Blue Jays officially eliminated from playoff contention with loss to Orioles - Toronto Star

After losing in Game 7 of the World Series last year, the Blue Jays will not compete in the 2026 MLB post-season.

A Blue Jays branded batting weight sits in the on-deck circle during Wednesday’s afternoon game against the Baltimore Orioles.

In their magical 2015 season, the Blue Jays clinched the American League East division title in the first game of a doubleheader in Baltimore on the final Wednesday of the regular season.

This year, a 4-2 loss to the Orioles in the first game of a doubleheader in Baltimore on the final Wednesday of the regular season means the Jays have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

Not only that, but a team that was the top seed in the American League last season and went all the way to Game 7 of the World Series now has to win all four remaining games this season just to finish at .500.

It’s the third time in the last seven seasons that the Jays won’t take part in the post-season, but also the second time in three years. Depending on how the final four games go, it could also be the second time in three years that the Jays finish in last place.

After a sorry start to the season, the Jays went 23-12 from July 29 to Sept. 5 — the best record in the majors over that span — to move into the final wild-card spot in the AL, but have gone 5-10 since to fall completely out of the race.

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Mike Wilner is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star and host of the baseball podcast “Deep Left Field.” Follow him on Bluesky: @wilnerness