Even a week ago, the Boston Red Sox were the hottest team in the AL, as they emerged from a blistering July run (21-4). The tables have turned since then, and the Toronto Blue Jays, once in the trenches of the AL, are now pushing for the playoffs. After defeating the Red Sox for the third game in a row, they are only 1.5 games behind the final AL Wild Card spot. Powered by an on-field blunder from Willson Contreras, the Blue Jays won 6-4 on Wednesday. Following the lucky win, manager John Schneider is thanking the baseball gods.

“Maybe the baseball gods are changing their minds about us after about 10 months. You never know,” said manager John Schneider, per Sportsnet.

On Wednesday, it was anyone’s game till the top of the eighth inning, as the score was knotted at 1-1. And then Kazuma Okamoto set off Toronto’s offense with an RBI single. After allowing an intentional walk to Guerrero Jr, Tyron Guerrero walked Ernie Clement to load the bases, while Brandon Valenzuela scored.

With the Blue Jays leading 3-1, the Red Sox pulled Guerrero and sent Alec Gamboa to the mound. Inheriting an already disastrous eighth, Gamboa allowed two more runs to slip through.

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George Springer helped Okamoto reach home on his sac fly, and then Myles Straw doubled to left. Ernie Clement and Andrés Giménez scored on the RBI double to cement a 6-1 lead. By the time Gamboa retired the last two hitters, the damage was done.

The Red Sox could not pull themselves up from the 6-1 hole, despite their three-run surge in the ninth inning.

However, the Red Sox could have had a better chance at winning if Willson Contreras avoided his on-field blunder.

Before Okamoto sparked in the eighth inning, Contreras had an opportunity to help retire the slugger when a foul ball popped up. But luck was in the Blue Jays’ favor.

Contreras missed and dropped the ball, letting Okamoto continue his at-bat. The Blue Jays cashed in on the Red Sox’s mistakes on Wednesday.

“You got to take advantage of mistakes. So yeah, it seems like maybe a month ago, a couple of weeks ago, that ball would have been fair; it would have been an infield fly rule, but from me to the baseball gods: Thanks, keep it coming.”

As Schneider pointed out, Okamoto’s routine pop-up could have been called an infield fly rule. Then, the Blue Jays would not have been as fortunate.

According to the rule, a batter is automatically declared out on a routine pop-up in the infield with fewer than two outs and runners on first and second base or the bases loaded. This rule ensures that players don’t intentionally drop the ball to make a double play.

Something similar happened during Game 3 of the 2025 NLDS at Wrigley Field in October, 2025. And coincidentally, it included another one from the Contreras family.

In the top of the first inning, Milwaukee Brewers batter William Contreras hit a high infield pop-up up the first-base line with runners on first and second and one out. The Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch lost it in the sun and threw his hands up. Infielders converged late as the ball fell safely, leaving second base uncovered and letting runners advance to load the bases. But umps didn’t signal an infield fly.

The entire confusion created a six-and-a-half-second of hang time. Since no Cubs infielder moved toward the ball or indicated to the umps that they could make the play with ordinary effort, the infield fly rule was not called, and the popup was allowed to play out.

Now, coming back to 2026, on Thursday, the Blue Jays will aim to sweep the Red Sox to close out their four-game set. And as the Blue Jays continue their playoff push, they have found a new arm for their overtaxed bullpen.

Blue Jays claim Paul Sewald

The Toronto Blue Jays are playing with an overtaxed bullpen. The Blue Jays’ relievers have pitched 43.1 innings this season since the trade deadline. It’s the highest in MLB in this span. With their recent hot streak, a fresh arm was the need of the hour.

So, they have acquired Paul Sewald off waivers. He was designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“Veteran guy, we’ve seen him a lot; he’s had some really good years and kind of a weird down year this year. We’re at the point looking for a little bit of stability. It’s tough to find a (player) who’s been around in the big leagues and been in some big spots at this time of year,” noted Schneider, per Sportsnet.

“It’s been kind of a weird year for him keeping the ball in the park. We’re just going to try to tighten up some matchups for him.”

36-year-old Paul Sewald had a good start to the season before he hit a rough patch at the end of June.

From a 3.50 ERA in mid-June, his numbers rapidly ballooned till he was DFA’d. Sewald walked away from the D’backs with a 6.23 ERA across 45 outings and 24 saves. He has allowed 12 home runs with a K/BB rate of 4.89.

Before a shoulder strain in 2025 and multiple other injuries, Sewald had an impressive record from 2021 to 2023. He was playing for the Seattle Mariners before joining the D’backs. During that span. Sewald posted a cumulative 2.92 ERA with 65 saves across 192 games. He threw 189.1 innings while striking out 265.

Now, with the Blue Jays’ 8% – 12% chances of making it to the playoffs, the skipper would definitely pray to the baseball gods to get Sewald back to his previous form.