The postseason is finally here, and with it comes the electricity of October baseball. For the first time since 2016, the Toronto Blue Jays enter October with the weight of being the American League’s top seed on their shoulders. After clinching the AL East with a 94–68 record, Toronto has been carefully plotting its course for the ALDS. Now, with their opponent set the always-dangerous New York Yankees the Blue Jays have revealed who will take the ball in the opening game.
It’s a moment filled with both strategy and symbolism. Game 1 of a playoff series sets the tone, not just for the team but for an entire city hungry for postseason success. For the Blue Jays, this decision was anything but simple. Their rotation is loaded with seasoned arms: Shane Bieber, Jose Berrios, Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt, and, of course, their ace. Each of them carries their own pedigree, their own experience, and their own case to start the series opener. But after days of rest, analysis, and preparation, manager John Schneider has made his call.
The opponent only adds to the drama. Toronto’s postseason path runs straight through New York. The Yankees arrive at the ALDS battered yet battle-tested after surviving the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card round. That series was anything but straightforward. The Yankees dropped game one, only to claw back with wins in games two and three, becoming the first team in the new Wild Card format to rebound from an early deficit. If nothing else, they’re a reminder that no lead is safe, no momentum guaranteed in October.
For Toronto, skipping the Wild Card meant something even more valuable than rest: clarity. They didn’t have to panic over short-term survival. They could think ahead, line up their staff, and give their chosen Game 1 starter every advantage possible. And the choice makes sense when you look at the numbers.
Toronto’s man on the mound has been battle-tested all year, logging over 190 innings, striking out nearly 190 batters, and limiting opponents to a paltry .216 batting average. The consistency is clear in the numbers, but perhaps even more important is the way he has handled New York specifically. Four starts, more than against any other opponent. Twenty-two innings of hard-nosed pitching, only a handful of walks, and a batting average against just barely above .200. In fact, his most recent outing versus the Yankees was nothing short of dominant eight innings of one-run baseball that silenced their lineup and showcased why Toronto trusts him to lead the way now.
Of course, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. There were bumps to close out the regular season, including a pair of rough outings that might raise a few eyebrows. Yet September as a whole revealed the grit that Toronto values. A shutout against Houston, a sub-3.00 ERA across the month, and the ability to bear down when it matters most. If October is about proving mettle, he’s already been rehearsing for the big stage.
Game 1 will be more than just a baseball contest will be a battle of identities. For Toronto, it’s about ending a frustrating playoff drought that has seen them swept out of three consecutive Wild Card rounds (2020, 2022, 2023). For New York, it’s about extending the momentum of their unlikely Wild Card comeback and spoiling their division rival’s moment in the sun.
Toronto hasn’t won a postseason game since 2016, and the weight of nearly a decade without October joy hangs heavy. Yet with this choice, Schneider has sent a message: the Blue Jays are done waiting for the right moment they believe this is it. Their ace is ready, their bullpen is rested, and their lineup is eager to back him up.
Saturday afternoon, the Rogers Centre will rumble with anticipation. The Yankees know this man well, but the Blue Jays know him better. The stage is set, the crowd will roar, and the opening pitch of the ALDS will be more than just the start of a series it will be the test of whether Toronto is finally ready to take back October.