Get geared up for more October baseball in the 6 with this Blue Jays postseason preview
It's almost time for the postseason! As teams punch their tickets to the October party, we're taking a look back at their season -- giving away some Season Superlatives and also offering you a chance to learn which member of the team you actually are.
The Blue Jays are back in the postseason, and will host the Orioles in the American League Wild Card Game on Tuesday night at Rogers Centre. This was made clear after the Jays beat the Red Sox, 2-1, on Sunday at Fenway Park.
Needless to say, it's been an eventful season for the Jays, as any lineup boasting José Bautista, Josh Donaldson, Troy Tulowitzki and Edwin Encarnación (just to name a few) isn't without its superlative aspects. Those sluggers, plus a pitching staff led by the flashy Marcus Stroman, will be looking to make another deep run into October.
They'll have at least one high-profile fan rooting them on, as evidenced by this highlight reel narrated by Kiefer Sutherland that the team released after Sunday's clinch:
To that end, here's a look at some of the most entertaining superlative aspects of this year's Jays club as they set their sights on the Orioles.
Most amazing defensive play
It's hard to pick just one jaw-dropping example of glorious glovework from center fielder Kevin Pillar. The man is his own highlight reel, doing things on a near-daily basis that are just ridiculous:
That one, from a game against the Twins on May 22, featured Pillar running a Statcast™-official 19.7 mph in pursuit of a line drive into the left-center gap. This is just one of the many diving, sprawling catches that have made him a focus of conversation all season long.
Most entertaining dugout presence
Nobody dives into more dugouts than Russell Martin, and the Jays' catcher's infallible confidence and bravery has gone a long way toward giving him his gritty reputation. Really, though:
That's commitment to the play, and a willingness to go where opposing players usually don't -- the other team's dugout -- without really caring about anybody breaking your fall.
Honorable mention goes to Marco Estrada, who sees time in the dugout as a fantastic opportunity to keep up with his oral hygiene:
Most joyous celebration
Supporting MLB's lone Canadian team, Blue Jays fans have borrowed a tradition from their country's other favorite sport: When a player mashes three home runs in a single game -- baseball's equivalent of a hat trick -- fans rain their caps upon him in gleeful celebration. They did it last year, and they even did it on the road in Baltimore this season. But when Donaldson went long thrice at Rogers Centre at the end of August, he earned himself enough hats to open his own store:
Blue Jays fans are surely ready to lose their hats if it means October success -- but before that, there's one last thing to do to prepare for the postseason in Toronto. You have to figure out which Blue Jays player you are: