Blue Jays Beat Yankees 5-2, Advance to ALCS First Time Since 2016

The Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 5‑2 in Game 4 of the American League Division Series on October 8, 2025, at Yankee Stadium, ending the Yankees’ postseason run and sending Toronto to the ALCS for the first time since 2016.

Why this series mattered

New York entered the matchup with a 92‑70 regular‑season record and the comfort of home‑field advantage, while Toronto, finishing 88–74, was still figuring out how to blend old‑school contact hitting with the power surge that defined its 2025 offense. The rivalry between the two clubs dates back to the 1970s, but the last time the Blue Jays advanced past the Division Round was a six‑year stretch that ended in 2016. For Yankees fans, the loss feels like a punch to a decade‑long tradition of postseason success.

Game 4: Lukes’ two‑run single changes everything

The pivotal moment arrived in the seventh inning when Nathan Lukes ripped a two‑run single off Yankees reliever Devin Williams. The ball flew to left‑center at roughly 96.4 mph, bringing home Ernie Clement from third and Eloy Jiménez from second. The hit vaulted the score from 2‑1 to 4‑1 and shifted win probability from a 45 % chance of victory for New York to over 80 % for Toronto.

“We trusted the guys out of the bullpen because we knew they could handle the pressure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said after the game. “Nathan’s swing was perfect, and the timing was right. That’s the kind of clutch we need in the ALCS.”

Contact‑first offense that baffled the Yankees

Across four games, Toronto belted nine home runs while posting a .601 slugging percentage – the third‑highest ever recorded in a postseason series longer than a single game. Even more striking, the Blue Jays struck out only 15 % of the time, well below the playoff average of 23 %.

During the regular season, Toronto posted the lowest strikeout rate in all of MLB and ranked fourth in runs scored. That contact‑oriented approach translated perfectly to the postseason, where the Yankees’ staff could not generate the swing‑and‑miss pitches they usually rely on.

Yankees’ missteps and missed opportunities

Devin Williams, who had been solid in earlier outings, struggled with command in the high‑leverage seventh inning. A mis‑located fastball set the stage for Lukes’ single, and an earlier miscue by Yankees center‑fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. – an error that allowed the lead‑off runner to reach – added insult to injury.

Yankees slugger Cody Bellinger managed a solo homer in Game 2, but the club never found the timing to string together runs. “We just couldn’t get the timing right,” Williams admitted in the post‑game press conference. “The Blue Jays made us chase every pitch.”

Key contributors on Toronto’s side

Besides Lukes, several unlikely heroes stepped up. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drew a crucial walk during the seventh‑ inning rally, while Ernie Clement had earlier supplied a two‑run blast off Max Fried in Game 2. Even bench players like Addison Barger added timely hits that kept the pressure on New York’s bullpen.

What’s next: ALCS preview

The Blue Jays now await a showdown with the American League West champion, the Houston Astros, who clinched their division on October 4. The ALCS is slated to begin on October 15, giving Toronto a brief three‑day window to fine‑tune the bullpen that carried them this far.

For the Yankees, the loss opens a long offseason of questions about roster construction, especially pitching depth. General manager Brian Cashman is expected to be active in free agency, targeting a left‑handed starter who can complement the existing rotation.

• Series result: Blue Jays win 3‑1
• Key stat: .601 slugging percentage (third‑highest in postseason history)
• Strikeout rate: 15 % (league‑best in the Division Series)
• Game‑changing play: Nathan Lukes’ two‑run single in the 7th inning
• ALCS start date: October 15, 2025