{"id":280598,"date":"2025-10-06T00:30:28","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T00:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/280598\/"},"modified":"2025-10-06T00:30:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T00:30:28","slug":"yankees-blue-jays-game-2-takeaways-toronto-batters-yanks-again-pushing-them-to-the-brink","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/280598\/","title":{"rendered":"Yankees-Blue Jays Game 2 takeaways: Toronto batters Yanks again, pushing them to the brink"},"content":{"rendered":"

TORONTO \u2014 It didn\u2019t seem like things could get much better for the Toronto Blue Jays after a 10-1 win in Game 1<\/a> of the American League Division Series on Saturday. Somehow, they found new heights. The Jays blasted 13 runs on Sunday as rookie starter Trey Yesavage delivered 5 1\/3 no-hit innings. The game was, essentially, over by the fifth, though the Yankees scratched back seven runs in the later innings. But it wasn\u2019t close to enough as the Jays throttled the Yankees again, winning 13-7 in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead to New York. Toronto can advance to the AL Championship Series, and eliminate the Yankees, with a win on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Trey Yesavage proved he belongs in postseason\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Trey Yesavage struck out 11 and no-hit the Yankees over 5 1\/3 innings before exiting to an ovation. (Vaughn Ridley \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Yesavage first appeared on Blue Jays manager John Schneider\u2019s radar in June. If Schneider met the young righty in spring, he doesn\u2019t remember it. But when Yesavage earned his third minor-league promotion and started carving through Double-A lineups, Schneider began tracking his starts. The big leagues weren\u2019t that far away, and he looked close.<\/p>\n

But three months ago, Schneider couldn\u2019t have imagined a start like Sunday\u2019s. Two more promotions and three big-league outings later, Yesavage delivered one of the best postseason starts in Blue Jays history. The 22-year-old rookie threw 5 1\/3 no-hit innings, recording more strikeouts than any Toronto pitcher in a playoff game (11).<\/p>\n

The home crowd rained boos as Schneider walked out of the dugout to relieve the starter in the midst of his no-hit bid. They quickly turned to cheers as the righty hugged teammates and walked off the mound.<\/p>\n

\n

Trey Yesavage exits after the pitching performance of a lifetime \ud83d\udc4f#ALDS<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/pjctobKmYW<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Toronto\u2019s no-hit bid soon ended in the sixth, when Aaron Judge singled off reliever Justin Bruihl.<\/p>\n

Yesavage struck out six Yankee batters his first time through the order, his splitter diving under flailing Yankee bats. A second and third look didn\u2019t help, with Yesavage adding five more strikeouts in the following frames. He walked just one batter, Judge, in the first inning.<\/p>\n

The rookie starter answered any questions about whether he was ready for October. However far the Blue Jays push this postseason, Yesavage is a clear member of the rotation. In any bigger games to come, he will get the ball.<\/p>\n

The Yankees\u2019 $218 million man outdueled by a rookie\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Manager Aaron Boone takes the ball from Max Fried, ending a disappointing outing. (Vaughn Ridley \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

This was the kind of start the Yankees needed Max Fried to dominate. They seemed to have a major pitching advantage going into Game 2. Including the playoffs, Fried has logged 1,153 innings in his career. Yesavage had just 14 innings. But it was Yesavage who looked like the veteran in Game 2.<\/p>\n

Fried had nothing working. By the time Yankees manager Aaron Boone pulled the lefty with no outs in the fourth, he had allowed eight hits and two walks. Will Warren came in for relief and allowed a grand slam to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., finishing Fried\u2019s day with seven runs allowed. It was nothing short of a disastrous performance for Fried, who struck out only one and had a meager five swings-and-misses on 51 pitches.<\/p>\n

Fried relied on a sinker-heavy approach against Toronto, hoping it would lead to soft groundballs. Instead, the Blue Jays kept peppering hard line drives into the outfield.<\/p>\n

If the Yankees come back in this series, Fried will pitch Game 5 on regular rest. He\u2019ll need an entirely new game plan to attack the Blue Jays if he gets a chance at redemption.<\/p>\n

Blue Jays make postseason history with back-to-back offensive showcases<\/p>\n

The 2024 Blue Jays offence had no juice. They finished 23rd in runs scored, 26th in homers and dragged down a last-place, 74-win team. What a difference a year makes.<\/p>\n

With a 13-7 win over the Yankees in Game 2, the Jays set a big-league record for the most runs scored in a team\u2019s first two postseason games (23). They surpassed the 2020 Yankees\u2019 22 runs to start their postseason. Daulton Varsho went 4-for-5 with two homers and two doubles. Guerrero launched a back-breaking grand slam, Toronto\u2019s first in postseason history, in the fourth inning.<\/p>\n

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History made: <\/p>\n

After Daulton Varsho’s HR, the Blue Jays have scored 23 runs in their first two postseason games this season. <\/p>\n

That is the most for any team through two postseason games.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) October 5, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It was the first time in Yankees history they\u2019d allowed 10-plus runs in back-to-back playoff games, according to Baseball Reference.<\/p>\n

The Rogers Centre crowd appeared almost overwhelmed, constantly forced to their feet by Toronto\u2019s endless runs. Some questioned if Toronto\u2019s scrappy, contact-first offence would translate to the postseason stage. Through two games, it\u2019s been better than anyone could have expected.<\/p>\n

Ernie Clement embodies 2025 Blue Jays\u2019 offence<\/p>\n

Clement suffered a hairline fracture in his left hand in the final days of August. It would take four to six weeks to heal. Clement wouldn\u2019t go on the injured list, he told the team. He was playing through it.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe I wasn\u2019t the most honest,\u201d Clement said. \u201cBut I just told them I can play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clement stayed in Toronto\u2019s infield mix for the final month of the season. He hit .294 in the remaining month-plus and, on Sunday, delivered the biggest hit of his big-league career. His hand, covered by a white pad, certainly looked healed. The third baseman sent a deep fly to left field in the second inning, bouncing a two-run homer into Toronto\u2019s bullpen. He followed with a run-cashing single in the third.<\/p>\n

While Guerrero, George Springer and Bo Bichette headline the Blue Jays\u2019 offence, no bat better represents their 2025 attack than Clement. The twice-DFA\u2019d infielder has the lowest-strikeout rate (10.4 percent) on a team that doesn\u2019t strike out. He\u2019s one of five qualified Jays to hit over .275, on a team that led the majors in batting average. He ascended from cast-off to postseason contributor on a team defying outside expectations.<\/p>\n

Will Warren saves the bullpen<\/p>\n

The Yankees have received a total of 5 2\/3 innings from their starting pitchers through the first two games of this series. It could have been a taxing day for the bullpen Sunday after Fried\u2019s clunker, but Will Warren was able to complete 4 2\/3 innings in his first career relief appearance.<\/p>\n

Warren was abysmal, allowing six runs on seven hits, but in being able to wear a terrible performance, he gave the Yankees\u2019 bullpen a needed breather heading into an elimination game on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

(Top photo of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. admiring his grand slam: Mark Blinch \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n