Really in 20 years I have seen it with the Yankees and Sox just about every year
It's not like the Jays are bottom feeders. We are in a playoff spot right now. Last year we over took he Yankees. In 2014 we were the ones with the lead and they over took us. I bet if I sat down to do the study more often then not the first place team in the AL East does not finish first place.
And teams go on from the WC to the world series all the time.