For the first time since 1993, the Blue Jays are in first place this late in the season.
Toronto notched seven runs in the second inning and eventually downed the Athletics 10-3 for its 10th straight victory on Wednesday while the Yankees dropped their fifth straight, a 2-1 loss to the Indians.
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As a result, the Blue Jays are in sole possession of first place in the AL East with a half-game lead over the Yankees.
Toronto hasn't made the postseason since beating Philadelphia in six games in the 1993 World Series, and while it will be a long battle to the AL East crown, for the first time in decades it's fun to root for the Blue Jays again.
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The Bronx Bombers and Jays go head-to-head 10 more times this season, including a three-game set in Toronto beginning Friday.
Here are three reasons why Toronto is in first place in the AL East:
1) Deadly Deadline
The Blue Jays took several steps to bolster their roster at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, most notably adding shortstop Troy Tulowitzki from the Rockies and coveted left-hander David Price from the Tigers.
Tulowitzki homered in his club debut and has three long balls in 14 games with Toronto, while Price is 2-0 with a stingy 0.60 ERA in his two starts with the team.
2) Pitching Perfection
Price is part of a rotation that has found its form, as Blue Jays pitchers have gone 16 straight games allowing three earned runs or fewer, which is their longest streak since 1991, according to The Score.
On Wednesday, it was R.A. Dickey's turn, as the knuckleballer yielded three earned runs on six hits in six innings while striking out four and walking two.
3) Strength of Schedule
During their 10-game winning streak, the Blue Jays have taken advantage of the free-falling Twins and AL West bottom-feeding Athletics.
Yes, Toronto deserves all the credit in the world for its three-game sweep of the Yankees last weekend, but it also has been getting the job done against teams it should beat, sandwiching a four-game sweep of Minnesota and a two-game drubbing of Oakland in between their battle in the Bronx.
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