Blue Jays' sweep of Yankees shows they mean business in the AL East

That message? The Blue Jays mean business. 

It's a stunning rise for Toronto, who sat in fourth place at 25-27 as recently as May. But a 16-10 June and a 3-0 start to July have propelled the Blue Jays to the top spot in the AL East division, moving the Yankees down to second for the time being.

No player was more critical to Toronto's romping of New York than outfielder George Springer, who went 8-for-14 with four home runs and 11 RBI over the four-game series. The 35-year-old is in the midst of a resurgent campaign after several underwhelming and injury-plagued seasons since signing with the Blue Jays.

With an upcoming schedule consisting of the Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox and the Athletics before the All-Star break, Toronto has a prime opportunity to sustain its momentum and potentially hold first place at the break. 

No one could've foreseen this rapid Blue Jays ascent, but there's at least some doubt that this run will continue: Toronto's +9 run differential, for example, means the club is overachieving and should be playing more like a .500 squad. However, FanGraphs seems to believe in this run, giving the Blue Jays a 82% chance to make the playoffs in 2025. 

Ultimately, much of the Blue Jays' fate will be decided in the next few weeks as the MLB trade deadline looms at the end of July. How their front office acts will reveal just what they think of their newly resurgent team. 

For now, though, the Blue Jays have made an emphatic statement in the AL East. The rest of the division (and the Yankees, especially) should take notice.