It’s becoming pretty clear now why that last win was so important for the Blue Jays as we head into Game 4. They couldn’t finish the sweep on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Also, veteran starter Shane Bieber struggled and didn’t make it past the third inning. It forced manager John Schneider to ask for the bullpen much earlier than planned. And now, with no rested starters left, Toronto’s going with an all-bullpen game tonight.

Offensively, things haven’t looked great either. Aside from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the lineup hasn’t shown much consistency, and they couldn’t tack on another run after six in that last outing. And it’s also clear how much they miss Bo Bichette. He was on fire in September, hitting .474 with two HRs and eight RBIs over just five games. His bat was a huge reason the Jays captured their first division title in nine years.

Still, despite the setbacks, the Blue Jays don’t seem fazed. In fact, their recent moves suggest that they are planning something bold and attempting to close the series in Game 4. “Trey Yesavage will be in the Blue Jays’ bullpen tonight. Kevin Gausman will throw a “modified bullpen” today, and it would have to be a very unique spot for him to pitch in relief, but Yesavage is likelier.“ The latest update from MLB insider Keegan Matheson has sparked speculation about what the Jays are planning.

Toronto had to lean heavily on its bullpen Tuesday night, with the group giving up six runs (five earned) over 6.1 innings. And because of that workload, we might see Gausman or Yesavage come out of the bullpen on Wednesday.

Bringing in either of them could help steady things for the Blue Jays, but it’s a risky move, too!

Both pitchers would be key for a possible Game 5, and using them now would throw off their usual rest schedules. But it seems like the Jays are considering tonight as a now-or-never.

But that’s not all.

The Blue Jays are sparking the same speculation with Bichette, too.

“That’s kind of how Bo rolls on and off the field,” Schneider said when asked if Bichette is looking uncomfortable on the field.

The Blue Jays got a bit of encouraging news before Wednesday’s game, though. He made the trip to New York and was seen doing some light jogging without his knee brace. So, don’t be too shocked if he finds his way into the lineup as a designated hitter tonight.

So, with Bichette and Yesavage both speculated to be on tonight, the Jays are betting on their $190 million names to win it all.

The Yankees might overwhelm the Blue Jays in pitching

Game 4 might be the first game in the ALDS where the Yankees are ahead of the Blue Jays, at least on paper. While the Jays will have a bullpen only pitching tonight, the Yankees are betting on their latest sensation, Cam Schlittler.

In the Wild Card Series, Schlittler completely shut down the Red Sox. He pitched eight scoreless innings and 12 SOs. It was a historic performance, the most strikeouts ever in a winner-take-all postseason game. It kept the Yankees’ playoff dreams alive. Now, he finds himself in that same high-pressure spot again for keeping New York’s hopes alive once more.

The Yankees’ offense is clicking at the right time, too.

Aaron Judge finally had his big postseason moment with a three-run homer in the last game. But the Jays’ lineup is a whole different challenge. They have been on a tear, scoring 29 runs over the first three games of the series.

Hence, Schlittler’s got a tall order ahead. During the regular season, his roughest outing came against these same Blue Jays, who lit him up for four earned runs on five hits and two walks in less than two innings back on September 5 in the Bronx.

Now, with both teams fighting to keep their seasons alive, we’re in for a tense, high-stakes night of baseball.