Big, bad Blue Jays pose biggest threat to Yankees
Yankees starting pitcher Jameson Taillon reacts as Blue Jays center fielder George Springer rounds the bases on his two-run home run during the third inning of an MLB game at Yankee Stadium on Monday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The Yankees know they will have their hands full this season with their forever rival Red Sox and the defending AL East champion Rays.
But the true AL East bullies in 2022 might be the Yankees’ neighbors to the north, the powerful Toronto Blue Jays, who came to the Bronx on Monday night and earned a 3-0 victory.
Everyone knows the Blue Jays can mash. If they pitch and field well, as they did on Monday, then watch out.
“They’re potent. Dangerous,” Aaron Boone said before the game. “They can hurt you up and down the order. They’re pretty athletic, too. They obviously hit the ball out of the ballpark, so you’ve got to execute against them . . . They’re as tough an offense as you’re going to go up against.”
Jameson Taillon allowed only a two-run homer by George Springer in his five innings in the best start by a Yankee this season. Springer, a Connecticut native who got into it with the fans all night, added an RBI double off Michael King in the seventh.
It was on the mound and in the field where the Blue Jays sparkled. Starter Alek Manoah gave up one hit in six shutout innings and the youthful Blue Jays flung the leather around when the Yankees tried to rally.
With the Blue Jays leading 2-0 in the third, the Yankees loaded the bases with two outs on three walks. Giancarlo Stanton sent a shattered-bat grounder to Bichette’s right. The shortstop fielded it deep in the hole and fired to first to end the threat.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who made three other nice defensive plays, executed a pretty stretch (with Stanton running, it was unnecessary) to grab the throw.
The Yankees’ next best chance came in the seventh with Manoah out after 89 pitches. The first two men reached against Trevor Richards and Kyle Higashioka sent a liner to right that seemed ticketed for grass. But Teoscar Hernandez slid coming in, caught it for the first out and seemed to jam his glove thumb.
Pinch hitter Josh Donaldson then sent a hot shot up the middle off sidearmer Adam Cimber. Second baseman Santiago Espinal, who had shifted to the shortstop side, grabbed the ball back on the second-base side and threw to Bichette, who pirouetted around the bag and threw a bullet to first for an inning-ending double play.
“We gave ourselves a chance [in the third] and Bichette makes a pretty special play in the hole, I thought,” Boone said. “And then later on, I thought Donaldson did a good job of shooting Cimber the other way on our other good scoring opportunity and Espinal made a really good play. They made a couple big plays when they did get in trouble.”
Toronto is not known for defense. In 2021, the 91-win Blue Jays hit a franchise-record 262 home runs, the most in the majors, but missed the playoffs by one lousy game. They had one fewer victory than the Yankees, a massive accomplishment considering the Blue Jays basically played 126 road games instead of the normal 81.
Canada’s COVID-19 restrictions kept the Jays out of Toronto until July 30.
Canada’s current COVID restrictions could end up being a boost to the country’s only MLB franchise. Players who are not fully vaccinated are not allowed into Canada. Period.
If the restrictions are still in place when the Yankees make their first visit to Toronto on May 1, that could impact Aaron Judge and/or Anthony Rizzo, both of whom have been cagey about their current jab status.
Some would say it would be poetic justice if the Jays receive a benefit after they were forced to be COVID nomads for two seasons. Maybe they won’t need any help. When he reported to spring training after the lockout, Guerrero said: “What we did last year was the trailer. Now you guys are going to see the movie.”
Anthony Rieber covers sports media and business and professional sports (you know, games and trades and things). He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since Jan. 1, 2026.
