Blue Jays’ bullpen game breakdown for ALDS Game 4

NEW YORK — The Blue Jays†ALDS win was built on the types of performances players have worked their entire lives for, from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to Trey Yesavage, Ernie Clement and so many more in that clubhouse.

The Blue Jays†bullpen game turned into a managerial masterclass on top of some incredible pitching performances. Schneider, pitching coach Pete Walker and the Blue Jays†pitching staff made what felt like one thousand decisions, holding the highest-scoring lineup in baseball to two runs on six hits. Bullpen games will never be perfect, but when you bat .900 in baseball, youâ€re doing all right.

After dangling Kevin Gausman and Yesavage as late-inning possibilities, the Blue Jays didnâ€t need them, instead letting their current ace and ace of the future rest up for the ALCS. The element of surprise is always just as valuable as talent on bullpen days, but as the game unfolded, Torontoâ€s strategy became clear.

Big arms versus big bats, all night. Everything revolved around Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton. The Blue Jays refused to let the Yankees†boppers beat them, and they didnâ€t. What we saw Wednesday night in The Bronx was what all “bullpen days†that come after this will strive to be.

Letâ€s run through it all.

First inning, which starts 1-0 Blue Jays:
• Louis Varland survives the first inning by holding Aaron Judge to a single, but the bullpen is already stirring…
• While Varland faces Judge, lefty Mason Fluharty starts to warm.

Second inning, 1-0 Blue Jays:
• When Varland hits Paul Goldschmidt to put a man on with one out, the Blue Jays turn to Fluharty for the L-R-L pocket heâ€d been warming for.
• Both Seranthony Domínguez and Yariel Rodríguez start to warm in case this gets to a dangerous pocket of R-L-R hitters.

Third inning, 1-0 Blue Jays
• Fluharty starts the inning with lefty Ryan McMahon at the plate, who homers.
• The next righty, Judge, brings out Domínguez for the heart of the order. This was the first truly interesting move, but Schneider chose to target Judge, Bellinger and Stanton early over saving Domínguez, who has a rock solid playoff track record. Aggressive, but it worked.

Fourth inning, 1-1
• Between innings, Trey Yesavage walks to the bullpen …
• Domínguez faces the minimum while lefty Brendon Little warms … then eases off as Eric Lauer begins to warm for the second time. Far more than youâ€d ever see during the regular season, the Blue Jays had 1-2 arms at the ready.

Fifth inning, 2-1 Blue Jays
• Lauer throws a clean inning while Rodríguez and Little each warm for the second time. Just like Fluharty earlier in the game, the Blue Jays targeted this bottom section of the lineup with another lefty in Lauer.

Sixth inning, 2-1 Blue Jays
• Between innings, Kevin Gausman walks to the bullpen …
• This brought a fascinating wrinkle in strategy. After Lauer handled a lefty, Schneider chose to intentionally walk Judge with one out, setting Lauer up for another lefty in Bellinger. Itâ€s bold, as Bellinger has crushed lefties in 2025, but Lauer wins the battle before turning things over to Rodríguez.

Seventh inning, 4-1 Blue Jays
• Itâ€s time for Little, the third lefty of the night. Little entered against Goldschmidt instead of a lefty, but once again, we see Schneider save a lefty for the group of hitters at the bottom of the lineup.
• Counter-move No. 1 from Aaron Boone: who pinch-hits Amed Rosario for McMahon. The Yankees win that with a Rosario single, but another lefty comes behind in Trent Grisham, who Little gets to pop out.

Eighth inning, 5-1 Blue Jays
• Counter-move No. 2 from Boone: Braydon Fisher gets Judge and Bellinger, but then puts two runners on. Boone pinch-hits Ben Rice for Goldschmidt, so Schneider goes straight to his closer. Heâ€s stood firmly behind Jeff Hoffman all season, which hasnâ€t been easy to do at times, but he was rewarded here.

Ninth inning, 5-2 Blue Jays
• Hoffman closes it out, even if Judge landed one more blow with a two-out RBI single. The Blue Jays used eight pitchers, tied for the second-most used by a team in a nine-inning game in which they clinched a postseason series.

It takes everyone to win a World Series, or even to advance to the ALCS. Every waiver-wire pickup and every Minor League signing, every coach, trainer and clubhouse staffer owns a piece of it.

For years, Schneider has deflected the good days onto those around him. Soaked in champagne once again, though, and with his team headed to the ALCS after dancing through a minefield for nine innings, the manager proved heâ€s right where he belongs, too.

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