TAMPA, Fla. — Pressure isn’t just something you put in your tires, it’s a very real aspect and potential roadblock that a baseball team with high expectations has to navigate.

The Toronto Blue Jays have felt it for a couple of years now, and bowing out in the Wild-Card round for a second straight October is the first time this organization has failed to make progress of any sort from one season to the next over the last half decade.

The postseason appearances are nice and all, but progress is needed for this club in 2024.

The first day of pitchers and catchers in sunny Florida is always a time for optimism.

But manager John Schneider is a realist and he had no problem admitting there’s pressure on all of them as camp gets underway.

“I think everyone (feels pressure) because you want to do better than you did last year … it’s a unique opportunity,” said Schneider, who’s heading into his second full season at the helm. “We’re not young anymore. Our young core isn’t young. Bo Bichette said it. It’s time to win. And with that comes pressure, yeah, sure, but you want to be in those situations. You definitely feel it. You want to do better for the fan........

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