Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay, right, has seen progress with the team's approach at the plate. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

When it comes to the Toronto Blue Jays' playoff chances, a guarded sense of optimism still prevails in the team's clubhouse.

Look no further than manager Cito Gaston, a surprise replacement for the deposed John Gibbons in mid-June, who hasn't abandoned the idea of a late-season rally.

"If you could just get through and play decent for the rest of the year, that'd be good," Gaston told the team's official website. "It's going to be real tough for us to go over all those clubs unless you win a whole bunch of games in a row. If you rip off 10 in a row, who knows?

"We're not giving up, but you're going to have to have some sort of winning streak like that to catch up with those guys."

Based on how they went into the all-star break, a strong finish to the season may not be far-fetched. Toronto entered the mid-season break with a 5-1 homestand to sit one game under the break-even mark at 47-48.

During that stretch, which included a sweep of the Baltimore Orioles and a series win over the New York Yankees, the Blue Jays managed to score at least four runs in each game — their longest streak of such productivity this season.

Small steps, to be sure, but for players like ace Roy Halladay, it's part of a bigger change since Gaston took over.

"Cito's brought in a new hitting approach," Halladay said. "Is there a certain team approach we kind of take on where we're playing series this way, or games this way? I just don't think we have... an identity and that's something I think Cito is bringing. I feel like there's more of an emphasis on winning and progressing that's better.

Toronto will need to keep progressing if they hope to overcome a first half dominated by equal parts injury and ineffectiveness at the plate. As a result, the team that started the season as self-proclaimed playoff contenders may have become an also-ran by the all-star break.

As the Colorado Rockies proved in 2007, late-season miracles can happen. But they're in much shorter supply in the American League East, where the Jays begin the post-all-star portion of the schedule nine games behind the division-leading Boston Red Sox, and trailing the surprising Tampa Bay Rays and Yankees.

The Rays are 8.5 games ahead of the Blue Jays for the wild card, but that might be even tougher to clinch with even more teams to leapfrog.

The standard for AL playoff teams in recent years has been 90 wins, meaning the Blue Jays would need to go 43-24 (.642) the rest of the way just to be in the mix for the team's first post-season berth since 1993.

If they are going to make a run, they'll need a return to health and a hot start to the 13 games that round out July.

Injuries hit Jays hard

In terms of injuries, Toronto won't receive much immediate relief.

Shaun Marcum (5-4, 2.65 ERA), who made a strong case to be the Blue Jays' second-best starter in the first half, isn't expected to return from an elbow strain until July 27. Centre-fielder Vernon Wells (strained hamstring) should be set to return shortly after that. The return of Shaun Marcum should give the Blue Jays' rotation a boost. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)

Dustin McGowan (6-7, 4.37) was feared lost for the season in early July with an aggravation of a previous rotator cuff injury. It's been downgraded to shoulder inflammation but there remains no timetable for his return.

The return of starting shortstop Aaron Hill, who has battled concussion-like symptoms since the end of May, also remains unclear.

Team depth is another casualty with pitchers Jeremy Accardo and Casey Janssen out, along with outfielder Shannon Stewart.

That puts pressure on the rest of the active roster to win games prior to the trade deadline on July 31 or else general manager J.P. Ricciardi might be an active seller.

Rumours are swirling around starter A.J. Burnett (10-8, 4.96 ERA), who can opt out of his contract at year's end and leave Toronto with the prospect of getting only a pair of compensatory draft picks if he walks.

While the decision on Burnett could be more of a value decision than a competitive one for Ricciardi, moving him could be the start of a roster purge if the Jays don't appear to be improving.

Ending July on a strong note could prevent that but in order to do so, the Blue Jays need to win most of their games against the following teams.

Tampa Bay Rays: July 18-20, July 28-30

Tampa Bay has stunned many with its run to the upper reaches of the American League, but after dropping seven straight games leading up to the all-star break, they might be coming back down to earth.

Toronto will see Tampa Bay 12 more times this season, beginning with a three-game set immediately after the all-star break at Tropicana Field, where the Rays are tied for the AL lead with 36 wins. Tampa will attempt to improve its 19-25 road record when the teams meet again at Rogers Centre to round out July.

The Rays may have dropped the "Devil" from the team's moniker this season but they've been hellish opponents for the Blue Jays in 2008. Third baseman Evan Longoria and the Tampa Bay Rays have beat up on the Blue Jays this season. (Aaron Harris/Canadian Press)

Toronto has dropped both of its series with Tampa Bay this season, winning just one of six games against them (May 7).

Baltimore Orioles: July 21-July 24

Baltimore has defied expectations just by hanging around .500 all season, but the team has swooned in July — losing eight of its 10 games before the break.

That included a three-game sweep at the hands of the Blue Jays at the start of their most recent homestand from July 8-10. Toronto will try to build on that modest streak when they visit Camden Yards for a four-game series.

Seattle Mariners: July 25-27

Seattle posted a solid 88-74 record last season and the team had high hopes heading into 2008. But like the Blue Jays, an inconsistent and underachieving offence has contributed to a dreadful first half that's claimed the jobs of general manager Bill Bavasi and manager John McLaren in the process.

The team resumes play after the all-star break with the second-worst record in the majors at 37-58 and could be active as sellers by the trade deadline.

So far this season, the Blue Jays haven't been able to take advantage of the Mariners' woes, both at home and Safeco Field, dropping four of six games against them.

Toronto will get the Mariners at Rogers Centre for three games before staying at home to face the Rays for the second time in as many weeks.

A strong finish to July may merely buy the Blue Jays a stay of execution as August is loaded with games against teams either holding down a current playoff spot or still playing for one.

But for a team that has grossly underachieved for most of the year, playing any meaningful baseball that late into the season would be an achievement.

With files from the Canadian Press