Blue Jays Clinch ALDS, Advance to ALCS After 5-2 Win at Yankee Stadium

On October 8, 2025 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 5-2, sealing a 3-1 series win in the American League Division Series. The game featured a stellar start from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., first baseman/designated hitter for the Blue Jays, who drove in a run and later signed a historic $500 million contract. Outfielder George Springer added another RBI, while pitcher José Berríos logged 6.1 innings of two‑run, two‑strikeout work. The victory sends Toronto to the ALCS for the first time since 2016.

Game Recap and Key Moments

Toronto opened the scoring in the first inning when a leadoff double was chased home on a sac fly. The Yankees answered in the third with a solo homer, but the Blue Jays responded in the fifth, making it 2-1. The seventh inning proved decisive: a two‑run double by Alek Manoah after a wild pitch pushed the lead to 4-1. A late‑inning solo shot by Clarke Schmidt for New York trimmed the margin, but Toronto’s bullpen sealed the win.

Statistical Highlights

• Toronto recorded 12 hits, zero errors; New York managed six hits and one error.
• Blue Jays pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts (Manoah 0, Berríos 2, Chad Green 1, others 7).
• Both clubs finished the regular season 94‑68, but Toronto held the No. 1 seed in the AL East.
• The Jays tallied 34 runs in the first four postseason games – the fourth‑most ever in MLB history.
• Toronto’s 20‑win improvement from 2024 marks the biggest single‑season jump since the 2019 Washington Nationals.

Reactions from Players and Executives

After the final out, Tony Staffieri, CEO of Rogers Communications, praised the roster: “We’ve built a team that believes it can beat anyone, even a decade‑old rival.” Yankees chief Hal Steinbrenner admitted the loss was “a bitter pill, but it shows the AL East is finally competitive.”
Springer, 35, reflected on his veteran role: “Every game feels like a championship; the kids in Toronto are finally seeing the payoff of all those years of hard work.”

Historical Context and Turnaround

The 2025 season started with pundits labelling the Jays a "mediocre .500 team" after a 74‑win 2024 campaign. Contract negotiations with Guerrero Jr. dominated headlines, casting a "dark cloud" over the clubhouse. Yet the front office, led by President Mark Shapiro, doubled down on analytics and added depth to the pitching staff. The result? A 20‑win swing, the largest turnaround since the Nationals’ 2019 rise.

For the Yankees, the loss ends a stretch where they dominated the AL East for almost a decade. Their 94‑win season was impressive, but the franchise’s legacy of postseason success continues to elude them after a costly early‑exit.

What Lies Ahead: ALCS Preview

Toronto now prepares to host the ALCS against the winner of the Detroit Tigers‑Seattle Mariners matchup, likely the Tigers. Game 1 is slated for October 14 or October 15 at Rogers Centre. Analysts expect the Jays to rely on their deep bullpen and the power of Guerrero Jr., who is on pace for 30+ homers this postseason.

Meanwhile, the Yankees will regroup in the Bronx, hoping to bounce back in the next season. The ALCS will test whether Toronto’s surge was a one‑off or the start of a new era in the rivalry.