The Toronto Blue Jays lost to the New York Yankees on Sunday, dropping the final game of the three-game set against their divisional rivals, but they did perform very well over an extremely difficult 17-game stretch that featured 13 consecutive AL East games at the end.

In those 17 games, the Jays went 10-7, moving to 1.5 games back of the third and final wild card spot. Though it's been a disappointing season overall, the Jays still have a chance to get to the playoffs for a second straight year.

And that chance is only going to get greater over the final 30 games of the season. As we noted a few weeks ago, the schedule was always going to get favorable after this stretch. Well, it's even more favorable than we thought, as the Jays won't see any teams over .500 the rest of the season. Furthermore, they'll have several chances to impact those teams right around them in the standings. 

A playoff berth feels like it's right in their hands and in their control.

At 58-74, the Royals are in last place in the American League Central. However, it should be noted that they have won nine of their last 10 games and eight in a row. So, this could be the toughest remaining matchup for Toronto, though it's likely a little easier without Maikel Garcia, who recently went on the injured list for KC.

The repeat of last year's American League Championship Series still has playoff implications, as the Mariners are somehow only three games back in the American League West. That said, they are 62-69 and just got beat 19-2 by the Cubs on Sunday, after getting beaten 22-0 on Tuesday.

Cleveland is 65-66 and currently holds the third and final wild card spot after four straight wins, so they are playing well at the right time. That said, they don't have much offense to bring to the table. The Blue Jays can really help themselves with a series win here.

The A's have the worst record in the American League and this series will be played in the most hitter friendly ballpark in the sport. The A's are 51-80 and playing without some of their best players like Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker, who are both out.

The O's are just 1/2 game behind the Blue Jays right now at 63-68, so in addition to facing a team under .500, the Jays will also get a chance to impact their playoff chances. Remember, the O's traded Adley Rutschman and Taylor Ward at the trade deadline.

At 61-69, the Tigers are 3.5 games back in the wild card race, but remember, they dealt Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize at the trade deadline.

The Rangers are battling for both the AL West and the third wild card, but they are also just 65-66. They do feature good pitching in the form of Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi.

The Reds are in last place in the NL Central at 62-69 and they feature one of the lightest-hitting offenses in the league. Will the Blue Jays be able to avoid Chase Burns on the mound?