The Toronto Blue Jays are experiencing a significant downturn in their 2026 season, a stark contrast to their near-championship run last year. The team is currently in the basement of the AL East and is struggling with a sub-.500 record. This decline has led to a perceived shift in team dynamics, with veteran pitcher Kevin Gausman noting a loss of the close-knit camaraderie that defined their successful 2025 campaign.
"We're just not nearly as close-knit of a group as we were last year," Gausman said on the Toronto Star’s baseball podcast, “Deep Left Field.” He added, "Every single person here is frustrated, annoyed, mad, but it is what it is. This is the group we've got. I still believe in every single guy in that room, and in the staff that's leading them."
The Blue Jays may consider trading players before the upcoming deadline, and Gausman, a free agent after this season, could be a valuable asset. The team's struggles this year have multiple baseball explanations, including significant injuries to key players like George Springer, Alejandro Kirk, and Addison Barger. The pitching rotation has also underperformed, with limited contributions from Cody Ponce, Jose Berrios, Shane Bieber, and Max Scherzer. Offensive production has also lagged, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Daulton Varsho facing difficulties at the plate; Guerrero Jr. has yet to hit a home run at Rogers Centre this season.
Adding to the team's challenges, veterans Bo Bichette and Chris Bassitt departed in the offseason, preventing the Blue Jays from running back one of their strongest teams in franchise history. "Bassitt and Bo are two guys who had been around. They knew how to win," said Ernie Clement. "Any clubhouse wants guys like that and misses guys like that."
While Clement did not directly state the team is less close than last year, he acknowledged a different atmosphere. "It's just a different team, it's just a different group," Clement explained. "I don't know if we're not as close, but it's just different. I don't really know how to explain it."