When X-Factor ALDS matchups are set for Yankees, Blue Jay, Mariners, and Tiger
USA Today Sports ‘Gabe Lackes breaks down ALD and players to see from Yankees, Blue Jays, Mariners and Tigers
Sports Pulse
The New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays will launch their top five American League Division Series at the Rogers Center on Saturday, October 4th.
Toronto won the AL East for the first time in a decade and won a goodbye to ALDS, but the Yankees finished runner-up in the division and had to beat their rival Boston Red Sox in a nervous wildcard series to book their place in this round.
“The fact that you don’t have to be in this position and play in the wild card rounds shows how far we’ve come as a team and who we are as a team,” Blue Jays outfielder George Springer told reporters.
Lewis Gill (4-1, 3.32 ERA) starts for the Yankees, with right-handed Kevin Gaussman (10-11, 3.59 ERA) getting the Blue Jays ball.
Saturday’s game will air on Fox and can be streamed on fubo.
Watch the MLB Playoffs on Fubo
The New York Yankees knocked Kevin Gorseman out of the game. However, the Toronto Blue Jays were on the lead.
The Yankees loaded an empty bass in six innings of ALDS Game 1, but managed only one run as relievers Louis Verland hit Giancarlo Stanton on a 101 mph first ball to load the bases and bailed out Gaussman by leaving the Blue Jays in the top 2-1.
Gaussmann was cruising five innings until Anthony Volpe’s leadoff reached a double-double from the wall on the left field. Austin Wellswalk and singles were singled by Trent Grisham and loaded bass.
But perhaps in the biggest sequence of the game, Gaussmann hit the judge with the splitter. Cody Bellinger Walk ran, but Ben Rice ran out for the second out.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider then yanking Gaussman for Varland, and the manager’s intuition paid off when he was a fan of Stanton.
They had to fight over a three-game wildcard series against the Boston Red Sox, so the New York Yankees considered themselves at a disadvantage when they took on the Toronto Blue Jays, who rested in the AL division series.
Lewis Gill did little to counter that concept.
Gill was chased after getting just eight outs and the Blue Jays took a 2-0 lead in three innings in Game 1 at Rodgers Center.
Come to Game 2, Ace Max Fried takes the mound, followed by Carlos Rodon and rookie star Cam Schlitler, and everything should be better in Yankeeland. However, Gill was drawn for solo homer by Vladimir Guerrero and Alejandro Kirk in the first two innings, and was lifted for left-handed Reliever Tim Hill after giving up a single to Guerrero.
The New York bullpen will need to cover 19 outs to survive Game 1.
Two innings, two home runs for the Toronto Blue Jays
It’s probably an unsustainable pace, but for now, the long ball by Vladimir Guerrero and Alejandro Kirk led the New York Yankees 2-0 through the first two frames of ALDS Game 1.
Kirk threw Guerrero’s first inning shot out of Lewis Gill with his towering fly on the left field sheet at Rogers Center. The Blue Jays got some good swings against Gill, who needs 37 pitches to complete two innings.
Get ready for Toronto’s SlugFest.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. started a home run to Rogers Center’s left field sheet as the Blue Jays scored their first advantage in the ALDS against the New York Yankees, claiming a 1-0 lead after one inning.
There is little secret between Al East’s rivals who won the Division title with 94 wins. Judge Aaron hit 112.6 mph from the field left to left from the first single as Gaussmann aims to survive against the Yankee lineup in his first ball splitter repertoire.
- Trent Grisham (L) cf
- Aaron Judge (R) RF
- Cody Bellinger (L) LF
- Ben Rice (L) 1b
- Giancarlo Stanton (R) DH
- Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L) 2b
- Ryan McMahon (L) 3b
- Anthony Volpe(R)SS
- Austin Wells (L)c
- George Springer (R) DH
- Nathan Lukes (L) RF
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1b
- Addison Barger (L) 3b
- Alejandro Kirk (R)c
- Daulton Varsho (L) cf
- Anthony Santander(s)lf
- Andrés Giménez (L) SS
- Ernie Clement (R) 2b
- catcher: Austin Wells, Ben Rice, J.C. Escala (3)
- InfielderPaul Goldschmidt, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe, Ryan McMahon (4)
- Outfielder: Judge Aaron, Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, Jackson Dominguez (4)
- Utility: Jose Caballero, Amed Rosario (2)
- Designated batter: Giancarlo Stanton (1)
- Starting pitcher: Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Cam Schlittler, Lewis Gill (4)
- bull-penDavid Bednar, Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, Fernando Cruz, Camilo Doval, Tim Hill, Paul Blackburn, Will Warren (8)
- catcher: Alejandro Kirk, Tyler Heinemann
- Infielder: Addison Barger, Ernie Clement, Anddresses, Warrior Jr.
- OutfielderNathan Lukes, Anthony Santander, Davis Schneider, George Springer, Myles Straw, Daulton Varsho
- LHPJustin Bruihl, Mason Fluharty, Eric Lauer, Brendon Little
- RHP: Shane Bieber, Selantny Dominguez, Braydon Fisher, Kevin Gaussman, Jeff Hoffman, Tommy Nance, Yariel Rodriguez, Louis Varland, Trey Yavage
Game 1: Saturday, October 4th – Toronto Yankees, 4:08pm
Game 2: Sunday, October 5th – Toronto Yankees, 4:08pm
Game 3: Tuesday, October 7th – Yankees Toronto, Time TBA
Game 4: Wednesday, October 8th (If necessary) – Toronto for the Yankees, time TBA
Game 5: Friday, October 10th (If necessary) – Toronto Yankees, Time TBA
The first pitch is scheduled 4:08pm In Toronto
