It was not just another postseason letdown for the Yankees; it was a humiliation that stretched back to one of their oldest rivalries. As Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays knock down New York’s postseason hopes, the plot thickens in a surprising and welcoming way of baseball irony. For Red Sox fans, it was poetic justice delivered by an underdog from the north.

The Yankees’ long-time tormentor, Pedro Martínez, who once experienced the infamous “Who’s your daddy?” chants from Yankee Stadium, finally gave them a taste of their own medicine. This time, it was not with a pitch, but with words drizzling in satisfaction. “Well, for so many years those fans in New York bothered me asking, ‘Pedro, who’s your daddy?’” Martínez commented on Bleacher Report after the game. “Once we beat them, I told them, you’d better consider who’s your daddy now. And now I finally realize who their daddy is, Vladdy Junior is the daddy. That’s a fact. I’m so happy for that. Now they just have to look at Vladdy and say, ‘You my daddy, Vladdy, you my daddy!’”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s supremacy made those words hit harder than ever. The 25-year-old not only led Toronto to the ALCS but also made history as the first player in MLB to record at least 9 hits and 9 RBIs in a single Division Series. He homered in each of the first three games against the Yankees and topped it off with an emotional Game 4 win that sealed New York’s destiny.

Martínez’s playful revenge resonated deeply with baseball fans who remembered the heated Red Sox-Yankees rivalry of the 2000s. Seeing Guerrero Jr, son of the HOF who once terrorized AL pitchers, now taking on the role of the Yankees’ “daddy,” provided the Red Sox’s legend all the reason to celebrate. “I’m the godfather of Vladdy,” Pedro laughed, saying, “and now they’re Vladdy’s sons. Vladdy is their daddy. We’ll get shirts made, Vladdy is your daddy!”

While it all happens in good humor, the symbolism is not lost. The Jays’ young star has become the power the Yankees could not sustain. For the Yankees fans who once laughed at Pedro, the tables have now turned in favour of the Jays, and for the Red Sox veteran, the revenge was best served in a loud, laughing, and proud way.

The Yankees have that same, sinking October feeling after the Jays’ ALDS victory

Once again, the Yankees were left staring at another early exit. Despite Aaron Judge’s best efforts, containing a Game 3 heroic lifeline and a red-hot finish at the plate, the team could not manage the dominance of Guerrero Jr and failed to overcome their recurring issues. The Jays’ 5-2 Game 4 win against the Yankees was not just a loss; it was a familiar heartbreak that the Yankees have faced for a long time.

Judge’s postgame words carried both pride and pain. “I liked our chances all year,” he said, still in uniform an hour after the final out. Yet, beneath that hope lies a truth the Yankees can not escape: their “championship window” keeps closing without outcomes. Anthony Volpe’s decline, Stanton’s inconsistency, and costly defensive lapses only pour salt on the wound. And with approaching free-agent questions surrounding Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, and Devin Williams, uncertainty defines their offseason once again.

Manager Aaron Boone perfectly captured it, calling the franchise “beat up.” The Yankees were built to avenge last year’s failures, but instead, they fell victim to the same script: a strong regular season, weak October execution. As Guerrero and the Jays knock off, New York must face the facts: the AL East no longer fears the pinstripes. For now, it is another “wait till next year” in the Bronx.