Sep 7, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder George Springer (4) hits for a double during the third inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Three Key Takeaways From Blue Jays' Disheartening Series Loss to Yankees

Originally posted on Toronto Blue Jays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 1:00 PM ET

With a chance to create some more separation in the American League East, the Toronto Blue Jays were unable to win the weekend series against the New York Yankees.

The Blue Jays have played the Yankees very well this season, but in a pivotal matchup in New York, they lost two out of three games at an important time in the season. Toronto hasn’t been great over the last month, and their mediocre play has resulted in them seeing their lead in the division starting to shrink.

While the Blue Jays are going to be a playoff team in the AL, winning the division is their top priority right now, and the series loss against the Yankees didn't come at a good time.

Things won’t be getting easier for Toronto coming up with a series against the Houston Astros, but they will try to build some momentum. When looking back at the weekend, here are three key takeaways from the series loss against the Yankees.

Offense Goes Cold

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Things started very well for the Blue Jays in the first game of the series. They were able to win by a score of 7-1 and looked like they were going to be continuing their dominance over the division rival.

Unfortunately, things went south on Saturday and Sunday, with the team scoring just four runs combined in the two losses. Going against Max Fried and Luis Gil, the team was unable to get things going offensively, and not scoring against a team like the Yankees will likely result in a loss.

Scherzer Continues to Struggle

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In the rubber game of the series, veteran Max Scherzer once again struggled for the team, and this was his third straight poor start. Coming into the game against New York, Scherzer had allowed four runs in each of his previous two starts, and that continued against the Yankees.

In the loss, the right-hander allowed four runs in 4.1 innings of work, with control being an issue. Scherzer only allowed three hits, but the four walks he allowed resulted in him getting into some trouble. The struggles of the right-hander are certainly a bit of a concern heading down the stretch.

AL East is Up for Grabs

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With the series loss to the Yankees, the Blue Jays are now just two games ahead of the division rival, and a tough series coming up against the Astros. Due to New York picking up a game on Toronto over the weekend, this division is very much up for grabs with a few weeks to go.

The Yankees do have the fortune of having an easier schedule the rest of the way, and the Blue Jays need to get going soon if they are going to hold on in the division. With a schedule disadvantage, Toronto should be concerned about their lead in the division.

This article first appeared on Toronto Blue Jays on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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