TORONTO -- It could have been a series sweep, but the Blue Jays will call it a series win on the eve of a major stretch against the AL East.

Sunday afternoon’s 3-2 loss to the Angels at Rogers Centre didn’t sting quite as much, though, as news spread just minutes after the game that Toronto agreed to a deal to acquire hard-throwing reliever Jordan Hicks from the Cardinals. The deal marks the start of a fascinating couple of days leading up to Tuesday’s Trade Deadline.

A 10th-inning homer from Hunter Renfroe made the difference on Sunday, and while the Blue Jays couldn’t grab the sweep that was in their hands, they now sit just five games back of the Orioles in the AL East, who were slated to play the Yankees on Sunday at 7:10 p.m. ET.

Toronto also remains two games up on the Red Sox for the final AL Wild Card spot, with Boston scheduled to play San Francisco on Sunday afternoon.

The division hunt
On July 1, the Blue Jays were 11 games back of the first-place Rays, still staring up at the Yankees and the surging Orioles. Everything has changed since then.

The Orioles, powered by a young core that should compete for the division crown for years, have already overtaken the mighty Rays. The Yankees fell off while waiting for Aaron Judge’s return, and quietly, while all this happened, the Blue Jays snuck up. The division has gone from a pipe dream to something this club is staring right in the face.

“I think we’re in a great spot,” said manager John Schneider. “I think we’re playing as well as we have. Guys are excited for the next couple of series that are coming up, for sure. I think there’s still an opportunity for us to continue to be more consistent. We’re excited for this, and I think we’re in a great spot.”

This week’s four-game set against the Orioles is the biggest series of the season so far, and with a 3-1 series win, let’s say, the Blue Jays could move within two games of Baltimore for the division lead. All roads lead to the final two weeks of the season, though, when Toronto’s final 12 games come against the Yankees and Rays. That “playoff atmosphere” is about to come early.

A starter primed for the postseason
José Berríos did what he always does, setting the Blue Jays up for success with six innings of one-run ball. Coming off a brutal 2022 season, Berríos has rebounded beautifully and reemerged as a rock in the middle of Toronto’s rotation. If the postseason started tomorrow, he’d have a great case to start Game 2 behind Kevin Gausman.

“It’s him understanding that, when his command is on, he’s as good as anybody,” Schneider said. “Today, he realized his breaking ball is a really good pitch to a lot of their lefties. He probably didn’t have his best fastball command and had some close misses, but he’s able to adjust and adapt throughout the game. His breaking ball was really good for him today.”

A slump for Springer
When George Springer’s deep fly ball fell just short in the wall in center to end the first inning, he rounded first base and raised his hands to the sky, a plea for an answer from anyone who was listening.

With an 0-for-5 day, Springer is riding an 0-for-30 stretch that has dropped his average to .249 and OPS to .701.

“I thought his at-bats today were great, with three of the deepest outs you can hit,” Schneider said. “Even his at-bats yesterday got better as the game went on. There was a tough call there in the 10th inning that could have gone either way, but really encouraged with the way he’s going about it.”

In the middle of all this, Springer was dropped out of the leadoff spot for the first time since 2021, replaced by Whit Merrifield. It’s an understandable move, given the direction each player is going in lately, but never one you would have expected going into the season, especially with Springer avoiding any major injuries through the first four months.

The Blue Jays signed Springer to perform in the postseason, though, and there’s still plenty of time for that to happen. The 2017 World Series MVP owns a career .270 average with 19 home runs and an .885 OPS in 65 postseason games, and unless the final two months swallow the Blue Jays whole, he should have an opportunity to add to that reputation.