Bronx, NY — In front of a raucous, sold-out crowd of 47,823 at Yankee Stadium, the Toronto Blue Jays punched their ticket to the American League Championship Series for the first time in nearly a decade, defeating the New York Yankees 5–2 on Wednesday night to close out the AL Division Series in four games.
Powered by timely hitting, relentless at-bats, and a lights-out bullpen, the AL East champions silenced the Bronx faithful and ended New York’s postseason hopes.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer delivered key RBIs, while Nathan Lukes delivered the decisive blow — a two-run single in the eighth inning that gave Toronto breathing room. Addison Barger led the offense with three hits, as the Blue Jays wore down Yankees pitching with patient, gritty plate appearances.
The win sends Toronto back to the ALCS for the first time since 2016, where they’ll face either the Detroit Tigers or Seattle Mariners. Game 1 is set for Sunday at Rogers Centre.
“Last night stung, but this group never dwells,” said manager John Schneider. “They came out aggressive, stayed disciplined, and showed exactly who we are.”
Toronto’s Bullpen Seals the Deal
While the offense delivered clutch hits, Toronto’s bullpen was the story of the night. Eight different pitchers combined to hold the Yankees to just two runs on six hits, retiring 12 of the final 14 batters and neutralizing a lineup that had battled through three previous elimination games.
“Everyone stepped up,” Schneider said. “We believe in every arm down there — and tonight they earned that trust.”
Yankees’ Rally Comes Up Short
Ryan McMahon gave New York hope with a solo homer in the sixth to trim the deficit to 3–2, briefly electrifying the packed stadium. But the momentum was short-lived. Lukes’ clutch two-run single in the eighth all but ended the comeback bid.
Starter Nestor Cortes struggled early, lasting just 3 1/3 innings while giving up three runs on seven hits. Despite another strong showing from Aaron Judge — who finished the series batting .476 with three homers and nine RBIs — the Yankees couldn’t capitalize with runners on base.
“We battled all month, but couldn’t finish,” Judge said postgame. “When the big moments came, we didn’t execute. That’s on us.”
Drought Over, Blue Jays Eye Bigger Prize
For Toronto, the victory was more than just a series win — it was the payoff for years of development, resilience, and belief. After seasons marked by near-misses and mounting expectations, the Blue Jays are finally back on the big stage.
“This is for the fans who never stopped believing,” said Guerrero Jr. “But we’re not satisfied — we want it all.”
What’s Next:
The Blue Jays will get a few days to recover before hosting Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday in Toronto. Their opponent will be decided Friday night when the Tigers and Mariners clash in a winner-take-all Game 5 in Seattle.
For the Yankees, another postseason ends in heartbreak — and their now 15-year World Series drought continues, much to the frustration of the pinstriped faithful.
