FOX MLB crew roasts Blue Jays’ John Schneider for early Kevin Gausman hook

In Game 1 of the ALCS, Toronto’s ace Kevin Gausman was dominant, pitching 5.2 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and just two hits. With two outs in the sixth, he allowed a home run to Cal Raleigh, then walked Julio Rodríguez. Surprisingly, Manager John Schneider pulled Gausman after only 76 pitches, despite his strong performance.

Reliever Brendon Little entered to face switch-hitter Jorge Polanco, but the bullpen move backfired immediately: Polanco hit a single to give Seattle the lead. Ultimately, Seattle’s 3-1 win forced questions about Schneider's decision. Although the limited Blue Jays offense played a significant role in the loss, the early hook of Gausman could strain the bullpen if Toronto stays in the series.

FOX MLB crew roasts Blue Jays’ John Schneider for early Kevin Gausman hook

The FOX MLB crew, usually lighthearted toward the Blue Jays, united in criticizing Schneider's early hook. They argued that pulling an ace who had dominated emboldens the opposition. Derek Jeter summed it up: "When a starter is dealing, if they go to the bullpen, I don't care who they bring in, you're excited because it’s a new look."  

That mentality showed true as Polanco had been hitless against Gausman, but delivered a go-ahead RBI single off Little. Statistically, the decision was questionable: Polanco hit lefties (.305/.345/.543) significantly better than righties (.254/.321/.481) this year. However, he's had 261 fewer at-bats against lefties. The move also risks overtaxing the bullpen if the series goes long, as Alex Rodríguez noted.

The Gausman move may affect Toronto's strategy in the crucial Game 4, where Max Scherzer starts despite struggling lately. In September, the former Cy Young Award winner threw 15 innings but posted a 10.20 ERA and allowed batters to hit .348 off of him. His recent outings raise questions about bullpen reliance if he falters early.

Looking at the NLCS, the Los Angeles Dodgers let their starters pitch deep into games because their bullpen has struggled in the postseason. For example, Blake Snell pitched eight innings, allowing one hit and one earned run in a Game 1 victory.

In another game, Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw a complete game for the Dodgers, giving up only three hits and one earned run, which resulted in a 2-0 series lead. The Dodgers made these decisions because their bullpen has a 5.91 ERA over 21.1 innings.

In comparison, Schneider’s bullpen has a 6.35 ERA in 28.1 innings, so relying on starters might be a more effective approach. Notably, five of the 20 earned runs allowed by the Blue Jays’ bullpen came in Game 2.

Blue Jays fans share the FOX crew's frustration. With the club’s World Series drought lingering, the consequences of pulling Gausman will stay in focus if the series advances. Fans will also be watching to see if Schneider will learn from his past failed decisions or if we will see the same rash decisions.