3 reasons why the Blue Jays vs. Yankees matchup is the biggest series of the season for Toronto

After taking two of three from the rivals Boston Red Sox this past weekend, the Toronto Blue Jays are now set to take on a pivotal series against the division-leading New York Yankees for a grueling four-game set at Rogers Centre. The matchup will feature some of the biggest stars in the game on both sides with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, George Springer and Kevin Gausman going for the Jays and Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt and Max Fried countering for the Yankees.

But in addition to the highly-anticipated clash between the American League East titans, this series could actually be one of the biggest series of the 2025 season for Toronto at this very point.

3 reasons why the Blue Jays vs. Yankees matchup is the biggest series of the season for Toronto

Statement series

While the Blue Jays have had a string of recent success, many had attributed it to the fact that it was because the Blue Jays were beating up on the lesser teams in the league. When they have faced elite teams like the Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros and even the Yankees earlier this season, Toronto came away each time with a losing record in those matchups. Going into this series they are 15-21 against teams with a record over .500.

As a result, the Blue Jays will need to make a statement in this series to show that they could actually fare well against a powerhouse team. They have shown it once already when they swept the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this month, but to do it against their long-time arch rivals could go a long way in declaring themselves as legitimate contenders this season.

Division on the line 

The Blue Jays haven't realistically competed for a division title in several years, and last year they finished dead last in the AL East during a forgettable campaign. But here in 2025, Toronto has control of it's own destiny, with the opportunity to overtake the Yankees for the division lead if they manage to pull off the unthinkable and sweep New York. But even if they can take three of four from the Bronx Bombers, and pending on how the Rays do at the same time, the Blue Jays can be within a game of the top of the division.

Being in a wild card playoff spot is already a revelation for Toronto this year, but to be able to challenge for a division title would give the entire franchise and their fanbase that much more optimism for success and winning going forward. At the same time, it would also serve as a warning to the rest of the teams in the league that they mean business and are for real once again in 2025.

Gauge for a trade

If the Jays manage to indeed make the postseason when all is said and done this year, their route to the World Series will likely have to go through the Yankees. By seeing how the Blue Jays stack up with the Yankees allows Toronto to gauge how close they are in being legitimate contenders and what areas they would need to still address as a result. Do they have the pitching to stop Judge and company? Do they have the elite hitting to conquer Fried?

With the trade deadline fast approaching in a month’s time, any apparent weaknesses that become apparent to the Blue Jays during this series is something they can fully address with potential moves in the coming weeks.