Toronto Blue Jays can be serious about contending for the first time in a decade

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Now that they’ve proven they can be contenders, it’s time for the surprising and entertaining Blue Jays to get serious.

Get serious about winning the American League East for the first time in a decade and casting aside the aim-low mindset of “settling” for the pursuit of a wild-card spot.

Get serious about showing that the surge to first place with that 10-game winning streak prior to the break was a truer indication than what they were in the first month of the season.

And from the front office, get serious about continuing to operate like the big-market team they are, shredding the perception it might have among some corners of Major League Baseball.

In other words, more than any other season in the era of team president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins, it’s go time for the Blue Jays.

Think about it, since that front office reign began in earnest in 2016 or 2017, take your pick, this is the closest the team has been to the real deal.

The fact that the opportunity has arrived later than expected, given the breakthrough of 2021 when the team was perceived to be one loaded with so much young talent that it would be a contender for years to come, well that only heightens the anticipation of the remaining 66 games — and ideally more.

The fact that the AL East specifically and the American League as a whole may be more available for the taking than since the Jose Bautista-Josh Donaldson-John Gibbons era of Blue Jays baseball, it’s all the more reason to get excited about what awaits.

Though there is still plenty of baseball to be played and the opportunity for a handful of swings, good and bad, between now and October, the demarcation points for manager John Schneider’s team will come fast and furious.

For the 55-41 Jays, a record good enough to get them a two-game edge on the New York Yankees (and now just three on the surging Boston Red Sox, winners of 10 in a row) the initial reckoning arrives on Friday.

The first 10-game stretch out of the break is a whopper for the Jays, a stern test that can give an early indication of how legit their contender credentials might be. It starts with three against the San Francisco Giants (52-45), followed by three against the Yankees (who surely won’t roll over as they did earlier in the month during a four-game sweep at the hands of the Jays) and then on to Detroit for four against the AL-leading Tigers.

By the time that stretch is done, the Jays will be just four days away from the July 31 trade deadline, with Atkins expected to be one of the most aggressive buyers in the league.

If last winter was his most critical off-season as GM, this certainly feels like it’s easily Atkins’ most critical trade deadline, one where fans will expect him to channel some of the magic Alex Anthopoulos unleashed in 2015.

While that long ago narrative is growing weary and Atkins certainly has had some success at the deadline, because of the opportunity that exists, this one feels especially large.

So what do the Jays need to do in the weeks ahead to not just remain contenders, but enhance that status?

Almost assuredly they’ll need more from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a return from injury plus some production from Anthony Santander.

They’ll need reliever Yimi Garcia to come back to health and Jeff Hoffman to buckle up and cement his status as a big-league closer.

They’ll need to continue to push offensively in anticipation of a different approach from opponents who may have been caught off guard during that impressive 39-21 run since May 8.

They’ll need to continue playing with the confidence that almost exudes from the dugout these days and believe they can play with anyone — an intangible that often separates good teams from those that want to be.

They’ll need some deadline enhancements, notably bullpen depth and potentially an impact starter, given the wear and tear on the present group that showed some signs of weariness and inconsistency of late.

And they’ll have to brace for what could be a wild divisional race with the possibility of the Jays, Yankees, Red Sox and Rays being in the mix come September.

Getting way ahead of things, the Jays end their regular season with a six-game home stand that features three each against the Red Sox and Rays.

As impressive as that 13-4 stretch leading into the break was, dropping three of four to end was at least a hint of the challenges to come. But a team that has shown resiliency and resolve to get to this point has earned its way into the mix.

What unfolds over the remaining 66 games is loaded with the opportunity to electrify a fan base like we haven’t seen since 2016.

And it feels like a long time coming.