UPDATE: We're doing it again
Instant Reaction: Blue Jays defeat Tigers to move into top spot in MLB
Photo credit: © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Jul 25, 2025, 22:00 EDTUpdated: Jul 25, 2025, 22:19 EDT
It’s July 25, and the Toronto Blue Jays will finish the night with the best record in baseball.
On Friday evening, the Blue Jays won their second consecutive game against the Detroit Tigers, this time defeating them 6-2 to bring their record to 62-42. Let’s take a look at what happened in this one!
For the second straight game, the Tigers opened the scoring, as Dillon Dingler hit an RBI double in the bottom of the first for a 1-0 lead. It took some time, but the Blue Jays finally got on the board in the top of the fourth, as Addison Barger hit his 23rd double of the season to tie the game, followed by an error on a ball in play by Joey Loperfido to take a 2-1 lead.
Another game, another four-run inning. With runners on the corners and no outs in the top of the fifth, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit an RBI double to extend the Jays’ lead to 3-1. Bo Bichette followed that with a double of his own, hooking it down the line to drive in two more runs. With the Tigers’ infield drawn in, Alejandro Kirk hit a single to make it 6-1.
The Tigers added a second run in the bottom of the sixth, as Spencer Torkelson hit a home run, but it wasn’t nearly enough.
Takeaways…
For the first time in 33 years, the Blue Jays have the best record in the league this late in the season. I’m not even sure what you can say about this team anymore other than that they are special. The trade deadline is going to be fun.
With the Milwaukee Brewers falling 5-1 on Friday, the Blue Jays were able to move a half game up for the league’s best record. The New York Yankees fell 12-5, and the Boston Red Sox also lost their game on Friday. Now, the Blue Jays have a five-and-a-half game lead in the American League East division.
As for what went on in this game, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two doubles, while Addison Barger and Bo Bichette each hit one double. The Jays finished with 13 hits, Nathan Lukes had two, George Springer had three, Guerrero Jr. and Joey Loperfido also had two. The only player without a hit in the lineup was Will Wagner, who was 0-3.
On the mound, José Berríos pitched six innings, giving up two earned runs and striking out six in six innings of work. All three relievers the Jays used, Braydon Fisher, Brendon Little, and Yariel Rodríguez, all pitched a clean inning with a strikeout.
The Jays have a chance to win the four-game series against the American League Central leaders, as Saturday’s game starts at 6:10 PM ET. Kevin Gausman is expected to start, with Tarik Skubal starting for the Tigers.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.