Toronto Blue Jays Record 16-19 (.457) Last place in the AL East
Philadelphia Phillies Record 25-11 (OMG) First place in the NL East
In 2024’s Baseball Prospectus, Steve Sladkowski (from the punk band PUP), laments what he perceives as the Blue Jays’ loss of joy. “[T]he joy of the game I’m talking about here is a joy of the game that exists within the larger world of the season. That joy is one that is irresistible in the best teams, even when they’re struggling.”
Despite the crest the Phillies have ridden of late, they will, as every team does, inevitably sink into a trough, however temporary.