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Sep 28, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) drapes the team home run jacket on third baseman Addison Barger (47) after he hit a two-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Should Blue Jays Want To Face Yankees or Red Sox in ALDS?

Originally posted on Toronto Blue Jays on SI
By Cameron Zunkel | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 12:20 PM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays secured the top seed in the American League after winning arguably the toughest division in baseball. They are patiently waiting to see who the winner will be of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees matchup in the Wild Card round, which means no matter what, the Blue Jays will take on a division foe in the ALDS.

The Red Sox took Game 1 over the Yankees after Garrett Crochet threw 7.2 strong innings with 11 strikeouts. Boston did not score through the first seven innings, but they were able to put some runs up on New York's bullpen. Game 2 will take place on Wednesday night, and the Red Sox are one win away from advancing.

With that in mind, who should they want to face?

How the Blue Jays Matchup With the Red Sox

Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Toronto finished the regular season 8-5 in their 13 games against Boston. In those 13 games, the Blue Jays slashed .224/.306/.337 with 53 total runs scored. On the mound, they finished with a 3.84 ERA in those matchups.

Overall, the Blue Jays had some trouble hitting against the Red Sox. They were held to three runs or less in all of their losses. Boston's pitching has stayed largely the same, as well. The Red Sox finished the regular season with the second-best bullpen ERA, 12th-best starter ERA and the sixth-most saves.

If Boston is the team to advance, Toronto will have to match them on the mound. That is not the type of game the Blue Jays will want to play. Toronto led the league in batting average, they were third in OPS and fourth in runs scored. A pitcher's duel will only favor the Red Sox.

How the Blue Jays Match Up With the Yankees

Mark Smith-Imagn Images

The Blue Jays had the exact same record against the Yankees as they did against the Red Sox at 8-5. However, Toronto was better offensively in their 13 games against New York. They slashed .263/.347/.423 with 70 runs scored against their division rivals.

The Blue Jays are a team that will win in a high-scoring game, and the Yankees are the opponent that will offer that. Toronto had a 4.38 ERA against New York this season and they allowed 1.43 home runs per game. Their pitching staff was not nearly as sharp against the Yankees, but their offense is good enough to win in those games.

New York will have to win the next two games at home against Boston in order to advance, but that is very achievable for them. The Yankees are good enough at the plate to do some damage against the other pitchers for the Red Sox now that Crochet has already had his outing. If New York advances, then Toronto should be ecstatic about their ALDS opponent.

When it comes down to it, the Blue Jays should be cheering for the Yankees to win. New York's bullpen is not nearly as strong Boston's, so Toronto will be able to score some runs. The Blue Jays' best chance at advancing to the ALCS will be playing the Yankees in the ALDS.