What are the keys to the series in Blue Jays vs Yankees first ever playoff matchup?

Wake up, Toronto. It's gameday. For the first time in ten years, the Toronto Blue Jays are set to compete in their first American League Division Series since 2016.

Toronto takes on its division-rival New York Yankees in what will be the franchise's first matchup in the postseason. The two teams wrapped up the regular season with identical records, and it's thanks to the Blue Jays winning the season series that saw the Yankees relegated to the Wild Card round.

With the matchup set, what do the Blue Jays need to do to advanced to the American League Championship Series?

Three keys to defeating the New York Yankees

Key #1 - Maximize the small ball

The Yankees' defense has been in the spotlight in the last year, and not in the best way possible. Their fifth-inning collapse in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series will forever live in infamy. Those defensive tendencies have carried into the 2025 season, as they're ranked 13th on Fangraphs in defensive value (6.8). For context, Toronto sits at the top in all of MLB with a value of 38.5.

The Blue Jays are known for being a team that loves to put the ball in play, ranking as the best in MLB in strikeout rate (17.8%) and walk-to-strikeout ratio of 0.47. Although the Blue Jays were 13th in the league in home runs (190), they have the best batting average (.265), on-base percentage (.333), and are second in fWAR (32.6). If the Blue Jays can find their bats (which they did against the Tampa Bay Rays to win the division), that'll put them in flight.

Key #2 - Let the bullpen cook

The Blue Jays' bullpen has had a roller coaster of a time in the final two months of the regular season. In August, the bullpen put up a performance that one would argue is labeled as "borderline abysmal." Their ERA was 4.76 (24th in the league), left on-base percentage at 68.2% (24th), WHIP at 1.50 (30th), and fWAR at -0.7 (30th).

September was a better turnaround for the relievers. They've reduced their ERA to 3.42 and increased their fWAR to 1.0, left on-base percentage to 77.6%, and WHIP to 1.26. Led by the likes of Mason Fluharty and Braydon Fisher, they need to be on point for a team that leads the league in fWAR (34.2), drawing walks (10.2%), and knocking home runs (274).

The Yankees finished the season winning 11 of their last 13, which included an eight-game winning streak to close the campaign. The Bronx Bombers are back, and the Blue Jays need to tone them down.

Key #3 - Vladdy needs to shine

It's been a tumultuous 2025 for franchise icon Vladimir Guerrero Jr. His struggles and lack of home runs have been highlighted numerous times throughout the year. Although Guerrero Jr. had a batting average of .313 and an on-base percentage of .364 in September, his slugging was at a mere .414, which is emphasized by just two home runs.

Without Bo Bichette in the lineup, there are more calls for Guerrero Jr. to step up at the plate as the stepping stone for the heart of the lineup. His playoff history also hasn't been kind to him. In six postseason games, he's only had one RBI, batted .136, and never hit a home run.

His small-ball production can't be ignored. His season wRC+ is at 137, wOBA at .367, and he was fourth on the team in batting average with .292. However, if he wants his own "touch 'em all" moment, the time is now against an old, formidable foe.