When the Toronto Blue Jays decided not to include veterans Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer on the American League Division Series roster, they had to have known they could face the predicament they have for Game 4.

A bullpen game.

With just three starters on the roster – Kevin Gausman, rookie Trey Yesavage and Shane Bieber – the Blue Jays have no options but a bullpen game against the New York Yankees. With a 2-1 series lead, manager John Schneider has opted to start right hander Louis Varland (4-3, 2.97 ERA) at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET, FS1).

How often does a pitcher have a chance to be the losing pitcher one day and the starter the next?

Schneider announced after the Jays’ 9-6 loss to New York that Varland will start as an opener on Wednesday, despite pitching one inning of relief and giving up two hits and two runs. A home run by Most Valuable Player candidate Aaron Judge also scored two inherited runners in the fourth inning, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a solo homer off Varland in the following inning before he was pulled.

The Chisholm homer gave the Yankees a 7-6 lead after trailing 6-1.

Bieber pitched just 2.2 innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Schneider used six relievers – and some of those pitchers will be called upon to take the ball after Varland on Wednesday. None of the bullpen arms, including Varland, threw more than 20 pitches.

Eric Lauer (9-2, 3.18 ERA) is expected to follow Varland with the hope he will eat some innings.

They Jays didn’t roster Bassitt, who had not pitched since Sept. 18 because of lower back inflammation. He pitched during an intrasquad game, but Schneider said potential rust was a reason for keeping him off the ALDS roster.

The Jays also opted to go with 10 relievers instead of giving a spot to the 41-year-old Scherzer, who had a disastrous September: 0-3 in four starts with a 10.20 ERA. He gave up seven runs and got only two outs in a 20-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sept. 19.

The likely future first-ballot Baseball Hall of Fame inductee finished the season with a 5-5 record and 5.19 ERA in 17 appearances. Bassitt finished 11-9 with a 3.96 ERA.

Both could have provided veteran leadership. Scherzer, in particular, has been a part of two World Series-winning teams and pitched in 30 postseason games (25 starts).

Schneider said the decision was the best for the team.

“The conversations were hard, but (Bassitt and Scherzer) definitely understood it,” Schneider told reporters when the roster was announced last weekend. “They’re going to do everything they need to do to stay ready for the next round, hopefully if we’re there, and be a big part of it. But we’re past the point of hurt feelings and everyone is really kind of (thinking) whatever we need to do right now.”

The Yankees will start rookie Cam Schlittler (4-3, 2.96 ERA), who defeated the Boston Red Sox in the wild-card round, throwing eight shutout innings and striking out 12.

If the Yankees win, the winner-take-all Game 5 will be played Friday in Toronto.