Blue Jays Leap Into Top 3 in MLB Power Rankings Despite Yankees Series Loss

Even after dropping two of three against the New York Yankees, the Toronto Blue Jays move up to the number three spot in the most recent edition of MLB.com's power rankings.

Sep 3, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement (22) shakes hands with first baseman Ty France (2) after the victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays are embroiled in an intense battle with the New York Yankees to claim the American League East Division championship, and this past weekend's series saw their lead dwindle from three games to two as the Yankees claimed two of three in the Bronx.

After a dominant win on Friday night, the Blue Jays struggled to produce offense against New York's pitching staff, coming up with just four total runs in tough losses on Saturday and Sunday.

While Toronto is a virtual guarantee to return to the postseason, a division championship and bye into the ALDS would be an emphatic statement that the Jays are one of the league's legitimate World Series contenders.

Blue Jays Earn No. 3 Spot in Most Recent MLB.com Power Rankings

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In the latest edition of MLB.com's league-wide power rankings, analyst Will Leitch placed the Blue Jays at No. 3. That's up from the number five spot last week, and it comes despite a relatively underwhelming 3-3 week against the Yankees and Cincinnati Reds. Toronto jumped the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers, two clubs that have been on cold spells.

"As the AL East race gets closer and closer -- in large part because of the Jays’ bullpen struggles -- Toronto’s rotation has had more and more pressure on it," Leitch wrote. "It has definitely been embraced by a rotation mostly stacked with veterans."

Leitch is right to point out that the Jays' starting rotation has picked up the slack after struggling earlier in the season. Since August 1, Toronto's starters own a 3.84 ERA, good for eighth in all of MLB.

Chris Bassitt worked five innings without allowing an earned run in Saturday's loss to New York, and Kevin Gausman was phenomenal in Friday's win, holding the Yanks to one run in his eight innings.

Shane Bieber has been solid in his three appearances since joining the rotation, and his 4.15 ERA is not sufficiently reflective of how well he's pitched. He's striking out more than a batter per inning and his WHIP is a ridiculous 0.81.

With a diminished lead in the division, every game is absolutely crucial for the Blue Jays the rest of the way.

A three-game set at home against another division leader in the Houston Astros looms large, and then back-to-back sets against divisional opponents in the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays will go a long way toward determining whether or not Toronto can maintain this lead, as well as its status as a perceived top three club in baseball.