If the Blue Jays are going to advance to their first American League Championship Series since 2016, they'll need to neutralize the slugger, who is at the forefront of the American League MVP discussion. 

The Toronto Blue Jays will take on the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series this upcoming weekend. This matchup was set up as a result of the Yankees defeating the Boston Red Sox in the American League wild card series.

After making the playoffs in both 2022 and 2023, Toronto finished last in the American League East in 2024. New York advanced to the World Series, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Blue Jays haven't been to the World Series since 1993 and haven't been to the American League Championship Series since 2016, and if they're going to get there this season, they'll need to find a way to neutralize slugger Aaron Judge, who is at the forefront of the American League MVP discussion.

Judge vs. the Blue Jays

In 13 games against Toronto this season, Judge hit .325 with three home runs, six RBIs and two stolen bases. He posted an astounding .518 on-base percentage.

He walked 15 times against Jays' pitching with just 11 strikeouts.

Judge in the playoffs

Though he's had great success vs. Toronto, he has not had great success in the playoffs historically. A lifetime .212 playoff hitter (61 games), Judge has 16 home runs and 35 RBIs. He has struck out 88 times in those 61 games.

He was 4-for-11 against the Red Sox in the wild card round.

Blue Jays vs. Yankees in 2025

Toronto went 8-5 against the Yankees this season, including a 6-1 record at Rogers Centre.

News and notes

--Games 1 and 2 of this series will begin at 4:08 p.m. ET. They will be played on Saturday and Sunday, with an off day coming on Monday.

--The other American League Division Series features the Seattle Mariners hosting the Detroit Tigers.

--The Blue Jays have not announced a Game 1 starter yet, though Kevin Gausman figures to be the logical choice.

--The Yankees will likely not have ace Max Fried until Game 2 after he pitched on Tuesday. New York is likely down to its fourth starting option, which is Luis Gil, presumably.

--Bo Bichette, who hasn't played since Sept. 6, is still a roster possibility for this series, though the indications on his return from a sprained knee are not great. 

Related Blue Jays Stories

LOSS OF PROMISE: By DFA'ing Alek Manoah, the Jays haven't just lost a roster spot, they let go of big-time promise, which is hard to grasp. CLICK HERE: 

ADKINS SPEAKS ON MANOAH: Blue Jays general manager Ross Adkins spoke about the decision to move on from Manoah, who had been with the big-league team since 2021. CLICK HERE: 

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