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As you probably know, the Blue Jays beat the Yankees in four games on the heels of their division series. Next up: the American League Championship Series.
I don't know who predicted a Final Four appearance for the Blue Jays earlier this year, but here we are.
And the good thing is that the win in Game #4 reassured a lot of people… especially the up-and-coming players. It's still a question mark around town in general, but to see that the Blue Jays only gave up one run to the Yankees without using a starter is… something.
I don't know who predicted that either.
Impressive work by Louis Varland, Mason Fluharty, Seranthony Dominguez, Eric Lauer, Yariel Rodriguez, Brendon Little, Braydon Fisher and Jeff Hoffman.
Combined, they limited the best lineup in baseball to just two runs on six hits as Blue Jays advance.
– Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) October 9, 2025
The Blue Jays won some big games late in the season to finish atop their division, and that allowed them to line up their rotation nicely for the division series.
I don't know if, without it, John Schneider and his men would still be alive.
And now, once again, three big wins this week will have the starters ready for the first game of the division series, which takes place on Sunday in Toronto.
Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage and Shane Bieber can all be used. The same goes for Chris Bassitt (who is likely to be there as the #4 starter, having pitched simulated innings this week and getting better) and Max Scherzer… although I don't see the veteran being in the rotation.
All this to say that John Schneider (who did very well on Wednesday night) will have his hands full.
But that's not the only advantage for the Blue Jays, who will face the winner of the series between the Tigers and Mariners. The ultimate match takes place on Friday night in Seattle.
Not only will the club that wins on Friday have done Detroit – Seattle – Toronto in a few days (which is a lot of travel), but several pitchers won't be rested.
If the Tigers win – which is possible with Tarik Skubal on the mound – game #5, Skubal won't be able to pitch until game #3 of the championship series, next Wednesday in the USA. The Tigers would therefore theoretically be a catchable target.
If the Mariners win, they have such a great rotation that it wouldn't be as much of a factor. But Seattle manager Dan Wilson wouldn't have as much flexibility as his Toronto counterpart.
It won't be easy for the Blue Jays to win this series. But the club, which has scored 34 runs in four games since the start of the playoffs, has a real chance of doing something right.
Most runs in first 4 games of a postseason:
1932 Yankees: 37
2020 Yankees: 36
1999 Red Sox: 35
2025 Blue Jays: 34 https://t.co/AjKbSTZFTc– Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 9, 2025
Whether Bo Bichette will be back healthy remains to be seen, but I'm not holding my breath. He's just started running again and I don't see him being ready for Sunday, when the 26-player championship series lineup will have to be rescheduled.
We'll have to wait and see, since nothing is official.
But hey. With or without Bichette, the Blue Jays will have to continue to rely on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The latter has put the club on his shoulders and behaved like a star in New York. Can you imagine if he hadn't signed his contract at the start of the season?
Will he be able to repeat his exploits in a series that promises to be less emotional? Because in Toronto and across the country, people are ready for it.
Leafs crowd, shown single that made it 4-1, is chanting, “Let's go Blue Jays.”
– Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 9, 2025
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