Roster depth a hallmark for top-seeded Blue Jays

Just a few days ago, Blue Jays reliever Justin Bruihl was among a group of players at the team's Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo who continued training in case they were needed at the big-league level. 

TORONTO – Just a few days ago, Blue Jays reliever Justin Bruihl was among a group of players at the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo who continued training in case they were needed at the big-league level.

Bruihl got the call-up on Friday and provided a clean inning of relief Saturday in his first game action with Toronto in a month. It was the latest example of how the top-seeded Blue Jays have benefited from a wide variety of player contributions over the course of the regular season.

“You’ve got to stay locked in,” Bruihl said in a recent interview. “You can’t really let your guard down.”

Toronto closed out its regular season Sunday with a 13-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The win locked up the Blue Jays’ first American League East Division title since 2015.

As the first seed in the AL, Toronto also secured a bye to the AL Division Series starting Saturday at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays will play either the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox.

Toronto’s big-name stars like George Springer, Bo Bichette, Kevin Gausman, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and others have come through over the course of a 94-win campaign.

Lower-profile players have also delivered when needed. Ernie Clement has become a key cog in the infield and Addison Barger has blossomed into a middle-of-the-order power bat.

Myles Straw’s speed and defence have been invaluable. Fellow outfielder Nathan Lukes has emerged as an everyday player and utilityman Davis Schneider had a decent second half.