Blue Jays going right back to Louis Varland to start Game 4

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How do the Blue Jays plan to attack the New York Yankees in their second attempt Wednesday night to close out their best-of-five ALDS in the Bronx?

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Manager John Schneider is returning to the pitcher who allowed a mammoth home run to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge on Tuesday. dramatic collapse after 9-6 defeat.

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Even after working one bad inning Tuesday, it appears that Warland's plan all along was that the Jays scheduled as bullpen day after entering the series with just three players in the starting lineup.

While this “initial” assignment will be a challenge for Warland in what is expected to be a madhouse at Yankee Stadium, it can be argued that he has been the Jays' most effective pitcher over the past couple of weeks.

That the homer allowed the umpire – as big as it was to turn a 6-3 game into a 6-6 tie – is hardly an indictment of Warland's work. Judge somehow turned on a 99.7 mph fastball that was more than a foot inside and launched it high to left field, bouncing off the foul pole for the biggest play of the game.

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ALL WEAPONS ARE READY FOR ACTION

The bullpen day strategy was always in effect when the Jays decided to remove Max Scherzer (who struggled mightily in September) and Chris Bassitt (who spent the last couple of weeks on the injured list) from the ALDS lineup.

Even though the Jays rotated through six different relievers on Tuesday, Schneider said every weapon in the bullpen will be available for action in a potentially decisive Game 4. Through the first three games of the series, Toronto's bullpen has given up 12 runs in 12.1 innings of action.

In his only work Tuesday, Warland threw 20 pitches as Schneider looked to the right-hander acquired at the trade deadline to hurt Yankee hitters with his high-velocity fastball.

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The mix and match will be exciting on Wednesday, but former starter Eric Lauer is expected to handle “mass” duties, meaning he will follow Varland.

It should be noted that this strategy worked effectively, with the Jays picking up a big win on September 25 as they fought tooth and nail for the AL East Division title. Warland worked two perfect innings in the match before turning the ball over to Lauer en route to a big 6-1 win.

NOTES THAT CAUSE CONCERN FOR JAYS

Some other notes on the Jays as they look to quickly turn things around before first pitch Wednesday at 7:08 p.m.:

— The resilient Yankees are an incredible 11-3 in potential elimination games at home since 2017.

— Including the playoffs, the Yankees have won 10 of their last 11 games at home and are 16-4 in their last 20.

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— In their storied history, the Yankees have won a playoff series six times after going down 0-2 to start a game.

— Of Judge's 17 career homers in the postseason, 10 either tied the game (three) or gave the Yankees the lead (seven).

— The Jays struggled to close out the series, going 7-7 in their last 14 opportunities to clinch.

— Warland allowed only two hits on Tuesday, but both were home runs. Decisive win by Judge and game winner right off the bat by Jazz Chisholm Jr.

— The Yankees became just the fifth team in MLB history to overcome a five-run deficit in a potential elimination game.

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