Blue Jays get back to the approach that has worked all year in ALDS series victory

The Toronto Blue Jays punched their ticket to the ALCS Wednesday night with a 5-1 win over the New York Yankees, closing the series on the road in the Bronx and marking their first trip to the championship round since 2016. 

Toronto dominated the series, outscoring the Yankees 34-19 across four games. In doing so, they leaned on the same tactics that propelled them to a division title in the regular season. 

Blue Jays get back to the approach that has worked all year in ALDS series victory

They Swung the Bat

One of Toronto’s biggest strengths in this series was maintaining a low strikeout rate throughout the lineup. In four games, the Blue Jays struck out just 24 times, with a team average of .338 compared to New York’s .250.

Anthony Volpe went down 11 times this series, totaling nearly half of the Blue Jays’ total. This bat-to-ball approach forced the Yankees to defend the ball, and while they held up for stretches, the team made a few crucial errors in the moment. Jazz Chisolm Jr., for example, missed a routine ground ball that led to three runs for Toronto in what should’ve been an inning-ending double play.

Opponents keeping the ball in play has long been a thorn in the Yankees’ side. Last year’s World Series loss exposed their defensive vulnerabilities, when an opposing scouting report revealed Los Angeles planned to simply make contact and wait for mistakes. The Blue Jays took the same approach, slapping the ball to all parts of the field in a hitting approach they have embraced all year, with well-rounded hit totals up and down the order.

On the other side, Toronto’s pitching proved to be more than enough to quiet New York’s bats, shutting the door on another frustrating Yankee season. With elimination now official, New York’s front office might want to reconsider its offense-over-all roster strategy as a division rival moves on.

Defensive-Mindedness Comes Up Clutch

Defensively, the Blue Jays were mostly sharp throughout the series. Toronto measured as the best defensive team in the regular season, and apart from Game 3’s woes, remained steady in this series. You can’t help but feel safe with players like Daulton Varsho and Myles Straw patrolling the outfield, and the Blue Jays showed they were not afraid to make late-inning substitutions to bolster their already excellent defense.

The Blue Jays front office made it clear after 2022’s season that the team was transitioning from an all out offensive juggernaut to a more well balanced and defensive team. Over time, they opted for players like Varsho and Andrés Giménez who are among the best in the league at their positions, proving they were all in on this philosophy.

The sudden change in organizational direction drew skepticism from critics, who questioned letting go of hitters like Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno. But watching another offense-heavy Yankees team fall short, it’s clear Toronto management made the correct choice.

Helping Themselves on the Basepaths

The Blue Jays also showed a willingness to take the extra base whenever opportunity knocked. Ernie Clement’s head-first dash to third on Jazz Chisholm’s error in Game 4 and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s athletic Superman dive in Game 3 stood out as defining hustle plays.

Credit, too, goes to Toronto’s coaching staff in this series — their gutsy sends from the third-base box gave the Blue Jays some much needed insurance when it counted. This is the kind of offensive maneuvering that doesn’t grab headlines but can ultimately swing a series.

Toronto wasn’t known for their blazing speed in 2025, as they ranked bottom-five in sprint speed, but it’s obvious this veteran club has been around the block and puts trust in the base coaches instincts. They will be looking to carry that same mindset into Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday.