Once again, none of the experts are picking the Blue Jays to win the ALDS vs Yankees

“I love the Blue Jays offense, but the Yankees have a bit more firepower and also have an advantage in the rotation, so I'll take them,” was the final judgement from Matt Snyder of CBS Sports in a 2025 ALDS preview.

The Blue Jays and Yankees face off in a crucial playoff series Saturday, and many baseball analysts are picking New York, despite their 5-8 record against the Jays in 2025. The Jays, however, stack up well in several key areas that could work in their favor against a familiar division foe.

Toronto ended their season with a crucial sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays to secure the No. 1 seed in the American League, providing a much-needed momentum swing for a team that faltered in the month of September. After resting through the Wild Card Series, they should be feeling revitalized and fresh going into this series. But what should the Jays aim to emphasize to prove the talking heads wrong?

Once again, none of the experts are picking the Blue Jays to win the ALDS vs Yankees

A poignant point from the Dodgers scouting report during last year’s World Series was to put the ball in play, as it would likely lead to errors from the Yankees. What was one of the strengths of this 2025 Toronto squad? Putting the ball in play.

The Blue Jays struck out the least among Major League teams, gaining a reputation for grinding out gritty at-bats and putting the bat on the ball. Making the defensively inconsistent Yankees field the ball may pay huge dividends for a Toronto team that is looking for any competitive advantage in a close matchup.

That weakness contrasts sharply with the Blue Jays’ own defensive prowess as they led the majors in team defense in 2025. Daulton Varsho, Alejandro Kirk, and Andrés Giménez are among the best defenders at their positions, giving Toronto the edge in run prevention.

Leaning on their ability to rack up strikeouts will be another key for Toronto in the ALDS, especially when trying to subdue the deadly duo of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. The Jays were sixth in baseball this season for pitching strikeouts, with deadline additions Seranthony Dominguez and Louis Varland bolstering the bullpen down the stretch.

If Blue Jays manager John Schneider plays to matchups and manages the bullpen effectively, the strong pitching of Toronto can take the bat out of the hands of one of the most well-rounded lineups in baseball.

Though the Blue Jays will be missing a key bat with Bo Bichette for the entirety of this series, they are gaining the addition of Anthony Santander to rebound from an injury-plagued 2025. While Santander hasn’t hit well in the games he has played in 2025, with a woeful .175/.271.294 slash line in 54 games, the postseason presents a new opportunity to help fill the shoes of Bichette.

So why are experts still counting out the Jays? Looking at the pitching, the Jays get a fresh start with Kevin Gausman starting Game 1 and likely Shane Bieber in Game 2 or 3. New York will have to start the series from the middle of their rotation, with Max Fried and Cam Schlittler pitching in the Wild Card Series versus Boston.

Though the Yankees may be putting out a more experienced and solid lineup, the last thing you should do is to dismiss this resurgent Toronto team.

The Jays will look to keep grinding out at-bats, produce in two-strike counts, and wear down New York’s bullpen early. If they can keep games close, their late-game heroics might just carry them to an upset - and a trip to the ALCS.