UPDATE: The New York Yankees have landed in Toronto, sparking a fiery exchange ahead of their highly anticipated American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Yankees manager Aaron Boone responded sharply to Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez, who recently criticized the Yankees’ performance.
During a news conference early Friday morning, Boone stated, “Contrary to some thoughts up here, we’re a really good team.” His comments were a direct rebuttal to Martinez, who claimed during a September 9 game that “The Yankees, they’re not a good team. I don’t care what their record is.” This statement came after the Yankees had taken two of three games from the Blue Jays the previous weekend, highlighting the competitive tension between the two teams.
The Yankees finished the regular season with 94 wins, tying with the Blue Jays in the AL East but losing the division title due to the season-series tiebreaker. The rivalry has reached a boiling point, particularly as both teams prepare for their first playoff game. Boone emphasized the need to focus on the game itself, stating, “We’ve got to go play, and we’ve got to perform, as everyone does this time of year.”
As the teams gear up for Game 1 on Saturday, both have announced their starting pitchers. The Blue Jays will send veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman to the mound. Gausman, 34, boasts a 3.59 ERA over 193 innings this season. He has faced the Yankees four times this year, allowing 10 runs on 17 hits across 22⅔ innings.
In contrast, the Yankees have opted for Luis Gil, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, who is making his return from a lat injury that kept him out for the first four months of the season. Boone remarked, “Just feel like he’s ready for this. He’s in line for it.” Gil held the Blue Jays to just one run on three hits in his last start against them on September 9.
The rivalry is intensifying, and the stakes are high. With both teams eager to prove their worth in the postseason, expect emotions to run high when they take the field.
Next up, the Yankees and Blue Jays will clash at 1:07 PM ET on Saturday, and fans are sure to be on the edge of their seats as this fierce rivalry unfolds in the postseason spotlight. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story as the action unfolds.
