A thorough day in the bullpen worked to perfection as Toronto won the best-of-three ALDS game 3–1.
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More than four hours passed before the first pitch of the most important series of the career of Blue Jays manager John Schneider and many of his players.
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Post-season misfortune haunted them all, hitting them hard twice. impressive defeats that stung and led to such consequences that a year ago they were followed by a pathetic campaign for last place.
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But from those defeats emerged a new spirit and determination that, after a hugely satisfying loss to the New York Yankees in the ALDS on Wednesday night in the Bronx, carried these plucky Jays to within four wins of a World Series berth.
“I think being scrutinized enough for a couple of postseasons, you live with it and you deal with it well,” Schneider said at the Rogers Center. “I'm just more comfortable that way. Just be overprepared, make a decision, live with it and move on.”
Really, move on.
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After carefully planned and executed bullpen day strategy swinging into enemy territory, the Jays routed the Yankees 5–2 and took the best of five ALDS 3–1.
And now he's heading to the ALCS for just the eighth time in franchise history, the next step in that direction. an incredible and exciting race that has so far resulted in a resounding triumph for Schneider and his team. Following such devastating and demoralizing playoff losses in 2022 and 2023 and Wednesday's victory at Yankee Stadium were a source of immense pride for everyone involved.
It was amazing how the decisive moment unfolded the night after The Jays blew a 6-1 lead. and the opportunity to defeat the Yankees.
It was a bullpen day in every way, considering Schneider and pitching coach Pete Walker – inseparable in the visitors' bench throughout – used eight arms to keep Yankees hitters guessing, neither lasting more than 1.2 innings.
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Louis Varland, the powerful right-hander who gave up a grueling three-run homer to Yankees star Aaron Judge last night, started it with 1.1 innings of work.
Closer Jeff Hoffman completed the final four outs and players spilled onto the Yankee Stadium infield for their third champagne celebration in as many weeks.
This scenario has been in the works since Schneider unveiled his ALDS lineup last Saturday, on a roster that was noticeably absent from Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt, leaving just three starters.
Game 4, if the series had gone that far, would have been an all-out, all-hands proposition for a team that had so many players all season.
“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel,” Schneider said before the first game. “We're strategically trying to do what you think is best to win three games out of five.”
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There is a difference between careful planning and overthinking things. As complicated as Wednesday's machinations were, they were a testament to the enormous growth of Schneider and his players, an important moment for a franchise riding a tidal wave of momentum.
“You learn from the good and the bad, from the disappointing playoff results,” Schneider said before the match. “And like anything, the more you do it, the easier and slower it gets.
“I have a lot of confidence in this group. It's not like I didn't in '22 or '23, but this group is built a little differently.”
And this close-knit group went into the championship series as the hottest team in the American League.
Some takeaways from Wednesday's franchise-changing win:
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“TEAM GAME”
Schneider chose to call Wednesday's contest a “team game” rather than a “bullpen game,” emphasizing the messages that have driven this team all season.
In a tight game, nothing much happened offensively as the Jays managed just two runs off young Yankees ace Cam Schlittler, who scattered eight hits in 6.1 excellent innings.
But once the 24-year-old phenom walked, after Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. turned a routine double play into an error, the Jays were ready to pounce. This came from Nathan Lux, one of those surprise players who played a major role in the season. Lux hit a two-RBI single to increase the Jays' lead to 4-1.
It's also fitting that the hot Vlad Guerrero Jr. got things started with an RBI single in the first.
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BULL'S EYE
Our anatomy of a day in the bullpen when no pitcher pitched longer than 1.2 innings.
It started with Warland (1.1 innings), and in order went to rookie Mason Fluharty (one inning), Serantany Dominguez (1.2 innings), Eric Lauer (1.2 innings), Yariel Rodriguez (a third of an inning), Brandon Little (one inning). This group allowed just one run on three hits over seven innings.
But that was yet to come. Braydon Fisher (0.2 innings) and closer Hoffman with the final 1.1 innings. Collectively, they held the highest-scoring team in baseball to just six hits and two runs, Ryan McMahon's homer off Fluharty in the third and an RBI single from Judge in the ninth.
The game was not without tense moments, as the Yankees had their chances. But as the matches varied, they could never do any harm.
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The last of the big concerns came in the eighth when the Yankees loaded the bases, bringing Austin Wells to the plate for the tying run. Everyone around took a deep breath as the New York catcher flew harmlessly into right field.
WHAT'S NEXT
Despite the tense times in the Bronx, the Jays are reaping the rewards of finishing in first place with an extra week off before opening the ALCS at home with games on Sunday and Monday.
Bonus? They will play the winner of the Detroit-Seattle series, which concludes with Game 5 in the Pacific Northwest on Friday. Whoever wins will be tired and face a long day's travel before arriving in Toronto.
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