The Toronto Blue Jays lead the AL East in July 2025. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. yet to peak, the team is eyeing major trade deadline moves to fend off the Yankees.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Welcome back, Blue Jays fans! As the second half of the 2025 season kicks off, your Toronto Blue Jays are sitting in a spot few predicted: atop the powerhouse American League East. With a stellar 55-41 record, they hold a two-game lead over the Yankees, proving that depth and grit can carry a team. But the truly exciting part? They've done it all without their biggest stars fully firing, and now the front office is ready to go all-in for a World Series push.
Getting Vlad back to being Vlad is priority number one for us. We know the player he is, and when he gets going, he can carry this ball club.
Nobody expected the Jays to be leading the division at the All-Star break, especially not like this. The success hasn't come from a superhuman MVP campaign, but from the collective effort of the entire roster. While the big names have been steady, it's the role players and bench contributors who have consistently come through in the clutch. This team has found a way to win, manufacturing runs and relying on solid pitching depth to grind out a 55-41 record. It's a testament to the culture John Schneider has built, but it also raises a tantalizing question: how good can this team actually be?
The biggest storyline of the first half is that the Jays have thrived despite underwhelming production from their cornerstones. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., by his own lofty standards, has yet to find his elite offensive form. Meanwhile, prized offseason acquisition Anthony Santander has been a non-factor, struggling to a .577 OPS before landing on the injured list with a left shoulder injury. Instead of being a problem, however, this should be seen as a massive opportunity. The team is already in first place; if Vladdy catches fire and Santander returns to form, the league's best team could get a whole lot better from within.
Sitting in first place with obvious areas for improvement gives the front office a clear mandate: be aggressive. With the July 31 trade deadline fast approaching, all signs point to Toronto being major buyers. Whether it's adding another impact arm for the stretch run or bolstering the lineup for a deep postseason push, management has the green light to make a significant move. They've seen what this team can do even when not at full strength, and now is the time to push the chips to the center of the table and build a true contender.
The second half is officially underway, and the mission is clear: get the big bats healthy and hot, and make a splash before July 31. If the Blue Jays could climb to the top of the AL East with their stars playing at half-speed, just imagine what this team is capable of when everything clicks. The next two weeks will define their championship aspirations.
