Alright Jays fans, I know we’re not the best of friends (I’m a Dodgers fan in Canada can you blame me?), but as a Canadian and a baseball NERD, I feel it’s only fair to share my take on the Blue Jays future heading into the ALDS against the Yankees.
The Blue Jays’ Identity
The Blue Jays are really good at playing bold baseball, and it works. They do everything they need to win a ball game. They make contact, get on base, and they force defenses to turn clean bang bang plays (which if you’re the Yankees playing Anthony Volpe, you might be in some trouble). They’re essentially the Brewers of the American League: when they Blue Jays are good, they’re GOOD and I mean GOOD GOOD. If October baseball was just offense, they’re headed straight to the World Series. HOWVER that’s not the case and here is where they fall unbelievably short…
The Problem
Pitching.
I know it’s bold of me, a Dodgers fan to talk about pitching as our bullpen is arguably the biggest downfall of our team but that ISN’T the case for the Jays, no siree. When it comes to the Blue Jays their starting pitching is the problem. Sure you’ll be good(ish) hands for the first 2 games throwing Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber under the lights in the Bronx.
But.. Hey.. Um.. Who starts game 3???
Jose Berrios is injured and Chris Bassitt is expected to be available, but he’ll be coming straight off the IL.
Max Scherzer (former Dodgers so trust me, I feel for you) has been EXTREMELY mediocre looking all the way back to August. He’s sitting on a 9.00 ERA (25 earned runs, 25 innings) in his last 6 starts. So until Kevin Gausman or Shane Bieber are available again (Game 5) the Jays are treading water.
AND TRUST ME, YOU! DO! NOT! WANT! TO! LOSE! AT! HOME!
The other half of the ALDS
Now I could stop there, but what’s the fun in that. Let’s talk about their opponent… DAAAAAA Yankees
There’s no sugarcoating it: Losing Juan Soto is MASSIVE. Come on, it’s Juan Soto. Juan Soto would be a loss on a team full of Juan Soto’s.
Despite that loss however the Yankees lineup is deeper than it’s been in years. They’re rolling out Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr, Trent Grisham, and Ben Rice… Oh yeah AND Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton (both are having MVP seasons btw). Mix ALL of that along with just winning one of the biggest rivalries in all of sports, they’re in a REALLY good spot.
However, just like the Jays, they have their struggles. The biggest being their bullpen (see Dodgers fans, it’s not just us!!!) Their relief staff has a 4.86 ERA since the All Star break (ranking 26th in the majors). So while they have some REALLY good pitching (Yankees Rookie Cam Schlitter threw a GEM against the Red Sox in game 3 of the Wild Cars series, going 8 innings, striking out TWELVE while shutting them out) their bullpen struggles could outshine the entire thing ESPECIALLY if the Jays strike early.
Conclusion: Why the Jays Might Shock the Yankees
The Yankees have more star power, sure. But the Jays have the all the right parts to pull off an upset. Gausman and Bieber can set the tone early, the defense is airtight, and Toronto’s lineup is built to exploit New York’s biggest weakness: that terrible terrible bullpen.
So genuinely as much as this pains me to say as such a NON Jays fan. Jays in 5.
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