ALDS Game 1 - New York Yankees @ Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday October 4, 2025, 4:08PM, (Pg 6)

[Hottie McShotty]

Santander over Loperfido is questionable, but I understand, seeing how Anthony is a switch-hitter.

[Randle McMurphy]

Santander over Loperfido is questionable, but I understand, seeing how Anthony is a switch-hitter.

Yankees are starting two of the best LHPs in baseball in this series, Loperfido has no real role here considering that but Santander definitely does (and will definitely start both those games at least).

[Hottie McShotty]

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[xAIRNESSx]

I hope we blatantly steal signs like the Yankees do

[xAIRNESSx]

Roof open

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[bballsparkin]

It seems like the pressure is on the Yankees. A guy was calling the Jays "Frauds" last night on 590AM while I was driving. Might have been Michael Kay. He basically said Boone gets fired if the NYY's lose.

[Randle McMurphy]

It seems like the pressure is on the Yankees. A guy was calling the Jays "Frauds" last night on 590AM while I was driving. Might have been Michael Kay. He basically said Boone gets fired if the NYY's lose.

Definitely not Michael Kay

[Randle McMurphy]

Prediction on game 1 lineup:

DH Springer
RF Lukes
1B Vlad
3B Barger
C Kirk
CF Varsho
LF Santander
2B Clement
SS Gimenez

Seems to me the only real question is whether they go with Schneider over Santander in LF.

[Madvillainy2004]

Prediction on game 1 lineup:

DH Springer
RF Lukes
1B Vlad
3B Barger
C Kirk
CF Varsho
LF Santander
2B Clement
SS Gimenez

Seems to me the only real question is whether they go with Schneider over Santander in LF.

Id probably lean Santander tbh but I can see Davis then a PH situation because of all the Yankees righty relievers.

[TR50]

Time to get this show on the road! Playoff baseball is back, and it still feels like the Blue Jays are playing with some found money.

Hopefully we have more of that potent 'winneryness' in our bottle!

Let's Go Blue Jays!

[Randle McMurphy]

Prediction on game 1 lineup:

DH Springer
RF Lukes
1B Vlad
3B Barger
C Kirk
CF Varsho
LF Santander
2B Clement
SS Gimenez

Seems to me the only real question is whether they go with Schneider over Santander in LF.

Id probably lean Santander tbh but I can see Davis then a PH situation because of all the Yankees righty relievers.

Lineup just posted and they went Santander.

Also Gimenez is batting 8 rather than 9.

[Potential]

The pressure is always on the Yankees. They make the playoffs every single year just to fail for their #chasefor28

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[Potential]

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[JN]

Santander over Loperfido is questionable, but I understand, seeing how Anthony is a switch-hitter.

Once the Jays decided that they preferred starting Davis Schneider instead of Joey Loperfido against RHP's, there really was no role for Lopefido anymore.

Santander still has a role as a starter against LHP's... platoon with Lukes it would appear.

[JN]

I still think its quite possible that Gausman starts game 4, in a 3 to 4 inning start on short rest. Sort of a modified bullpen game, where you are expecting a few less innings out of your bullpen. Of course that will depend on a number of factors
- its a must that Yesavage have a good game 2.
- How good have the rest of the bullpen guys have been up to game 4. Do you have faith in the pen to go 9 innings instead of 5 or 6.
- How did Gausman do in game 1.

[Mehar]

Early projection at a 26-man playoff assuming Bichette is still injured (safe assumption it seems) and they go with 13 hitters and 13 pitchers:

C: Kirk/Heineman
1B: Guerrero
2B: Clement
SS: Gimenez/IKF
3B: Barger
LF: Schneider/Santander
CF: Varsho/Straw
RF: Lukes
DH: Springer

Missing: France, Loperfido.


SP: Gausman
SP: Bieber
SP: Yesavage
SP: Bassitt

RP: Hoffman
RP: Little
RP: Dominguez
RP: Varland
RP: Fisher
RP: Rodriguez
RP: Nance
RP: Lauer
RP: Fluharty

Missing: Scherzer, Berrios, Bruihl, Borucki

Scherzer will be a controversial omission I’m sure but it would be negligent to put him on over any of those four starters or 9 RPs (absent Hoffman perhaps and we all know he’s making the team).

This ended up being correct with the exception of Bruihl being announced on the roster just now rather than Bassitt.

Can’t complain with that at all given how LH the Yankees are. Also all but confirms game 4 will be a bullpen game.

I would have left Hoffman and his "dead arm" off the team in place of Bassitt. The goal is to win and not about "feelings". I do not care if he was the Closer. He is the last guy I trust to get 3 outs right now in that bullpen. They should have just placed him on the DL, with a hope that his dead arm can regain velocity in time for the ALCS. You need a Starter for Game 4 also.

Maybe if the Jays advanced, and Hoffman with another week of rest for his arm would be an option for the ALCS. Pitching 94 mile per hour fastballs right now, with poor command will not fly against this Yankees team. Hopefully we do not have to use him that much in this series, unless it is blowouts. Pretty much a Chad Green role.

[JN]

I want the Yanks to lose because of Michael Kay. **** that victim playing douchebag. That's my target of hate for this series to ramp me up, because while I dislike the Yanks from a big picture, there is no real individuals on that team that I dislike.

[Michael Bradley]

I still think its quite possible that Gausman starts game 4, in a 3 to 4 inning start on short rest. Sort of a modified bullpen game, where you are expecting a few less innings out of your bullpen. Of course that will depend on a number of factors
- its a must that Yesavage have a good game 2.
- How good have the rest of the bullpen guys have been up to game 4. Do you have faith in the pen to go 9 innings instead of 5 or 6.
- How did Gausman do in game 1.

The Jays spent the entire season trying to give their starters more rest, and Gausman even said that his recent good stretch is due to extra rest. I don't think they mess with that now. Gausman in Game 1 means he'll have 5 days rest heading into Game 5, if necessary. With how good the bullpen game looked against the Red Sox last week, I think that's what we see in Game 4 regardless of what the series looks like at that point.

[SharoneWright]

I would have left Hoffman and his "dead arm" off the team in place of Bassitt. The goal is to win and not about "feelings". I do not care if he was the Closer. He is the last guy I trust to get 3 outs right now in that bullpen.

They had the courage to yank Scherzer, so you'd assume they'd be willing to do the same with Chris - neither have contracts with the team next year anyway so the repercussions from hurt feelings are limited.

I'm assuming Bassitt is actually still hurt.

[Randle McMurphy]

I still think its quite possible that Gausman starts game 4, in a 3 to 4 inning start on short rest. Sort of a modified bullpen game, where you are expecting a few less innings out of your bullpen. Of course that will depend on a number of factors
- its a must that Yesavage have a good game 2.
- How good have the rest of the bullpen guys have been up to game 4. Do you have faith in the pen to go 9 innings instead of 5 or 6.
- How did Gausman do in game 1.

The Jays spent the entire season trying to give their starters more rest, and Gausman even said that his recent good stretch is due to extra rest. I don't think they mess with that now. Gausman in Game 1 means he'll have 5 days rest heading into Game 5, if necessary. With how good the bullpen game looked against the Red Sox last week, I think that's what we see in Game 4 regardless of what the series looks like at that point.

Yes, I also think the plan at this point is also to have Lauer ready for tomorrow after Yesavage goes 1 time through the order (although let’s hope they are not so rigid with that plan that they pull a dominating pitcher as they’ve been known to do).

They’ve split up the games (2 and 4) they expect/hope to be more bullpen oriented.