Photo by Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
We know what happened last year, but this series feels like it's over. I'm talking sweep, Sunday, when Blue Jays ace and American League ERA leader Aaron Sanchez takes on Texas' Colby Lewis in what, on paper, looks like an utter mismatch.The Blue Jays pounded Cole Hamels in Game 1 before smashing four homers off Yu Darvish on Friday to take a commanding 2-0 series lead. They did it on the road against the AL's best regular-season team, no less. Darvish allowed five runs in five innings—including three solo homers in the fifth, two off light hitters Kevin Pillar and Ezequiel Carrera—while Hamels surrendered six runs and was unable to get out of the fourth.If anything can be considered a statement win, these were it. The Blue Jays needed Game 162 to secure a playoff spot, setting themselves up for a wild-card date with the Orioles. Toronto then needed 11 innings of nail-biting ball to come out on top in the thrilling winner-take-all game. That all seems like a distance memory now, so does the club's struggling offence.As good as the Blue Jays have looked, though, and before we crown them victors, it was only a year ago when the Rangers found themselves in a similarly comfortable position before coming up short.The Rangers won the first two games of last season's epic ALDS match with the Blue Jays, and did it on the road, as well. They went back to Texas needing one victory to eliminate Toronto after winning an exhilarating 14-inning Game 2 at Rogers Centre. But the Blue Jays won Game 3, and then the next one, before completing the comeback with the signature moment of the season in what was the game of the year. No one expected the Blue Jays to storm back and win three straight. Somehow, they did, giving Rangers players and fans some hope.But… it feels like Joey Bats and the Blue Jays have delivered another punch-to-the-gut moment, and it's tough to envision Rougned Odor and the AL-West champion Rangers striking back to make this a series. Not when Texas would have to go through Sanchez and some combination of Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada and J.A. Happ—a foursome that led a surprisingly excellent Blue Jays starting rotation.The Blue Jays will go for the sweep Sunday in front of what promises to be a rocking and hostile environment in Toronto. Fun stuff.
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