Mar 1, 2025; North Port, Florida, USA; A detail view of a Toronto Blue Jays hat , sunglasses and glove laying in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Blue Jays Name Starting Pitcher for Game 1 of ALDS Against the Yankees

Originally posted on Toronto Blue Jays on SI
By Cameron Zunkel | Last updated Oct 3, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays earned the number one seed in the AL by winning the American League East division. Toronto finished 94-68 and they will face a familiar foe in the ALDS. The New York Yankees are a divisional opponent, but this will be the first time the two teams square off in the postseason.

New York was able to beat the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card series. The Yankees dropped game one, but were able to take games two and three to win the series. In fact, it was the first time since the MLB expanded the Wild Card series to three games that the loser of game one has gone on to win the series.

By not having to play in the Wild Card round, the Blue Jays have had plenty of time to decide who they want to start in game one of the ALDS. Between Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Jose Berrios, Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt, Toronto has five solid options to choose from. A decision has finally been made Friday afternoon.

Per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet Canada, manager John Schneider has decided to hand the ball to Gausman for game one Saturday afternoon.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider says Kevin Gausman will start Game 1 of ALDS vs Yankees.
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) October 3, 2025

Gausman's Season

Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Gausman finished the regular season with a 10-11 record. The right-hander threw 193.0 innings, struck out 189 batters, walked 50 and opponents slashed .216/.269/.358 off him. He did struggle in his last two starts of 2025, but the veteran put up an ERA under 3.00 in September and pitched a shutout against the Houston Astros on September 11.

Gausman has plenty of experience facing the Yankees this season, as well. He has made four starts against New York, which is the most against any team this year. In those games, the 34-year-old has thrown 22.2 innings, struck out 18, walked 12 and allowed just a .202 batting average.

In his last three starts against the Yankees, Gausman has thrown 20 innings, struck out 16 and allowed just 14 hits. His latest start against the division rival saw him throw eight innings of one-run baseball. With this success, it is easy to see why the Blue Jays are handing the ball to Gausman for game one of the ALDS.

Games two and three have not yet been determined, but the Blue Jays seem to be willing to play it by ear. Toronto has not won a playoff game since making it to the ALCS in 2016. The team was swept in the Wild Card series in 2020, 2022 and 2023. The heat is on as they take on the Yankees in the ALDS, but the right man is on the mound to earn them a postseason win.