Aug 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes (38) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Three Keys for Blue Jays in Pivotal AL East Series Against Yankees

Originally posted on Toronto Blue Jays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays are coming off a good series win against the Cincinnati Reds and were able to avoid a letdown with a looming matchup over the weekend.

With the American League East still up for grabs, the Blue Jays will be heading to play the New York Yankees on the road in a pivotal weekend series. This coming weekend could very well determine the winner of the division, and it should be an exciting matchup.

So far this season, Toronto has been the better team in the matchups. In 10 games, the Blue Jays have a 7-3 record against the Yankees, including that massive four-game sweep of them a few months ago.

However, both teams will look much different since the last time they met, with each squad making improvements at the trade deadline. This will be a massive series for both teams, and could have a ripple effect in the AL. Here are three key things for the Blue Jays heading into the weekend.

Avoid Bullpen Blowups

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Currently, the biggest issue for the Blue Jays appears to be their bullpen. Since the All-Star Game, this is a unit that has taken a step in the wrong direction, with many of their key pitchers underperforming.

At the trade deadline, they made two acquisitions to improve the unit, with Seranthony Dominguez coming over from the Baltimore Orioles, and Louis Varland coming from the Minnesota Twins. However, the results have unfortunately been mixed, and this is a team that doesn't have a great bullpen as of now. If the Blue Jays are going to defeat the Yankees, they will need this unit to be better than it has been.

Win Rotation Battle

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The starting pitching matchups are going to be fun in this one, with Friday being Kevin Gausman against the talented young right-hander, Cam Schlittler. On Saturday, Max Scherzer will be facing Luis Gil, followed by Max Fried against Chris Bassitt on Sunday in the finale.

On paper, the Yankees likely have a bit of an edge in the pitching matchups, especially considering how good Schlittler has looked this year. If the Blue Jays can stay close in these matchups, it will go a long way towards helping them win the series.

Springer Stays Hot

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Over the last month and change, there have been few better hitters in baseball than George Springer. Over a 45-game span, he was able to join some elite company with Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. Being mentioned with those two is a fantastic accomplishment, and the 35-year-old will be hopeful to keep it going.

In the last seven days, he has slashed .381/.536/.857 with three home runs and five RBI. While the sample size isn't massive, it shows how hot Springer has been of late. If he can keep that up against New York, Toronto will be in a good position.

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

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