Blue Jays clinch MLB playoff berth, set sights on AL East crown

Blue Jays clinch MLB playoff berth, set sights on AL East crown

The Toronto Blue Jays became the first American League team to clinch a spot in the 2025 MLB playoffs following an 8-5 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, Sept. 21.

First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and shortstop Andres Gimenez drove in two runs apiece as the Blue Jays (90-66) snapped a four-game losing skid. Toronto had played its last seven games on the road.

The Blue Jays have made the playoffs just three times since 2017 and were swept in the wild card round each time. The franchise reached the ALCS in 2015 and 2016.

Players and coaches celebrated their postseason berth in the visiting locker room at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, before taking to the field for a group photo.

Toronto will finish out the regular season at home with three games against the Boston Red Sox and three games against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Blue Jays still have their sights set on securing the American League East crown for the first time since 2015. Toronto has a 2-game lead over the New York Yankees. The Blue Jays also have the tiebreaker, winning 8 of 13 games in the season series.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fastDownload for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY