Vladimir Guerrero Jr., franchise player, showed up in Game 1 of the American League Division Series to help bring Canada its first playoff victory since 2016.
Guerrero launched the Toronto Blue Jays’ postseason journey with a first-inning homer and tacked on a sacrifice fly as the Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees 10-1 to get a leg up in this best-of-five ALDS.
The Blue Jays also got two home runs from catcher Alejandro Kirk to win their playoff opener after getting swept out of the wild card series in two games in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Starter Kevin Gausman was good enough, especially in the biggest moments, bringing a shutout into the sixth inning before walking in a run. Yet he struck out Aaron Judge with the bases loaded, and reliever Louis Varland prevented further damage to maintain a 2-1 Blue Jays lead.
They blew it open in the seventh with a four-run rally off Yankee reliever Luke Weaver – who has failed to retire all six batters he’s faced this postseason. Kirk added his second homer in the eighth.
Yet momentum can change quickly: Yankees ace and 19-game winner Max Fried will start Game 2 on Oct. 5, opposed by rookie Trey Yesavage – making just the fourth start of his major league career.
Blue Jays tack on in seventh inning
TThe New York Yankees have a Luke Weaver problem, and it’s contributed to what would be both of their losses this postseason.
Weaver, who saved the Yankees’ bullpen in their run to the World Series last year, has failed to retire all six batters he’s faced this postseason. In ALDS Game 1 at Toronto, that looked like this: Daulton Varsho walk, Anthony Santander single, Andrés Giménez RBI single, and a one-run deficit became a 5-1 Blue Jays lead in the seventh inning.
Weaver relieved Max Fried in the seventh inning of their Game 1 wild-card matchup against Boston, and he failed to get an out as a Yankees lead turned into a 3-2 Red Sox advantage and eventual victory. This time, he began an inning and was just as effective – and now will likely fall further down manager Aaron Boone’s late-inning pecking order.
Boone lifted Weaver for Fernando Cruz as soon as Weaver fulfilled the three-batter minimum, the Blue Jays lead at 3-1. Cruz retired George Springer before Nathan Lukes looped a two-run double down the right field line.
Blue Jays escape bases-loaded jam in the sixth, lead 2-1
The New York Yankees knocked Kevin Gausman out of the game. But the Toronto Blue Jays held tight to their lead.
The Yankees loaded the bases with nobody out in the sixth inning of ALDS Game 1, but managed only one run as reliever Louis Varland bailed out Gausman by striking out Giancarlo Stanton on a 101-mph fastball to leave the bases loaded and the Blue Jays on top 2-1.
Gausman was cruising through five innings until Anthony Volpe’s leadoff double off the left field wall was followed by an Austin Wells walk and single by Trent Grisham, loading the bases.
But in perhaps the biggest sequence of the game, Gausman struck out Judge on a splitter. A Cody Bellinger walk drove in a run, but Ben Rice popped out for the second out.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider then yanked Gausman for Varland, and the manager’s intuition paid off when Varland fanned Stanton.
Luis Gil chased in third inning
Since they had to battle through a three-game wild-card series against the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees figured to be at a disadvantage when they took on the rested Toronto Blue Jays in their AL Division Series.
Luis Gil did little to counter that notion.
Gil was chased after getting just eight outs, and the Blue Jays held a 2-0 lead through three innings in Game 1 at Rogers Centre.
Come Game 2, ace Max Fried will take the mound, followed by Carlos Rodón and rookie star Cam Schlittler, and all should be better in Yankeeland. But Gil was dinged for solo homer by Vladimir Guerrero and Alejandro Kirk in the first two innings, and was lifted for lefty reliever Tim Hill after giving up a single to Guerrero.
New York’s bullpen will have to cover 19 outs if it’s to survive Game 1.
Alejandro Kirk home run gives Toronto 2-0 lead
Two innings, two home runs for the Toronto Blue Jays
That’s probably an unsustainable pace, but for now, the longballs by Vladimir Guerrero and Alejandro Kirk have given them a 2-0 lead over the New York Yankees through the first two frames of ALDS Game 1.
Kirk followed Guerrero’s first-inning shot off Luis Gil with his own towering fly into the Rogers Centre left field seats. The Blue Jays have gotten some good swings off against Gil, who needed 37 pitches to complete two innings – including a nine-pitch battle against Anthony Santander that ended in a strikeout.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. home run puts Blue Jays in front
Get ready for a slugfest in Toronto.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. launched a home run into the left field seats at Rogers Centre as the Blue Jays gained the first advantage in their ALDS against the New York Yankees, claiming a 1-0 lead after one inning.
There will be few secrets among the AL East rivals, who tied for the division title with 94 wins, only for the Blue Jays to gain the first-round bye on the tiebreaker. Aaron Judge scorched a single to left field – 112.6 mph off the bat – against Kevin Gausman in the top of the first as Gausman will aim to survive against the Yankee lineup with his fastball-splitter repertoire.
Yankees lineup today
Trent Grisham (L) CF
Aaron Judge (R) RF
Cody Bellinger (L) LF
Ben Rice (L) 1B
Giancarlo Stanton (R) DH
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 2B
Ryan McMahon (L) 3B
Anthony Volpe (R) SS
Austin Wells (L) C
Blue Jays lineup today
George Springer (R) DH
Nathan Lukes (L) RF
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
Addison Barger (L) 3B
Alejandro Kirk (R) C
Daulton Varsho (L) CF
Anthony Santander (S) LF
Andrés Giménez (L) SS
Ernie Clement (R) 2B
Yankees ALDS roster
Catchers: Austin Wells, Ben Rice, J.C. Escarra (3)
Infielders: Paul Goldschmidt, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe, Ryan McMahon (4)
Outfielders: Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, Jasson Domínguez (4)
Utility: José Caballero, Amed Rosario (2)
Designated hitters: Giancarlo Stanton (1)
Starting pitchers: Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil (4)
Bullpen: David Bednar, Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, Fernando Cruz, Camilo Doval, Tim Hill, Paul Blackburn, Will Warren (8)
Blue Jays ALDS roster
Catchers: Alejandro Kirk, Tyler Heineman
Infielders: Addison Barger, Ernie Clement, Andres Gimenez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Outfielders: Nathan Lukes, Anthony Santander, Davis Schneider, George Springer, Myles Straw, Daulton Varsho
LHP: Justin Bruihl, Mason Fluharty, Eric Lauer, Brendon Little
RHP: Shane Bieber, Seranthony Dominguez, Braydon Fisher, Kevin Gausman, Jeff Hoffman, Tommy Nance, Yariel Rodriguez, Louis Varland, Trey Yesavage
Yankees vs Blue Jays schedule for ALDS
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 4 – Yankees at Toronto, 4:08 p.m.
Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 5 – Yankees at Toronto, 4:08 p.m.
Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 7 – Toronto at Yankees, Time TBA
Game 4: Wednesday, Oct. 8 (if necessary) – Toronto at Yankees, Time TBA
Game 5: Friday, Oct. 10 (if necessary) – Yankees at Toronto, Time TBA
What time is Yankees vs Blue Jays game today?
First pitch is scheduled for 4:08 p.m. ET in Toronto