Yankees-Blue Jays ALDS Preview: A power-packed AL East match

[Music] The Yankees headed into their series in Toronto against the Blue Jays way back the week of the 4th of July up a game and a half and nearly needing a split to hang on to first place in the AL East back then. Instead, the Jays won all four games and never gave up first place again. Wasn’t for lack of trying by the Yankees, though. They won their last eight games of the regular season and only lost the division because of the tiebreaker. A tiebreaker that was essentially settled at that very series back in July. Now says Will Leachch, your host, the guy talking right now. The Yankees return to Canada for an American League Division series with the Jays that will resolve that AL East battle once and for all and decide who moves one step closer to the World Series. For all the history throughout the years that these teams have with one another, they have never actually met in the postseason. Perhaps they were saving it all up for this. The key advantage you’d think the Jays would have in this series would be their rotation, which is as veteran as it gets as such things go. Kevin Gosman, trained headline acquisition, Shane Bieber, and Max Scherzer. They have all been here many times before. Then again, Max Freed and Carlos Rodone are not exactly babes in the woods or spring chickens themselves. And all told, the Yankees may have the ultimate trump card in rookie Cam Schlitler, who etched his name in Yankees lore by striking out 12 in eight shutout innings to beat the Red Sox in a decisive game of the Wildcard Series. You may remember him doing things like this. A dirty dozen for Slitler as Gonzalez is gone. Yeah, it was a whole thing in New York. It might be fun if he actually pitches against Sherzer, who made his MLB debut when Schlitler was a mere 7 years old. This is in many ways a series of two stars, two massive dudes who are already all-time icons for each of their franchises. So, you might not remember this now, but the Jays were this close to trading away almost half their roster, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr. way back in July 2024 at the deadline to the point that Vlad Jr., who had famously said he would never play for the Yankees. It was a family thing, actually had to backtrack and acknowledge the possibility. That did not happen, obviously. And when Vlad Jr. signed his extension in the offseason, essentially making it the Jay for life. It pretty much turned around everything for the Toronto Blue Jays. This is now a team and a fan base that feels like this season is special, like it’s maybe the one they’ve been waiting for all along. And it has been a awfully all along time that they’ve been waiting. The Jays have actually not won a single postseason game, let alone a series, since 2016. Oh, uh, Yankees, they kind of have a big dude of their own, you know. Aaron Judge. Yeah, that’s the big dude I was talking about. He had another incredible year, hitting 53 homers and further establishing himself as as true a Yankee as anyone who has ever true Yankee. But of course, he still hasn’t won a World Series, the most true Yankee thing of them all. And as you also may have heard, he has a somewhat mly postseason history. He’s a 212 lifetime postseason hitter with an OPS full 250 points below his regular season OPS. It will not be Aaron Judge’s fault if the Yankees don’t win this series, but you know, it may feel that way, at least in the papers. You know, the tabloids. As with most postseason series, it feels like this one may come down to the bullpens. Neither bullpin has been particularly overwhelming in the postseason or the regular season with the Yankees bullpin at times feeling like a full five alarm fire. Key pitchers for each? Well, the Jays may still start rookie Trey Yavage over Sherzer in game three, but more likely he’ll be a versatile bullpin piece, one deployed at maximum leverage moments with the live arm to pull it off. The Yankees don’t have many guys they trust too much other than maybe David Bednar, but ultimately this series may come down to whether Devin Williams is going to return to being the pitcher that made multiple All-Star games and of course the pitcher the Yankees thought they were getting when they traded for him in the offse. Either way, neither fan base is probably going to be doing much relaxing past the sixth inning and maybe past the fourth. No matter what, this feels like a series that’s going to go the distance, doesn’t it? They’ve been at each other’s throats for months now, and it’s only fitting that they’ll face each other one last time in the postseason. The Jays and their fans truly believe that this may be the year. The Yankees, as we learned last year, but frankly probably already knew anyway, are forever 28th World Series title or bust. So, who’s going to win? I’m happy to make a prediction. That’s kind of the point of doing a whole video like this. In the end, the X factor for me is well, it’s Cam. Trying to say his name right. Have to bleep me. Schlitler. The Yankees suddenly have the third power arm they’ve been searching for since losing Garrick Cole. Schlitler is already having a postseason for the ages. Here’s guessing. After a split in Toronto, he wins the pivot game three. And the Yankees end up getting one of those last two to advance to the ALCS for the third time in the last four years. Bye pick. Yankees in five.

The Yankees and Blue Jays tied for first place after the 2025 regular season concluded. Who will come out victorious after this win or take all matchup!? Will it be Aaron Judge and the Bronx Bombers or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and The Jays?

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23 comments

  4. Everyone has been underestimating the Blue Jays. They did so before spring training and Blue Jays had the best record (tho it doesn't mean much). They were expected to either be last or 4th in the division, yet they won the division. Honestly, I say keep underestimating them and the Blue Jays will soar. I honestly believe this will be a great series, but I think the Blue Jays will surprise everyone (in a good way) this series.

  5. Yankees in 4. Unless the Yankees implode with bad baserunning, errors, defensive lapses and sloppy fielding. They can beat themselves. And Judge vs Guerrero is a joke. Guerrero whines, complains, celebrates too much (showboats), doesn't run and is just lazy. Judge mans up and at least tries to get it done. Ditto Springer. Yankees starting pitching is so much better.

  19. Bad Analysis. Yesavage will be starting over Scherzer. The Jays gave Schlittler a bunch of problems the last time they faced him as well. Guerrero also loves Yankee stadium with his line drives. As well, the Jays were 6-1 against the Yankees at home. And the Yankees are still a way worse team defensively than the Jays

  21. The Yankees play bad defence. That’s a decisive advantage for the Jays. But the Yankees long balls can come at any time. Let’s hope the sporadic bullpen holds up.

  23. This is MLB and this is extremely generic. How about go more in-depth, go out on a limb, make some predictions, what each team needs to do to win, etc. No analysis. Get Eduardo Perez there. He was GREAT during the Yankees-Red Sox series. An actual baseball player, and even better – a catcher – who can tell you about the game in a way no journalist, who never played, can.

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