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  Jesse RogersOct 26, 2025, 08:23 PM ET

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  Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.

LOS ANGELES — Toronto Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette will be in the starting lineup, playing second base against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series on Monday, according to manager John Schneider.

Bichette, 27, only pinch hit in Game 2 after starting Game 1 at second, but Schneider indicated the former All-Star is ready to go as the series shifts to Los Angeles for Games 3, 4 and 5.

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The series is tied 1-1.

“Expecting him to be in there,” Schneider said on Sunday. “He’s out here working out. Felt good coming out of yesterday [Game 2]. I think with each day that goes on, he’ll probably get as close to normal as he can at this stage of the year.”

Bichette went 1 for 2 with a walk in Game 1 before coming out early because of the Blue Jays’ lead in what would be a 11-4 blowout win. The plan was for him to sit out Game 2, unless needed.

Bichette wound up pinch hitting in the seventh inning of the Toronto’s Game 2 loss, grounding out to shortstop. He also played the final two innings of Game 2 in the field at second while regular second baseman Andres Gimenez remained at shortstop, where he has played since Bichette injured his left knee in early September.

“It was a little bit different,” Gimenez said. “I remember spring training we were talking about — just have the communication just to play next to each other, and now we are having the same conversations playing next to each other on the opposite side. “I’m just happy to see Bo come back. I know how hard he’s been working in the training room and the weight room just to get back at this point.”

Schneider indicated that Bichette being able to work out on Sunday was “a good sign” and sees no reason why he won’t be ready when the World Series resumes on Monday at Dodgers Stadium.

Dodgers righty Tyler Glasnow is scheduled to face Blue Jays veteran Max Scherzer in Game 3.

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TORONTO — Blue Jays fans have gone from tracking flights to picking fights.

Chants of “We donâ€t need him†rained down on Shohei Ohtani in his ninth-inning at-bat in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night at Rogers Centre. What a moment from the Blue Jays†fan base, emboldened by an 11-4 win and just three victories away from a championship that would make every disappointment of the past 32 years disappear.

Ohtani eventually walked and was nearly picked off at first, but those chants raining down captured how far this organization has come. Less than two years ago, the Blue Jays†pursuit of Ohtani inspired hope like weâ€ve never seen in this market, then came crashing back down. Fans did all they were supposed to do — which is to care — but a million hearts broke all at once when Ohtani posted that Dodger blue on his Instagram.

John Schneider has handled the fallout well, both last year and this one. Heâ€s had some fun with it along the way, asking that Ohtani give back the Blue Jays hat he took from his visit to the teamâ€s complex that December. Heâ€s even jokingly asked for the dog jacket back that the Blue Jays gave to Decoy. After the Game 1 win, though, Schneider knew not to poke the bear.

“I just wanted to get the third out. I love energetic fan bases,†the manager said. “It happens in different ways and shapes and forms in every stadium. We saw it just the last series in Seattle. Kind of heard it, but it’s tough to talk about a player like that, to be honest with you. He’s special. I’m glad that the home run that he hit came when it came and we had a little cushion. But I love that our fans are passionate about our team.â€

George Springer didnâ€t want any part of it, either, wisely sidestepping the questions. People in baseball hold such an incredible respect for Ohtani, regardless of which team heâ€s on. Asked if itâ€s true that the Blue Jays donâ€t need Ohtani, Springer paused and searched for a safe answer, which he eventually found.

“I mean … thatâ€s Shohei Ohtani,†Springer said, smiling and refusing to take the bait. “Thatâ€s one of the best baseball players ever and heâ€s still got 15 more years to go. Heâ€s an unbelievable talent, but this is who we are as a team. This is us.â€

The Ohtani saga is a story weâ€ll always tell in this city, one which drew a bizarre cast of characters together into a tangled web of stories, some real and too many fictional. Fans had their hearts toyed with, though, and for fans who have stuck with this Blue Jays team while it chased its first postseason win since 2016 and first World Series appearance since ‘93, the exhaustion was understandable. Besides, the Dodgers had won enough and had enough things go their way.

Now, Ohtani is right back in front of them and this fan base is embracing it. This is like a breakup, when all of your friends rally around and tell you, “Youâ€re better off without them.â€

Do they even need to believe it? That part doesnâ€t matter.

“I didnâ€t hear any of that,†Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said, and weâ€ll just have to take his word on that. “I was focused on trying to get those three outs. Obviously, theyâ€re fans and theyâ€re always going to support us.â€

Ernie Clement cracked a smile and said that he got a laugh out of it, but just like everyone before him, Clement didnâ€t want to feed any fires. The Dodgers are already good enough. They donâ€t need bulletin board material and no player — World Series opponent or not — wants to disrespect the great Ohtani, even in the heat of competition.

“We have the guys who we have, and the guys we have have done a hell of a job,†Clement said. “I donâ€t think we need any more or any less of what we have right now.â€

Ohtani will surely get to the Blue Jays again in this Series. If itâ€s not at the plate, heâ€ll beat them on the mound. The Blue Jays took Round 1, though, and for a fan base thatâ€s sick of coming second, this was one big, loud step toward winning it all.

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Oct 21, 2025, 08:37 PM ET

LOS ANGELES — Blake Snell will start Game 1 of the World Series on Friday and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will follow in Game 2 for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Toronto Blue Jays, manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday.

It’s a repeat of the pitching order the Dodgers used for the first two games of their four-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series.

Snell had 10 strikeouts over eight scoreless innings in Game 1 on Oct. 13. He became the first Dodgers pitcher to complete eight innings while giving up one hit or fewer in a postseason game. Yamamoto pitched a three-hitter in Game 2 for the Dodgers’ first postseason complete game since 2004.

Roberts said the team hasn’t decided on starters for Games 3 and 4, which will be played at Dodger Stadium, but indicated Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani could follow in that order.

“I think we’re going to run the same rotation back, I think for sure for the first two,” he said.

Ohtani had 10 strikeouts and hit three home runs in Game 4 to clinch a second straight trip to the World Series. Ohtani was selected MVP of the NLCS.

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Dodgers starters combined for 35 strikeouts in the NLCS. Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow and Ohtani posted a 0.63 ERA against the Brewers, with two earned runs in 28â…” innings.

Roberts said the bullpen lineup was still being discussed, with the Blue Jays’ lineup featuring some right-handed power hitters that the Dodgers didn’t have to contend with previously.

“There’s one spot that we could potentially kind of debate, and will continue to debate,” Roberts said. “Outside of that one spot, it’s probably going to look exactly the same.”

Reliever Tanner Scott is eligible for the World Series roster after being removed from the NL Division Series roster. He had an emergency surgical procedure and said he was feeling good now.

“It’s just kind of trying to get a grasp on the doctors giving him the full kind of green light, the go-ahead,” Roberts said. “I know that he’s anxious, which is a good thing, but fortunately, we get to see for a couple more days how he responds to throwing and bullpens and things like that.”

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Despite losing the first two games of the ALCS and trailing the Seattle Mariners 3-1 late into the do-or-die Game 7 on Monday night, George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays completed the multi-layered comeback to punch their first ticket to the World Series in more than three decades.

Waiting for them when play resumes on Friday will be the red-hot and well-rested Los Angeles Dodgers, with -215 odds of repeating as World Series champions, per DraftKings.

But before you go writing off Toronto as the final sacrificial lamb before another Dodgers victory parade, allow us to explain why the Blue Jays could be a nightmare draw for LA.

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

Let’s start out with a fun fact that would have worked for us regardless of whether Seattle or Toronto had won Game 7:

This will be the fifth World Series since the ALCS/NLCS expanded to a best-of-seven format in 1985 in which one LCS went the distance while the other ended in a sweep.

Each of the previous four times that happened? The team that swept turned around and lost the World Series—and in a hurry.

• 1988: Oakland A’s swept ALCS; Los Angeles Dodgers won NLCS in seven games; Dodgers beat A’s in five games.
• 2006: Detroit Tigers swept ALCS; St. Louis Cardinals won NLCS in seven games; Cardinals beat Tigers in five games.
• 2007: Colorado Rockies swept NLCS; Boston Red Sox won ALCS in seven games; Red Sox swept Rockies.
• 2012: Detroit Tigers swept ALCS; San Francisco Giants won NLCS in seven games; Giants swept Tigers.

In all four cases, ye olde “Rust vs. Rest” debate absolutely decimated the offense in question. Each team had at least six days (nine, in Colorado’s case) between winning LCS Game 4 and Game 1 of the World Series. Those four teams scored a combined total of 38 runs in those 18 World Series games (2.1 per contest).

Seven-day gap or not, it’s hard to imagine the Dodgers’ bats going that cold, right? They ranked second in the majors with 825 runs scored during the regular season!

Well, the 2007 Rockies scored 860 runs, the 2006 Tigers went for 822 and the 1988 Athletics almost led the majors with 800 runs. None of them could overcome the rust.

Toronto’s Offense is Relentless

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One of the biggest reasons the Dodgers were such a clear World Series favorite before this season ever began is how airtight the lineup is. Pretty much any contender can get big hits from the top five spots in their order, but there’s just no relief when you’ve got the likes of Andy Pages and Kiké Hernández bringing up the rear.

Nevertheless, there’s a case to be made that Toronto’s offense is even more relentless than what Los Angeles brings to the table.

At any rate, it definitely has been thus far in October.

Ernie Clement has been sensational in the 6-hole, going 18-for-42 with just two strikeouts. Addison Barger has plenty of pop behind him with two postseason dingers after 21 in the regular season. Even Andrés Giménez batting ninth was massive in getting Toronto back into the ALCS with a combined six RBI in Games 3 and 4.

As an entire team, they’re batting .296 through 11 postseason games. And if you can believe this in today’s era of whiff rates, the Blue Jays have more runs scored (71) than the number of times they’ve struck out (64).

[If you’re wondering, Dodgers batters have more than twice as many strikeouts (93) as runs scored (46).]

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You might think that Toronto’s whiff aversion would mean their batters face fewer pitches and that opposing starters are more likely to last deep into games against them.

However, with the exception of Clement still trying to meet a pitch that he hasn’t liked, Blue Jays batters actually do a solid job of working the count and managed to chase each of the last six Mariners starters they faced in four innings or fewer.

And that right there is the biggest key to toppling the mighty Dodgers.

They’ve played 10 postseason games thus far, logging a quality start in eight of them. The two exceptions were when Tyler Glasnow got pulled at 5.2 IP and their lone loss of October, in which Yoshinobu Yamamoto only lasted four innings.

Regardless of whether they’re racking up strikeouts, if you let Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani and Co. cook into the seventh or eighth inning of starts, you’re just digging your own grave.

Work the count, though, while putting up the occasional crooked number along the way. Force Dave Roberts to turn to the likes of Blake Treinen, Anthony Banda, Alex Vesia—and maybe even October Clayton Kershaw—to get through those middle innings and, well, say hello to the Achilles heel of this so-called juggernaut that we’ve been talking about for months.

Now, it does bear mentioning that the bullpen is also, hands down, the biggest weakness for the Blue Jays. Jeff Hoffman striking out the side in order in Game 7 of the ALCS to bring his postseason ERA down to just 1.23 feels like some combination of voodoo magic and fools’ gold after the regular season he had. And he’s just about the only member of Toronto’s bullpen that hasn’t taken at least one on the chin this postseason.

When it’s two unstoppable offenses against two very movable bullpens, though, things could go either way. Maybe Hoffman stays hot for another week?

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In the build-up to this World Series, a lot of people are going to talk like it’s the 115-win Dodgers preparing to destroy some 82-win Blue Jays team that accidentally snuck into the playoff bracket.

Let’s not forget, though, that while Los Angeles is the clear betting favorite, Toronto won one more game during the regular season and will have home-field advantage in this series.

And in case you weren’t already well aware of how raucous things can get at the Rogers Centre, the near earthquake they caused when George Springer hit that home run on Monday night was a vivid example of the hornet’s nest into which the Dodgers will be walking.

Yes, Toronto lost Games 1 and 2 of the ALCS at home, but bookended it with 23 runs in the first two games of the ALDS against the Yankees and an incredible showing in Games 6 and 7 against Seattle. It was also at home that they ended the regular season with a very loud, 13-run onslaught to jump-start a run that they hope will end as ceremoniously as it did back in 1992 and 1993.

They’re underdogs, but they’re the furthest thing from undeserving. And with the way Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been tearing the cover off the ball in recent weeks, it may well be the $500M man getting his first World Series ring, instead of the $700M man (Ohtani) securing his second in a row.

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The 2025 ALCS had been a series of road wins, with the Seattle Mariners sweeping the first two games in Toronto, while the Toronto Blue Jays clawed back their first win in Seattle. But then, in Game 4, the Blue Jays dominated on their own turf, tying the series up. Will the Blue Jays continue their winning streak in Game 5 tonight, or will the Mariners roar back on their home turf? We’ll find out when they play their next game this evening at T-Mobile Park.

Game 5 of the 2025 ALCS will air at 6:08 p.m. ET tonight on FS1. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch Game 5 between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners.

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How to watch the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners Game 5:

Date:Friday, Oct. 17

Time: 6:08 p.m. ET/3:08 p.m. PT

TV channels: FS1

Streaming: DirecTV, Fubo, FoxONE and more

When is Game 5 between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners?

Game 5 of the ALCS between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners is Friday, Oct. 17, at 6:08 p.m. ET. The best-of-seven series is scheduled to run through Oct. 20 — if all seven games are necessary.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners Game 4 channel:

Game 5 of the ALCS will be broadcast on FS1.

How to watch the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners without cable:

You can stream FS1 on platforms like DirecTV and Fubo, and the games will be available on Fox’s new streaming platform, Fox One.

DirecTV Stream’s Choice tier gets you access to Fox and FS1, the channels you need to watch the MLB ALCS series, plus the CW, ABC, CBS, Fox, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network and plenty more local regional sports networks.

DirecTV also offers unlimited Cloud DVR storage and access to ESPN+’s new streaming tier, ESPN unlimited.

The best part is, you can try all this out free for five days. So if you’re interested in a live TV streaming service but aren’t ready to commit, we recommend starting with DirecTV Stream.

Try free at DirecTV

Fubo TV gives you access to 100-plus live channels, including Fox and FS1, and many more so you can watch every ALCS game in one place. The cheapest plan starts at $85/month, making the live TV streaming service a significant investment. However, the inclusion of ESPN unlimited, a $30/month value, is a great deal if you watch sports year-round. Fubo subscribers also get access to ESPN unlimited, and unlimited cloud DVR storage.

Currently, the platform is offering a free trial, allowing you to explore everything it has to offer risk-free.

Try it free at Fubo

With a subscription to Fox One, you can tune in to all your favorite Fox channels like Fox News, Fox Sports, Fox Weather, FS1, FS2, Fox Business, Fox Deportes, Big Ten Network (B1G), and local Fox stations all in one place. That means you can watch every ALCS game in one place.

Fox One offers live programming, as well as shows and movies on demand. At launch, the base price for Fox One will cost $19.99 a month, or you can save with an annual subscription for $199.99. Fox Nation fans can even bundle it with Fox One for $24.99 a month, or opt for an annual subscription, which nets out to $19.99/month — that’s like getting a year of FOX Nation free.

You can also bundle Fox One with ESPN’s newly revamped streaming service for $39.99/month.

$19.99/month at Fox

2025 MLB ALCS Schedule:

All times Eastern

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Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners (series tied 2-2)

• Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 12, 8:03 p.m. (Fox)

• Game 2: Monday, Oct. 13, 5:03 p.m. (Fox/FS1)

• Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 8:08 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 16, 8:33 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 5 (if necessary): Friday, Oct. 17, 6:08 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 6 (if necessary): Sunday, Oct. 19, 8:03 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, Oct. 20, 8:08 p.m. (Fox/FS1)

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The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night and are now just one win away from repeating as National League champions, with hopes of back-to-back World Series titles in their sight. The Brew Crew will need to channel some of the 2004 Boston Red Sox magic to overcome their 0–3 deficit but it wonâ€t be easy, especially considering who theyâ€ll be facing in Game 4.

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On this episode of the Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss yet another stellar pitching performance from the Dodgers, with their staff allowing only one run in Game 3. With Shohei Ohtani set to take the mound in a potential closeout game on Friday night, can the Brewers begin arguably the biggest comeback in MLB postseason history?

Also on this episode, Jake and Jordan cover how the Toronto Blue Jays gave the Seattle Mariners a taste of their own medicine by winning two straight games at T-Mobile Park, evening the ALCS at two games apiece. With the series now set to return to Toronto after Game 5 in Seattle, is tomorrow night a must-win for the Mariners? The guys also recap key takeaways from the 2025 postmortem press conferences held by the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies.

Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images

(Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

1:39 – The Opener: Dodgers are one win away

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12:52 – Who will be NLCS MVP?

16:43 – Blue Jays even up ALCS

21:09 – Max Scherzer turns back the clock

35:12 – Humpy update + ALCS Game 5 preview

44:17 – Yankees & Phillies make news in press conferences

ðŸ–¥ï¸ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at or atyahoosports.tv

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TORONTO — Toronto rookie Trey Yesavage says his family has been subjected to abuse since his impressive postseason debut last weekend against the New York Yankees.

“Living in this world where thereâ€s so many different opinions and feelings which results in a lot of hate, itâ€s sad to see that people close to me are being attacked for my performances on the field,†Yesavage said Sunday before the AL Championship Series opener against Seattle.

“These people have done nothing to warrant negativity for my actions, whether thatâ€s my parents, my brothers, my girlfriend, family,†he added. “Itâ€s just really sad. I know I have the platform to address it, so I am. I hope that people can realize that those individuals have nothing to do with what happens on the field. If you have a problem, Iâ€m a man. I can take whatever opinions anybody has about me or my life. So I just wanted to get that out there.â€

Yesavage, scheduled to start Game 2 on Monday, declined to answer a follow-up question about the matter.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Yesavage didnâ€t speak to him before making his comments.

“Itâ€s unfortunate that thatâ€s a reality,†Schneider said of the abuse. “I commend him for saying what he said and for backing up the people that love and support him.â€

Yankees rookie Cam Schlittler, who grew up a Red Sox fan in Walpole, Massachusetts, said his family received online abuse before he beat Boston to win the Wild Card Series for New York.

Making his fourth big league appearance, Yesavage set a Blue Jays postseason record by striking out 11 Yankees in 5 1/3 hitless innings in AL Division Series Game 2 on Oct. 5. Eight strikeouts came on the split-finger fastball of the 22-year-old right-hander, who induced 18 swings and misses, including 11 on the splitter.

“Heâ€s definitely something that weâ€re going to have to figure out,†Mariners manager Dan Wilson. “The big split, theyâ€re tough pitches, obviously.â€

Yesavage went 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA in three September starts. Including his postseason start, he has 27 strikeouts in 19 1/3 big league innings.

“Heâ€s pretty special,†Blue Jays teammate Addison Barger said. “To be able to do what he did in the regular season and in the Division Series, itâ€s kind of unrealistic, but heâ€s been able to do it. Itâ€s been amazing to watch and weâ€re super excited to have him.â€

The Mariners, who used three starting pitchers in Fridayâ€s 15-inning win over Detroit, have not announced a starter for Game 2.

“Weâ€re going to see how guys feel today and likely announce that after the game,†Wilson said.

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TORONTO — Everybody was talking about it. How could you not?

Even here at Rogers Centre, a building bursting with anticipation for ALCS Game 1 on Sunday, folks were bleary eyed from taking in the eternal thrill ride that was Game 5 of the ALDS between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers. With the victorious Mariners airborne en route to Toronto, many of the Jays players and coaches were asked how they experienced the chaotic, 15-inning marathon the night prior.

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Some stayed up into the wee hours to see which team the Blue Jays would square off against with a trip to the World Series on the line. Others, by design or by accident, went to bed.

[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]

The latter the case for Game 1 starter Kevin Gausman, who admitted during his Saturday media conference that he didnâ€t watch the mayhem. Manager John Schneider went out to dinner with his wife on a rare night off this month; he was surprised to see the game was still going when he returned home. Starting pitcher Shane Bieber stayed up until the 13th inning but then called it quits, perhaps exhausted by the sheer number of runners stranded in extras.

Ty France, the Jays†backup first baseman who spent four years in Seattle, also conked out around the 13th but was shaken awake by his wife, who happened to wake up just before Jorge Polanco ended the evening. Ernie Clement was proud to share he made it through all 15 from the comfort of his couch. Daulton Varsho didnâ€t watch a pitch.

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But the best tale from Blue Jays land about ALDS Game 5 came from outfielders Myles Straw and Davis Schneider, who decided to watch the winner-take-all contest from a bar. The duo thought it would be a relatively relaxing evening — grab a few brews, watch a ballgame, see who their opponent would be.

“We were literally like, ‘All right, weâ€ll just watch the game, but weâ€re not leaving ’til the game is over,â€â€ Schneider told Yahoo Sports. “And then it f***ing took forever.â€

Straw and Schneider did stay for the whole thing, chatting with Jays fans about whom theyâ€d rather face in the next round. Given Schneiderâ€s conspicuous mustache, he and Straw were easy to spot, and they had a fun night. Thankfully, the Jays had just a light workout Saturday, with an afternoon start time.

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For the Mariners, the turnaround is much more imposing. By the time J.P. Crawford touched home in the bottom of the 15th, sending T-Mobile Park into revelrous pandemonium, the clock was already past 10 p.m. local time. On the East Coast, Friday had already turned to Saturday. But the Mariners didnâ€t skip town in a rush; there was some well-earned Champagne that needed popping. In fact, the team didnâ€t head east until Saturday morning — and only after the team charter was delayed.

The Mariners are alive, but they are also running on fumes, with a pitching staff depleted from the eternal madness of Game 5. Had they won that contest in anything resembling normal fashion, Seattle would have almost certainly started Luis Castillo in ALCS Game 1. But he pitched in relief Friday for the first time as a big leaguer, earning the unlikely win. Instead, the Mâ€s will turn to Bryce Miller, who took the ball in Game 3 of the ALDS, on short rest.

The Seattle bullpen, too, even with the so-called off day, will not be at full strength Sunday. Itâ€s a dynamic that benefits the Jays, who watched Game 5 with increasing glee. But speaking Saturday, Mariners manager Dan Wilson seemed unfazed by this latest wrinkle.

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“I think a lot of times players will gain some energy from that,†he said of the epic victory.

Besides, his team is used to this. “The Mariners do a lot of traveling. We do a lot of East Coast traveling,†he said. “It’ll just be an extension of the season in some ways. We should be good to go.â€

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  Jorge CastilloOct 11, 2025, 08:28 PM ET

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  ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.

TORONTO — Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Saturday the team has not decided whether to carry shortstop Bo Bichette on its American League Championship Series roster.

Bichette has not played since spraining his left knee in a collision on Sept. 6. He ran for the first time Wednesday, hit live pitching Friday and ran the bases for the first time Saturday.

Game 1 against the Seattle Mariners is scheduled for Sunday night at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays have until 10 a.m. Sunday to finalize their roster.

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Schneider hinted that the club would not carry Bichette on the roster if he is not available to play immediately, though he opened the door to carrying Bichette if he’s not available to play every day.

“I’m trying to weigh out, is [his availability] every day?” Schneider said. “Is it off the bench? Obviously, you want his bat in the lineup. I think just kind of getting to the spot with him and getting his feedback, him being part of it, how much, if at all, he’s going to be compromised. And if not, OK, and how that affects everyone else that we’re going to try to use and deploy.

“To say every-day availability would be best-case scenario, yeah, that’s pretty easy. But I think it’s a weird time crunch with the series starting tomorrow and him having to check some boxes here today too.”

Toronto’s offense did not falter without the 27-year-old Bichette in the AL Division Series. The Blue Jays scored 34 runs in the four games and pounded the New York Yankees’ pitching for 23 runs in the first two contests at home. But Bichette was one of the team’s three best hitters during the regular season.

A free agent this winter, Bichette rebounded from a dreadful, injury-plagued 2024 season in which he posted a .598 OPS in 81 games to his previous All-Star-level form in his platform year. He batted .311 — tied for second in the AL — with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games, though he was the worst defensive shortstop in the majors as measured by outs above average and defensive runs saved.

The surehanded Andres Gimenez, previously the team’s starting second baseman, started at shortstop for the Blue Jays in their division series win over Yankees. Utilityman Ernie Clement also played shortstop for Toronto during the regular season after Bichette’s injury.

One thing the Blue Jays know for sure is Kevin Gausman will start Game 1 for the second straight series opposite Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller. Schneider said Trey Yesavage (Game 2) and Shane Bieber (Game 3) will “most likely” follow Gausman, as they did in the ALDS.

The Blue Jays carried 13 pitchers and position players in the ALDS, and Schneider indicated they will do so again in the ALCS. The composition, however, could be different, with Games 3, 4, and 5 scheduled for consecutive days in Seattle and five games in six days slated to conclude the seven-game series.

After carrying just three starters in the ALDS and deploying a bullpen game in Game 4, the Blue Jays could carry one or both of Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt — who finished the season on the injured list with back inflammation — as another possible option for length. Both starters threw in a simulated game early in the week at Rogers Centre.

“They’re both feeling good and are definitely ready and available,” Schneider said. “Different format, obviously, seven games, three in a row, all that kind of stuff. Yeah, [I] could definitely see them being part of it.”

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The first start of Trey Yesavageâ€s 2025 season took place in front of a paying crowd of 327 people. Two tickets, according to the Jupiter Hammerheads†Instagram page, could be purchased for the low, low sum of $15.

And considering how Yesavage pitched that night, it was probably a good thing that so few ball fans rolled through the turnstiles at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida. Making his minor-league debut for the Low-A Florida State League Dunedin Blue Jays, the 2024 first-rounder walked six hitters across 3 2/3 disjointed innings, surrendering just one hit alongside two unearned runs.

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Nothing about that inauspicious performance could have foretold how Yesavageâ€s campaign would unfurl.

[Get more Toronto news: Blue Jays team feed]

On Sunday, less than six months removed from that humdrum showing against the Hammerheads, Yesavage shined on a slightly bigger stage. With 44,764 souls packed into Torontoâ€s Rogers Centre, the 22-year-old righty absolutely tyrannized the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Division Series.

Facing the sportâ€s best lineup this regular season in just his fourth big-league start, Yesavage did not allow a single hit across 5 1/3 masterful innings. Leaning on a dastardly split-finger fastball, he punched out 11 and walked just one. He struck out the side in the third and the fourth. The Yankees swung at 31 of his 78 pitches and whiffed 18 times. The Blue Jays†offense backed up his brilliance by scoring 11 runs before the end of the fourth inning.

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“I was just doing what I feel comfortable doing, throwing splits late in the count, and it just so happens they were swinging and missing at a bunch of them and chasing them down,” Yesavage said postgame. “I didn’t change anything.”

New York knocked around the underbelly of Torontoâ€s bullpen once the rookie starter hit the showers to make the 13-7 final score look somewhat respectable. But for all intents and purposes, Game 2 was a complete and total domination, one that gave the Jays a commanding 2-0 lead as the series shifts to the Bronx.

The Yankees are the 72nd team in the division series era (since 1994) to lose the first two games in a best-of-five series. Only eight of the previous 71 rattled off three straight victories to swipe the series. New York, in fact, was the most recent club to accomplish the feat, back in 2017 against Cleveland.

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In Game 3 on Tuesday, theyâ€ll have Carlos Rodón, who threw well in wild-card Game 2, on the mound. Heâ€ll go up against 2020 AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, acquired by the Jays at the trade deadline. New Yorkâ€s big-swinging offense is certainly capable of authoring a turnaround, particularly with the Bronx home-field advantage at their backs, but the assignment is daunting nonetheless.

The Yankees find themselves in such a predicament, in part, because Game 2 starter Max Fried, sensational in his October pinstripes debut last week against Boston, didnâ€t have his typical crispness on Sunday. A two-run tank in the second from Toronto third baseman Ernie Clement got the scoring started. The Jays plated three more in the third on a walk and a trio of hits. The fourth brought more trouble for Fried, who allowed the first two hitters to reach before Yankees manager Aaron Boone ended his afternoon.

Two batters later, reliever Will Warren conceded the hammer blow, a spine-tingling grand slam from $500 million man Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that gave Toronto a commanding 9-0 lead and brought an entire country to its feet.

Guerrero, who also went yard in Torontoâ€s 10-1 Game 1 victory, is now 6-for-9 through the first two games of this set. Daulton Varsho smoked two homers of his own in Game 2, finishing the day 4-for-5 with four RBI and four extra-base hits. George Springer clapped a solo shot as well. Everybody in the Jays†starting lineup reached base except for Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

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But the day belonged to Yesavage, who walked off the mound to a well-earned standing ovation from the raucous home crowd.

“This has got to be cloud nine,” he said afterward. “I couldn’t imagine a better feeling right now.”

His performance served as a capstone to what was already a remarkable ascension up the minor-league ladder for the East Carolina University product. Yesavage appeared for all four of Torontoâ€s affiliates on the farm this season. He pitched against Mighty Mussels, Dust Devils, Yard Goats and IronPigs. He resided in three states and two countries, living out of a suitcase while collecting passport stamps and strikeouts.

“I’ve experienced a lot this year,†he said during his media availability Saturday. “This is my fifth team I’ve been with. I’ve met the entire organization. But being here in this spot, I couldn’t have drawn it up any better.â€

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Toronto called up the precocious hurler in September for something of an October test run. And Yesavage passed with flying colors, looking completely undaunted by the intensity of big-league ball. Statistically, he performed well in the three starts he made down the stretch, but the Jays were particularly impressed with his demeanor. They believed he could handle the pressure-cooker of postseason baseball.

His showing Sunday proved them right.

Asked how the energy of October compares to the high-stress playoff starts he made as a star pitcher in college, Yesavage offered a compelling, revealing answer.

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“I would say it’s kind of the same. Having to go out there and perform at your best to help your team win a championship. At the end of the day, you have the same goal. It’s to win. Granted, there’s going to be a lot more fans here, and there’s going to be a lot more energy surrounding this place, but I’m built for this.â€

Built for this indeed.

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