Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Andres Gimenez drove in two runs apiece as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 Sunday and clinched a playoff berth.
Toronto is the first team in the American League to secure a spot in the playoffs, returning to the post-season for the first time since 2023, and improved its AL-best and AL East-leading record to 90-66.
In 2023, they were topped by the Minnesota Twins in the wild-card round.
The Blue Jays also came into Sunday’s contest with the best record in the American League. However, Toronto only had a two-game edge on the New York Yankees for top spot in the AL East.
A division crown along with clinching the first or second seed in the AL would give the Blue Jays a bye through the wild-card round and home-field advantage in the AL Division Series.
The Blue Jays scored three runs in the second inning on run-scoring hits by Gimenez, Tyler Heineman and George Springer.
Guerrero hit a two-run double in the fifth and Addison Barger followed with an RBI double to give Toronto a 6-2 lead.
After the Royals cut their deficit to 6-5, Ernie Clement and Gimenez had RBI hits in the eighth to extend Toronto’s lead to 8-5.
Toronto starter Trey Yesavage worked four innings, allowing four runs on five hits while walking three and striking out two.
Dave Yesavage tells The National about the moment he witnessed his son, Trey Yesavage, make Toronto Blue Jays history during his MLB pitching debut.
Seranthony Dominguez (4-4) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win, and Jeff Hoffman recorded his 32nd save of the season.
Carter Jensen had a two-run double in the fourth inning, Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez hit consecutive run-scoring singles in the fifth and Randal Grichuk picked up an RBI in the sixth to complete Kansas City’s scoring.
Michael Wacha (9-13) gave up six earned runs on eight hits in five innings with one walk and four strikeouts.
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