Blue Jays’ Gausman, Schneider praise fans ahead of ALCS

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Last Sunday, after the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 2-0 in the American League Division Series, manager John Schneider praised the atmosphere at Rogers Center.

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“You have to be here to understand it,” Schneider told reporters at the postgame press conference. “A couple of hours before the game, they're supporting us. This group doesn't take it lightly… that we're playing for the country. It's really obvious that they're here supporting us.”

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Schneider said the fans made the Rogers Center “a difficult place for (rival teams) to come and play” and said it gave Toronto a “competitive advantage.”

During an afternoon appearance with the media before practice on Saturday night, Schneider pointed to Jays fans as a potential game-changer as they prepare for Game 1 of the AL Championship Series on Sunday night against Seattle.

The Jays returned to the ALCS with a 5-2 win in Game 4 on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

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“It’s easy for guys to get up and play here,” Schneider said, “and I think it’s a tough place to come and play for the opposing team.”

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The Mariners beat Toronto at home in the 2022 Wild Card Series to move into first place. largest comeback in playoff history.

But during the 2025 regular season, the Jays won four of six meetings with the Mariners, including three games in Seattle in May.

Schneider, who managed the team for three full seasons, noticed the excitement in the city as Toronto played in its first ALCS in nearly a decade.

“It was amazing. I feel like the whole second half of the year, if not the whole year, they came out and supported us,” he said. “It's fun every night. It was fun in the ALDS against the Yankees. They were loud.”

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Sold-out crowds – Jays tickets were among the hardest to get in the last two months leading up to the postseason – “play a role” in helping the team win.

And as loud as the stadium was last weekend, Schneider expects the Rogers Center crowd to be even louder Sunday night.

“I think you have to be here to appreciate the atmosphere in the postseason. It can be pretty deafening at times,” Schneider said. “It’s nice that you can feel it not only in the building, but throughout the city,” he said.

“Some nights it’s like one big party.”

Right-hander Kevin Gausman, who will start Sunday against the Mariners, said it was “a lot of fun” playing in front of fans at Rogers Center this year.

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“We've really enjoyed playing at home, especially the last two months. We feel the love when we play here,” Gausman told reporters.

Gausman was the winning pitcher in Toronto's 10-1 win over the Yankees in Game 1 of the ALDS last weekend, allowing just one earned run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Now in his fourth season with the club after signing a five-year deal with the Jays in December 2021, the two-time All-Star said he, too, has seen a surge in support for the team this year.

“Even just driving around town, you notice that everyone used to wear Yankees caps, and (now) you see a lot more Blue Jays caps in Toronto,” Gausman said. “It’s turned into a really exciting (place).”

Gausman credited Blue Jays management and the years-long renovation of the Rogers Center for making the stadium a popular destination for Toronto residents.

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“For me, it's a really great experience for the fans. Whereas before, I don't know if it was nearly as good as it is now,” Gausman said. “Some nights it's like one big party. You can hear the music on the Corona rooftop. I don't know how many bars there are, but everyone's drinking and having a good time. It's pretty loud.”

As for the retro white-paneled caps that Toronto began wearing late in the regular season and into the postseason, which seem to have brought the team good luck on the field, Gausman doesn't see them going away anytime soon.

“Everybody loves wearing them,” he said. “No one is going to go against them now.”

Game 1 of the ALCS will begin just after 8:00 pm ET on Sunday when Gausman faces the Mariners' Bryce Miller.

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