Toronto Blue Jays: AL East favorites?

Don’t look now, but the Toronto Blue Jays are sitting atop the AL East as we close in on the 50-game mark in the MLB season.

Led by players like Melky Cabrera (.322 average, eight home runs, 28 RBI), Toronto has shown that they are a team capable of beating any opponent on their 2014 schedule. Thus far, they’ve won series against teams like the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics. You can’t argue the way that this team has played up to their opponent during their recent 10-1 stretch – it appears that the Blue Jays are looking to put together a run like the 2012 Baltimore Orioles.

Here are a few notable stats from the team’s biggest contributors:

Edwin Encarnacion: 15 home runs and 41 RBI in 202 at-bats

Jose Bautista: .289 batting average, 35 RBI, .421 on-base percentage in 187 at-bats

Melky Cabrera: 69 hits in 51 games

Around the league, the Blue Jays are making a name for themselves as a team. While their pitching ranks among some of the league’s worst, the lineup has come through in a big way. As they sit near the top of nearly every hitting category in the AL, it’s time to consider whether we need to take this team seriously.

Our friends at Jays Journal recently wondered if this team is the real deal. While I’m all in on this offense, I can’t overlook how mediocre the pitching has been. Runs are coming now, but are we really going to trust that it can continue throughout the year?

Look at the 458 hits they’ve let up.

Look at the 214 earned runs they’ve allowed.

How about the 196 walks?

The 1.42 WHIP?

I understand that they’re “doing enough”, but when does that stop becoming the answer to putting wins on the board night after night?

The AL East is a tough division. Soon enough, rivals are going to heat up and make stronger runs than they have thus far. Will the Toronto Blue Jays be able to keep up and battle throughout their full schedule?