Yankees Send Strong Message to Blue Jays, AL After Series win in Toronto

The Rogers Centre is apparently no longer the house of horrors for the New York Yankees.

The Yankees rebounded to erase some 2025 demons by winning a pair of close contests against the American League East-rival Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday and Sunday.

Though they finished tied for the best record in the American League last season with the Blue Jays, the Yankees went 1-8 in Toronto a season ago and were 3-4 at Rogers Centre in 2024.

Toronto outscored New York 75-41 in those nine games last season, which included the first two games of the Yankees’ four-game loss to the Jays in the American League Division Series.

But by winning two, the Yankees improved to a season-best 16 games over .500 (43-27). They also lead the Tampa Bay Rays by one game for the AL East lead.

The Yankees Exorcized Demons This Weekend in Toronto

GettyThe Yankees won more games in Toronto this weekend (2) than they won at Rogers Centre in 2025 (1).

The Blue Jays have suffered from the post-World Series hangover, and Yankees have looked like the class of the American League through the season’s first 70 games.

But there was no doubt this was a measuring-stick series north of the border.

Considering how the Yankees lost games in Toronto last year, and how weekend started with George Springer homering and Alejandro Kirk dominating Ryan Weathers and the pitching staff, there was every opportunity for another lost weekend at Rogers Centre.

That potential leaked into Saturday. Kazuma Okamoto put the Blue Jays ahead with a home run and Toronto threatened for more against Yankees ace Cam Schlittler, who did not look like his best.

But the Yankees eked out a 3-1 win by beating Louis Varland, the Jays’ dominant reliever who had controlled them a season ago. Sunday, they went ahead 2-0 and coughed up the lead but scored five in the ninth inning against Blue Jays relievers to claim an 8-3 win.

The Yankees got timely hits, specifically ninth-inning home runs from Ben Rice, Paul Goldschmidt and Jose Caballero. Things went their way, like a balk call in eighth inning that led to Toronto manager John Schneider’s ejection and stunning defensive plays from Jazz Chisholm Jr and Anthony Volpe.

The win Sunday closed the Yankees’ 5-1 road trip against recent playoff nemeses, the Blue Jays and Cleveland Guardians. The three-game series win was New York’s first at Rogers Centre since 2023.

“It feels good to shake hands and be celebrating a win in here,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Obviously, that was very difficult for us in this building last year. It is a new year, and you’ve got to keep going all the time, but what a good finish to an outstanding road trip.”

The Yankees ‘Don’t Like the Blue Jays’

GettyBlue Jays manager John Schneider was ejected Sunday.

Those north of the border surely don’t like the Yankees. But the feeling is mutual, especially with the Jays ending their season in 2025.

So payback was in order for the Yankees.

“Chip on our shoulder; we don’t like those guys over there, and they don’t like us,” Yankees’ Sunday starter Will Warren said. “So finding any way to win is always a good one, especially on the road.”

Caballero drew the ire of Jays fans by “intentionally delaying” the game Sunday with pitch-clock-related tactics. But the Jays irked the Yankees when Schneider argued the plain balk call, plus Warren was annoyed by their constant contact over his four innings — Warren got a no-decision after allowing two runs and eight hits while walking three.

“The Blue Jays are going to Blue Jay,” Warren said. “They get their singles and make it tough on us, but I’m happy to get out of there with only two runs and give us a chance to win.”

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