KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With three weeks and 18 games to go, the leverage on each day only keeps rising for the Toronto Blue Jays, who have both challenges in their rotation and room to be creative in trying to optimize for the crucial stretch ahead. 

A 6-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals on a scorching 35 C afternoon Sunday sent them west to Sacramento for a three-game set against the Athletics at 4-2 on this nine-game road trip, with ace Dylan Cease and Jose Soriano slated for the opening two contests there.

Barring........

© Sportsnet