The Toronto Blue Jays finished in fourth place in the American League East last season and missed the postseason for the second consecutive year.
There is hope for the Blue Jays, however, and newly hired manager Charlie Montoyo recently made an interesting comparison between his up-and-coming team and the Boston Red Sox.
Montoyo makes a lot of sense here.
The Red Sox finished last in the AL East in 2014 and 2015 as they transitioned from a veteran team that won the 2013 World Series to one that would be led by many homegrown stars. Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. made huge strides in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 before ultimately playing key roles in Boston returning to the World Series and beating the Los Angeles Dodgers last October.
The Blue Jays are hoping for a similar ascent with their own collection of elite young talent, headlined by third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., widely considered the best prospect in baseball. Guerrero and shortstop Bo Bichette are top 10 prospects, and catcher Danny Jansen also is highly rated.
Toronto isn't likely to compete for a playoff spot in 2019, but that shouldn't be the goal. The most important tasks for the Blue Jays are doing everything possible to help their best young players improve and lay a strong foundation for future success. The talent is there, now it's time to develop it.
Boston Red Sox
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