The 1987 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's 11th season of Major League Baseball. It resulted in the Blue Jays finishing second in the American League East with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses. They had been in first place by 3½ games over the Detroit Tigers with a week left to play, but they dropped their next seven games in a row, capped off by a sweep at the hands of Detroit at Tiger Stadium on the last weekend of the season, and lost the division by two games.
Transactions
Transactions by the Toronto Blue Jays during the off-season before the 1987 season.
October 1986
November 1986
December 1986
January 1987
February 1987
March 1987
April 1987
Regular season
Blue Jays left fielder George Bell drove in 134 runs to lead the American League, along with 47 home runs, and was selected the league's Most Valuable Player in a close vote over the Tigers' Alan Trammell. Tom Henke established himself as an elite closer, as he led the American League in saves with 34. Starting pitcher Jimmy Key led the American League with a 2.76 ERA. July 21, 1987: Jimmy Key threw exactly three pitches and recorded three outs. This was accomplished in the second inning. September 14, 1987: The Blue Jays set a Major League record by hitting 10 home runs in a game against the Baltimore Orioles.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Transactions
Transactions for the Toronto Blue Jays during the 1987 regular season.
April 1987
June 1987
July 1987
August 1987
September 1987
Roster
Game log
|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 1 || April 6 || Indians || 7 – 3 || Key (1-0) || Candiotti (0-1) || || 40,404 || 1-0 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 2 || April 8 || Indians || 5 – 1 || Clancy (1-0) || Swindell (0-1) || || 20,388 || 2-0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 3 || April 9 || Indians || 14 – 3 || Niekro (1-0) || Johnson (0-1) || Carlton (1) || 21,088 || 2-1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 4 || April 10 || @ Red Sox || 3 – 0 || Hurst (1-0) || Stieb (0-1) || || 33,679 || 2-2 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 5 || April 11 || @ Red Sox || 11 – 1 || Key (2-0) || Clemens (0-1) || || 33,365 || 3-2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 6 || April 12 || @ Red Sox || 8 – 3 || Stanley (1-1) || Clancy (1-1) || || 27,521 || 3-3 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 7 || April 14 || White Sox || 4 – 3 (13) || Eichhorn (1-0) || McKeon (0-1) || || 17,324 || 4-3 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 8 || April 15 || White Sox || 5 – 0 || DeLeón (2-0) || Stieb (0-2) || || 17,285 || 4-4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 9 || April 16 || Red Sox || 4 – 2 || Key (3-0) || Clemens (0-2) || Henke (1) || 22,065 || 5-4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 10 || April 17 || Red Sox || 10 – 5 || Cerutti (1-0) || | Stanley (1-2) || Eichhorn (1) || 36,400 || 6-4 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 11 || April 18 || Red Sox || 6 – 4 || Sellers (1-0) || Clancy (1-2) || Schiraldi (2) || 39,107 || 6-5 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 12 || April 19 || Red Sox || 4 – 1 || Nipper (2-0) || Johnson (0-2) || Gardner (2) || 28,140 || 6-6 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 13 || April 20 || @ Indians || 8 – 7 (10) || Musselman (1-0) || Jones (0-1) || || 11,164 || 7-6 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 || April 21 || @ Indians || 5 – 0 || Candiotti (1-3) || Key (3-1) || || 7,203 || 7-7 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 15 || April 22 || @ Indians || 6 – 3 || Eichhorn (2-0) || Carlton (1-2) || Henke (2) || 6,000 || 8-7 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 || April 24 || @ White Sox || 4 – 2 (10) || Eichhorn (3-0) || James (0-1) || Henke (3) || 10,105 || 9-7 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 17 || April 25 || @ White Sox || 5 – 4 || James (1-1) || Eichhorn (3-1) || || 18,644 || 9-8 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 18 || April 26 || @ White Sox || 5 – 2 || Key (4-1) || DeLeón (2-2) || Henke (4) || 20,443 || 10-8 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 19 || April 28 || Twins || 5 – 1 || Clancy (2-2) || Viola (1-3) || || 21,182 || 11-8 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 20 || April 29 || Twins || 8 – 1 || Johnson (1-2) || Smithson (3-1) || || 19,020 || 12-8 |-
