Has Blue Jays manager Schneider learned absolutely nothing from previous playoff mistakes?

With the Toronto Blue Jays clearly on a roll as Trey Yesavage was obliterating the New York Yankees like no tomorrow, he entered the sixth inning on Sunday’s game ready to continue his dominance. But after getting Yankees catcher Austin Wells to pop out to Jays shortstop Andrés Giménez, the Blue Jays manager surprised everyone by lifting the 22-year-old rookie pitcher.

That bold move was met by a chorus of boos from the Toronto fans. After all, not only was Yesavage in the midst of perhaps the best start ever for a rookie in the MLB Playoffs, he was also no-hitting the Yankees and was only at 78 pitches at the time. Apparently, Schneider hasn’t learned anything from his previous playoff mistakes in giving the right-hander the early hook.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider learns absolutely nothing from previous playoff mistakes with costly move

The last time the Jays manager took out a pitcher that was dominating the opposition in one of the biggest games of the season? You guessed right, back in the 2023 postseason during Game 2 in the American League Wild Card Series against the Minnesota Twins.

With Blue Jays starter José Berríos absolutely rolling against his former team, Schneider took him out earlier than everyone expected. As for the result, the Twins quickly pounced on the bullpen and ended up taking the game and the series.

On Sunday, it sure felt a bit like déjà vu, as the Yankees quickly took advantage of the move and woke up against the Blue Jays’ relief corps. New York would capitalize and go on to pump seven runs on the scoreboard at the expense of Justin Bruihl, Braydon Fisher, Eric Lauer and Tommy Nance and quickly made a game of it.

Luckily for the Blue Jays, it didn’t end up costing the team the victory this time around. You would have thought with the 2023 AL Wild Card Series still pretty fresh in Schneider’s mind that he wouldn’t commit the same thing twice, even with the seemingly insurmountable lead they had built up.

However, even though New York didn’t end up coming back to steal the victory from the Blue Jays, perhaps the supposedly shrewd move has woken up a sleeping bear as the Yankees’ offense had been totally shut down until finally awakening that sixth inning.

So taking away a chance for Yesavage to have a no-hitter is one thing. But now with the Bronx Bombers heading back to their own stomping grounds with hopes to extend the series, they must suddenly be feeling good that they could finally break through the Jays’ elite pitching. 

Hopefully, the Jays will refocus and concentrate on finishing off the Yankees before they fully take off. Otherwise, with confidence and momentum meaning everything, we might be all looking back at what could pan out to be the turning point of the ALDS between the two teams.