The buildup to the Jays’ ALDS battle with the Yankees was projected to be about Kevin & Co.’s moment under the spotlight. Instead, it is their rival who has seized the center stage, with a vital insider backing the Yankees to overpower the neighborhood team of the USA in Game 1. As the Jays and the Yankees are getting ready for their upcoming fierce playoff showdown, the narrative has taken a sharp turn.

The prediction comes just after the Yankees won against the Red Sox and stormed through the Wild Card series in a competitive three-game series. The Yankees’ resurgence was guided by elite stars and timely deliveries that reignited the belief in the Yankees’ postseason credentials. The Jays have edged Aaron Boone’s team for the AL East crown through a season-series tiebreaker and now are facing a lineup that is looking dangerous than their regular-season record suggested.

Stephen Nesbitt, in his postseason preview, predicted the Yankees as the winner of the ALDS. “No team in the majors did more damage in the regular season than the Yankees. The questions looming over them have largely revolved around their bullpen woes and defensive lapses. By now, I am a believer. The Yankees appeared to have a clue what to do with their mitts in the Wild Card Series. Their bullpen withstood the Red Sox. And after witnessing the star turn of Cam Schlittler, it’s hard not to like the Yankees’ top three starters. The Blue Jays’ pitching staff cannot expect to contain the Yankees’ lineup. They must hope to win a battle of the bats”, the insider said.

Nesbitt’s statement has added extra force to the Jays’ lineup, specifically Kevin Gausman, because he is carrying the responsibility of setting the tone in that game.

There is a good reason for the pressure. Aaron Boone’s team showed no mercy to the Red Sox in their last game. The Yankees’ current playoff run featured multiple vital stars who swung the Red Sox series. For instance, Cam Schlittler silenced Fenway Park with his stunning eight-inning shutout in Game 3. In that game, the star struck out 12 while throwing 107 pitches. We can not forget Amed Rosario, who delivered a clutch RBI to spark a decisive four-run inning, while closer David Bednar shut the door in a dominant way. Add in the hot bats of Volpe, Giancarlo Stanton, and Aaron Judge, and it is in front of everyone why the insider is high on the Yankees’ momentum.

For Kevin Gausman and the Jays’ other stars, the challenge is twofold. He needs to tame the scorching Yankees lineup and fulfill the expectations of the fans. The eighty veteran is in his fourth season with the team and has embraced the force, growing a playoff beard to match the moment. “Any time you get to toe the rubber for the biggest game of the year up to that point, it shows they believe in you,” Gausman said on Friday. The veteran is relishing his assignment; however, the narrative around the upcoming series says: anything less than elite could tilt the ALDS from the Jays before it begins.

With the Jays under the microscope, there is another aspect that could tilt the ALDS in the Yankees’ favor. Beyond Gausman’s pressure-packed start, the Jays have another lingering issue that has haunted the team all season.

The Jays lack of speed looms as the October X-Factor

For every offensive firepower and defensive polish that helped the Jays to reclaim this AL East crown, the team’s failure to steal bases remains a vital vulnerability. At the period of the regular season, the Jays managed just 77 stolen bases. It was the 3rd lowest in MLB. However, postseason rivals like the Brewers with 164 stolen bases, the Cubs with 161 and the Yankees with 134 stolen bases thrived by continuously putting pressure on rival pitchers and their defense. George Springer guided the Jays with just 18 steals after Myles Straw and Andrés Giménez with 12 apiece, while the other part of the roster of Jays barely provided any help on the bases.

This is not just a cosmetic flaw; it could have a vital outcome in a tight playoff series. The team was also caught stealing 25 times and converting at a 75.5 percent success rate, which ranked the team 23rd in MLB. In October, when runs are tough to come by, lacking such a vital stealing threat enables the rivals to stay in form and focus on hitters. As analyst Edward Eng highlighted, stolen bases are capable of disrupting timing, pushing pitchers in stretch performances, and opening scopes for vital hits. Without such a vital aspect, the Jays risk facing elite at-bats and fewer run-scoring opportunities, specifically, against the Yankees.

As the ALDS get underway, the air could not be hotter for the Jays. Between Gausman supporting the team in intense pressure on the field and the team’s lack of speed as a threat, the Jays have little room for mistakes against the Yankees.