Toronto Blue Jays' Josh Donaldson, right, is all smiles for teammate Troy Tulowitzki after he came into score in the second inning of their American League MLB baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Toronto on July 10, 2016.Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press
It's been a long time since the Toronto Blue Jays have looked this good heading into the all-star break. With their 6-1 win at Rogers Centre against the Detroit Tigers, Toronto secured its 51st victory of 2016, the most at the midway point of the season by a Blue Jays team since the 1992 World Series championship squad.
It marked Toronto's eighth win in nine games, leaving the team two games back of the division-leading Baltimore Orioles. Baseball stops for a four-day rest as the best players from the American and National leagues meet in San Diego for the midsummer classic.
"It's been a roller coaster at times, but for the most part we've been playing pretty well," said Josh Donaldson, the reigning AL MVP, who'll represent the Blue Jays at the All-Star Game along with Marco Estrada (injured), Edwin Encarnacion, Michael Saunders and Aaron Sanchez.
Donaldson paced the Blue Jays' performance with a three-run shot to send Toronto into the break on a high note.
In the fourth inning, the all-star third baseman smoked his 23rd homer, which gave him 80 runs, the most home runs by a major-leaguer before the break since 2008. He also became one of six players in AL history to record at least 20 homers and 80 runs before the break, joining Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Reggie Jackson, Frank Thomas and Alex Rodriguez. That's not bad company.
"Josh does what, of course, Josh does," said R.A. Dickey, who lasted seven innings for the third consecutive start to improve his record to 7-9.
In Sunday's finale, everyone in the Blue Jays lineup got in on the offensive action. Even Josh Thole, the sub-.200 hitting backup catcher who only draws duty when Dickey is pitching, collected two hits and a pair of runs batted in.
Kevin Pillar had a three-hit game, while Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki each swatted a pair.
"It's great to see so many guys contribute," Dickey said.
Tulowitzki, who struggled at the plate early in the year, batting .199 through his first 47 games, has come on strong. Since being activated from the disabled list, the star shortstop is batting .313 (25-for-80) with seven home runs and 20 RBIs in his past 20 games.
While the Blue Jays' heavy-hitting lineup, which has 130 home runs, did what most expected in the first half, the team's starters pulled their weight as well. Toronto's rotation has held opposing offences to three earned runs or fewer in 12 successive games, a sign that from Nos. 1 through 5, everyone is contributing. The Jays have the best ERA for starters in the AL (3.64).
Dickey, a veteran of 14 major-league seasons, said he's never been a part of a pitching staff that is as close to one another as Toronto's.
He called it a "team within a team."
"We challenge each other, we work out together, we laugh together, we encourage one another, we help one another," said Dickey, who walked two and gave up one earned run on five hits. "It's a neat little staff because we have so many different looks."
He said he, and fellow veterans Estrada and J.A. Happ, have taken enjoyment in watching the Jays' two young former first-round draft choices – Marcus Stroman and Sanchez – grow into major-leaguers.
Stroman, the team's opening day starter, struggled through May and June, but seems to have turned a corner his last two times out, allowing three earned runs over his past 142/3 innings.
Sanchez, meanwhile, has been rock-solid. The hard-throwing righty was rewarded for his stellar first half with a late all-star selection on Saturday. He's posted a 9-1 record with a 2.97 ERA, presenting management with a difficult decision as to whether it will stick with its plan to send him to the bullpen in order to limit his innings.
"We're learning from the young guys too, just like they're learning from us," Dickey said. "That dynamic is special and it's not something I take for granted."
The Blue Jays resume their regular season Friday in Oakland, though they'll still likely be without slugger Jose Bautista and Estrada. Bautista (turf toe) began hitting off a tee over the weekend, but a timeline for his return has not been set. Estrada, meanwhile, could return from his lower-back injury in time for the team's next home series against the Seattle Mariners, which starts July 22.