After snatching the first two games at home, the Toronto Blue Jays hit the road with plans to start Shane Bieber in Game 3. But GM John Schneider later decided against it. The decision was questionable for, firstly, they went through 6 relief pitchers in the previous game and did not have many fresh hands for a deciding Game 4. Secondly, they were already losing the game, so Bieber’s lack of scoring wouldn’t have affected the end result anyway.

Vernon Wells, a former Blue Jays outfielder who also played for the Yankees, openly questioned Schneider’s plan. “You don’t take Shane out with 53 pitches with Game 4 being a bullpen game,” Wells tweeted after Toronto lost 9-6 at Yankee Stadium. The Blue Jays’ relievers gave up six runs in 5 1/3 innings that night, losing a three-run lead and making the argument about Schneider’s management of his pitching staff even stronger.

But then, Schneider’s plan to use eight pitchers in Game 4 helped the team to a 5–2 win on Wednesday night. So, as the Blue Jays go into their first American League Championship Series appearance since 2016, Wells made sure to give respect where it was due. After Toronto won the series, the three-time All-Star wrote, “Understand that a difference of opinion is not a criticism. I’ve known John Schneider a long time and know the path he has taken to be where he is now. From turmoil to galvanizing an organization and becoming one. I couldn’t be happier for John! Go win it all!”

Although he had tactical concerns with the decisions made by Schneider, Wells also understood how they impacted the overall result. Bieber had surrendered 5 hits and 2 earned runs in only 2.2 innings pitched. So, Schneider opted to pull him out after only 2 ⅔ innings and 54 pitches. But it wasn’t his first choice.

“It’s a tough decision obviously. I thought he was throwing the ball fairly well. I thought his secondary stuff was really good in the second inning. Then just looked like he was having a little bit of trouble missing bats,” Schneider said. “Then you kind of get into pitches that inning and things like that. Again, you’re trying to just do what you can, what you think is best to win the game right now. I get how it looks with the bullpen game tomorrow and all that kind of stuff. Man, these guys are going to be ready to go.”

Schneider’s Game 4 strategy proved his point.

Trey Yesavage, a rookie who hadn’t played in the league yet, made the team over veterans Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer. Nathan Lukes hit a two-run home run that was very important. Eight relievers worked together to hold the Yankees to six hits, doing a great job of running the bullpen game. Toronto is now waiting to see who wins the Tigers-Mariners game on Friday. This is their longest playoff run in almost ten years.

The Blue Jays followed Schneider’s unusual plan to the letter, but their success also showed how weak their opponent was. The Yankees are going home with the same problems that have been bothering them all season, while Toronto moves forward with confidence.

Yankees’ defensive failures end their season against the Blue Jays

Toronto was happy about progress, but the New York Yankees had to face a painful reality that went far beyond this series. The Blue Jays didn’t beat the Yankees; the Yankees lost because of their basic mistakes in crucial moments in 2025. Anyone who saw Game 5 of last year’s World Series would have found the defensive collapse eerily familiar. The Yankees blew a 5-0 lead because their defense fell apart, ruining their chances of winning the championship. In Game 4 against Toronto, Jazz Chisholm Jr. messed up a routine double-play ball that would have kept Cam Schlittler’s dominant performance going. Same script, another October.

Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner promised to make the defense better after Juan Soto left. During the off-season, they focused on athleticism and better glove work. The results told a different story. By mid-July, New York had made 12 mistakes in just 10 games against Toronto. This lack of focus cost them the AL East division title. Their defensive stats for the whole season were just as bad. They were 19th in Outs Above Average with a -7 mark, which put them at the bottom with the White Sox and Rockies.

For the Yankees, who many believed would pull a comeback, the next step would be to make decisions to make their strategies strong and not repeat another October upset.