The Toronto Blue Jays’ dominance is about to be put to the test, as uncertainty surrounds their $33.6 million cornerstone. The Yankees, on the other hand, are in a tight spot at home, trying to save a season that is hanging by a thread.

Bo Bichette not being there poses a significant concern for Toronto’s playoff chances. In 2025, the shortstop was having a great year, hitting .311 with 18 home runs and an .840 OPS. This helped the Blue Jays win 94 games and the AL East title. Then, on September 6, it was time for Yankee Stadium. Bo Bichette hurt his knee when he slid hard into home plate.

He hasn’t been able to play in the last 20 regular-season games. This forced Ernie Clement and Andres Gimenez to rotate at shortstop. Now, Ken Rosenthal’s observations from Monday’s workout painted a concerning picture.

“In my opinion, they have to be concerned, and it’s not so much what I’m hearing but what I’m seeing being by their dugout, he is not walking like a guy who is fully healthy,” Rosenthal reported on Foul Territory.

“He’s got a bit of a limp, and to my knowledge, he has not begun running yet. So it doesn’t seem to me that he’s all that close.” The ALCS is set to start on Sunday, so there is still time. But Rosenthal’s evaluation suggests that it is still unclear when Bichette will return.

Meanwhile, the Yankees will have to deal with their own problems, too.

New York needs to find answers quickly, as they have been outscored 23-8 in two games at Rogers Centre. Carlos Rodon will pitch against Shane Bieber in Game 3. And history is not on their side.

Teams that are down 2-0 in a best-of-five series win only 11% of the time. The Yankees are 4-2 at home against Toronto this season, which gives them a little hope as they try to get back into a series.

Blue Jays turn to 1992 magic with vintage caps

The Yankees are looking for answers, but the Toronto Blue Jays have found an unlikely source of energy in their clothes.

The Blue Jays put on their old white-panelled caps, the same ones they wore during their 1992 World Series championship run. And the timing couldn’t have been better.

The revival began with closer Jeff Hoffman, who talked to the clubhouse staff because Toronto needed to win four games in a row to win its division. “‘I heard we have those with our real logo, is that true?’ And they were like, ‘Yeah, we’ve got them up upstairs,'” Hoffman recalled. “I was like, ‘Let’s bring them out, it’s no better time.'” 

When asked about the lucky headwear, manager John Schneider went along, too.

“I didn’t pack another hat,” he said with a smile. The results spoke louder than doubt.

Toronto won all four of its last regular-season games and then beat the Yankees 10-1 and 13-7 in the first two playoff games.

The team has fully embraced the throwback hats. George Springer, a veteran, took a simple approach and wore whatever was in his locker. Kevin Gausman, the pitcher, went even further in his promise by saying he would only wear vintage caps.

These designs went away after 1992 when Toronto switched to all-blue styles. They came back for a while in 2015, but then they didn’t do anything until September 25 this season, when they needed four straight wins to become the American League East champion. And now, the team’s unlikely talisman is back again.