What to watch for as the Blue Jays finish the 2024 regular season this weekend

This is the first time the Toronto Blue Jays haven’t participated in the playoffs in the past few years. Coincidentally, the team’s regular season also concluded in September. In other words, there won’t even be regular-season baseball trickling into October.

Truthfully speaking, the Blue Jays are long done playing meaningful baseball at this stage. That brings us to this question: what do you look out for when the last three games don’t really mean all that much? To make matters worse, Toronto will host the lowly Miami Marlins, who also have nothing to play for. 

If you’re still paying attention to the end of Toronto’s baseball season, congratulations on making it this far. You’ve survived a puzzling season filled with chaos and head-scratching enigma. And if you still intend to watch the Blue Birds this weekend, here’s what you can look out for: 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. chasing 200 hits

Folks, we’re thrilled to announce that Toronto’s first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is finally and officially back. It may have taken two years for Guerrero Jr. to find his form again, but he’s been living up to his expectations. The young first baseman is slashing .325/.550.948 and has recorded over 100 runs-batted-in (RBI) with 30 home runs under his belt. If it weren’t for the Blue Jays’ unfortunate mediocrity, Guerrero Jr. certainly would have been in more spotlight, but thankfully, he is getting the recognition he deserves. Against soul-searching Miami Marlins, Toronto’s first baseman could eye for an opportunity to pad his stats. 

Starting pitching performance

While the Blue Jays starting pitching has been far from pristine this season, the team still has one of the most robust starting pitching staffs in the league. The main three starting pitchers, Chris Bassitt, José Berríos, and Kevin Gausman have struggled more in 2024 but have mostly managed to help the team win games despite some regression. There is no doubt that the starting pitching core has given fans another reason to tune into games. The rise of Bowden Francis has certainly added more fun to the season along the way. For the series against Miami, Gausman and Francis won’t be pitching, but looking out for final performances from José Berríos, Yariel Rodriguez, and Chris Bassitt could add more thrill to the end of the season. 

Let the Buffalo Boys play

With Toronto’s decision to retool and take a step back, the team put newer and younger players on the field after the fateful trade deadline in the summer. Some rookies like infielder Will Wagner and Leo Jiménez have caught fans’ eyes through their eye-popping performances both defensively and offensively while outfielder Jonatan Clase showed off his strength in Toronto’s last game against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday. Members of the Buffalo Boys, Spencer Horwitz and Davis Schneider, have also made statements throughout the season. There are still exciting players to look for, and with more playing time, there is always a chance for these players to showcase their abilities even more. 

Defensive clinic

Toronto has put on some stellar defensive performances here and there this season that were noteworthy. They are, by no means, the best defensive team around the league, but they certainly have put on an absolute clinic both in the infield and on the outfield. Toronto’s outfield has especially been like a steel wall with incredibly talented outfielders like Joey Loperfido, George Springer and Daulton Varsho. While Varsho may be out for the season with an injury, Blue Jays fans can still count on amazing outfield defence and flashing potential for excellent infield defence, barring any agonizing errors or missteps. 

Unique name watch

Should you ever feel bored, there’s no need to worry because the opposing team, the Miami Marlins, have tons of players with unusual names that you can watch out for. It may not be a name like Jhonkensy Noel from the Cleveland Guardians, but here are some players with more unique names that you can watch out for: 

• Lake Bachar
• Valente Bellozo
• Xzavion Curry
• Vidal Bruján