at 92.5 wins per season – and will it be enough to become the 12-team extended postseason? MITCHELL: Last year’s record of victories / defeats of Pythagorion was 99-63, showing that they were even better than the 91 victories with which they finished. He is the second highest number on the board behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, but you have to take the baton with this team. I will say 95-67, which means that AL East is coming again in the last weekend of the season. PHILIPS: Playing in Toronto this year and not bouncing will be of great benefit to Jayce. I undertake for sure. They will throw more quality innings than any other club. I’m looking for 97 wins. What is your favorite World Series bet? MITCHELL: AL Beast is going to be a crazy ride this year, but the Tampa Bay Rays are still loaded with talent and prospects so big that they could either contribute or help the front office really get to the trade end date. The Rays on 16/1 – behind seven other teams – to win a ring is good value. Since I also have Sts. The Louis Cardinals and Seattle Mariners qualifying – more on that below – are good longshot bets around 30/1. PHILIPS: If I am going to bet on a surprise World Series Champion, I am looking for a team that I believe will enter the playoffs with the best chance of winning. Once a club enters the post-season funny things can happen. I love the Philadelphia Phillies on 30/1. I choose them to enter the playoffs. With an initial rotation of Zack Wheeler Aaron Nola, Zach Eflin, Kyle Gibson and Ranger Suarez can fit well into a short series. What is your favorite MVP bet in any league? MITCHELL: If you believe Steve Cohen’s renewed New York Mets, Francisco Lindor at 18/1 and Pete Alonso at 35/1 jump, while Bo Bichette 20/1 is a sidelong Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (4/1) far from being the favorite of AL MVP. For me, there is not enough value in the favorites of MVP Shohei Ohtani (+340) or Juan Soto (+360) to follow this path. PHILIPS: When writers vote for the MVP, they seem too inclined to think that statistics win over replacement. It is a statistic that includes offensive and defensive value. So, I tend to look for players with great tools that influence the game in many ways when considering a potential MVP. The best bets for the MVP are Byron Buxton who has the potential to be a 40/40 player and win a gold glove on a 3000 player or the Chicago White Sox, Louis Robert, who could do a lot of the same in 40/1. What is your favorite Jays player bet? MITCHELL: This year I would be everywhere on Bo Bichette. He is prepared for a monster season and wants to play all 162 games. If Charlie Montoyo continues to clean it, find an RBI bracket – it was 95.5 in some places – and hit it. I also really like Teoscar Hernandez under 32.5 homers, George Springer over 31.5 Homers and the original Alek Manoah and Kevin Gausman for their winning sets, which both range around 11. PHILIPS: Bo Bichette was second in a row with a score (121) in 2021 against Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (123). However, Guerrero is at 8/1 while Bichette is at 15/1 in the top MLB in a series that took place this year. Jays shortstop is a good bet. I also like Jordan Romano at +2000 leading the league in repulsions. Jace is the best team in AL, and he will have as many chances as anyone to save games. Predictions after the season AMERICAN LEAGUE AL EAST: Toronto Blue Jay (Mitchell); Toronto Blue Jays (Phillips) AL CENTRAL: Chicago White Sox (Mitchell); Chicago White Sox (Phillips) AL WEST: Houston Astros (Mitchell); Houston Astros (Phillips) FIRST WILD CARD: Tampa Bay Rays (Mitchell); New York Yankees (Phillips) SECOND WALD CARD: Seattle Mariners (Mitchell); Tampa Bay Rays (Phillips) THIRD WILD CARD: New York Yankees (Mitchell); Seattle Mariners (Phillips) NATIONAL LEAGUE NL EAST: Atlanta Braves (Mitchell); Atlanta Braves (Phillips); NL CENTRAL: St. Louis Cardinals (Mitchell); Milwaukee Brewers (Phillips) NL WEST: Los Angeles Dodgers (Mitchell); Los Angeles Dodgers (Phillips); FIRST WALD CARD: Milwaukee Brewers (Mitchell); San Diego Padres (Phillips) SECOND WALD CARD: New York Mets (Mitchell); Philadelphia Phillies (Phillips) THIRD WALD CARD: San Diego Pantres (Mitchell); St Louis Cardinals (Phillips) World…
