Gregor Chisholm: Maybe the Blue Jays are starting to get John Schneider’s message. Beating up on the brutal White Sox is step one

It is almost a given that the Blue Jays will need to start playing better over the next two weeks if they hope to salvage their season and return to the race.

Following a taxing string of games against postseason opponents, the Jays have reached a weak point in their schedule. The next 13 games, which include Monday’s series start at the Rogers Centre, are against the sub-.500 Pittsburgh Pirates, the Detroit Tigers, and the Chicago White Sox, who are currently in last place.

The Jays’ record will rise to at least.500 if they win all four of their series. That would allow them to try for a mid-season turnaround and ensure that the third wild-card spot would remain within reach as summer approaches.

Jose Berríos opened the so-called easy slate on Monday, pitching six shutout innings and Danny Jansen going three for five as the No. 2 hitter in a 9-3 victory over the White Sox.The Jays would win their first series against the San Diego Padres since April 19–21 if they prevailed Tuesday or Wednesday.

When questioned about the next slate, Jays manager John Schneider responded, “I believe we’re more (focused on) winning tonight.” “That has been the theme for the past few days, and it was the theme of today’s meeting.

“You can’t let your schedule and the people you’re playing get to you down. You must tend to what you are able to. I believe that guys are only concerned about winning now, and regardless of the result, they will still feel the same tomorrow.

The only team in the league without a sweep this year is the Jays. During this period, that will need to improve, especially with five games left against the White Sox, who own the fewest victories in the majors.

The humble White Sox have improved in recent weeks, going 11–12 since their 3–22 start. However, the team that has Charlie Montoyo, a former manager of the Jays, on the bench was just destroyed by the New York Yankees and is currently on a four-game losing skid. There’s plenty of opportunity to win.

It was a rare triumph for the Jays, who had lost four of their previous five games by a single run, that they had on Monday. They were ahead 1-0 thanks to a two-run home run by Daulton Varsho in the second inning. In the third, Jansen and Vladmir Guerrero Jr. each scored one run each, giving the Jays two more runs.

With a perfect 4-for-4 performance, Bo Bichette helped the Jays win the game in the late innings.That handed Berríos the win as he produced yet another strong performance, building on his early-season success.The first-day starter gave up three runs on eight hits and struck out six batters.

Out of ten starts, Berríos has given up three runs or fewer in all but one of them. After Monday’s game, he ranked second in the AL with eight quality starts, 18th in opponents’ batting average (.223), and 14th with an ERA of 2.98. The former Jay Paul DeJong, who finished 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, and two runs, was the batter who gave him the most trouble.

Catcher Jansen described Berríos as “throwing a lot of strikes, getting in the zone.” “He is an apparatus. He is going to launch an offensive. He offers a variety of pitches. It was enjoyable to compete with him.

The Jays would want to make the most of their easy schedule since the competition will get harder in June. Five of the following eight series, following three games against the Pirates, are against clubs who are presently vying for a postseason position. Two more involve Boston, the division foe.

The Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Rays (two), Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, and Baltimore Orioles are the teams that the July schedule is comparable to. If the Jays don’t start bankrolling victories right away and climb back above.500, they run the risk of finishing last in June.

“They play Major League Baseball, so they’re on the same level as us,” Bertríos remarked. “We must go out there and execute the proper strategy for the game. We have improved our play and at-bat technique over the past eight to ten games so far. All we need to do is keep collaborating.”

The Jays’ improvement to 16-2 when scoring at least five on Monday was a positive step in the right direction.

There were constant reminders to players not to take major-league clubs for granted; in a sport this volatile, there is no such thing as a layup. Nevertheless, it appears as though the Jays will either make a push in the upcoming two weeks or not at all.

One down, twelve to go on the Jays’ journey back to respectability as cellar dwellers.