MLB Baseball
2025-10-05 - New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : MLB Baseball Playoff Divisional Series Game 2
Sunday 5th October 2025 - Scheduled 4:08pm
9:08pm (British Time)
Preview
Before this Divisional Round Series began, the Toronto Blue Jays would have been seen as the batting lineup looking to make contact and put the Hits together, while the New York Yankees would have the big Home Run threats.
Game 1 worked out differently with the Blue Jays hitting three Home Runs and the New York Yankees were dropped yet again in Canada in a thumping loss.
It is only one loss, although the pressure is on the New York Yankees to respond and earn a split before heading home for two games next week. They had early chances to really get back into Game 1, but Aaron Judge missed a big moment when striking out at a time when the bases were loaded and the Yankees were not able to capitalise while they were trailing by a couple of runs.
The bullpen blew up again and that allowed the Blue Jays to put a gloss onto the final scoreline, although it has to be remembered that a nine run win and a one run win both equal the same.
A performance from the batting lineup like the one produced in Game 1 will give the Blue Jays fans plenty of confidence and belief though and it will certainly help rookie Trey Yesavage who has been given the Game 2 start. Big name pitchers filled with experience have been left out to allow a pitcher with three Major League starts to take this spot, but there is plenty of confidence in the organisation and within Yesavage himself.
A first Playoff outing is always going to be a different experience, but Trey Yesavage is full of belief and he was taking a keen interest in Game 1 to build up ideas as to how to attack this Yankees batting lineup.
In three regular season starts, Trey Yesavage was able to hold the Tampa Bay Rays to under two runs allowed twice, although in between those starts he was knocked around by the Kansas City Royals for four runs. This is just the second start made at home and Yesavage kept the Rays scoreless in 5 Innings on the final weekend of the regular season.
He will be a pitcher that the Yankees will be unfamiliar with, but that is not the case when the Toronto team head to the plate as they prepare to face the New York 'ace'.
Max Fried had a very strong first season in The Bronx as he took the top spot in the starting rotation after Gerrit Cole was ruled out for the season. He responded as the Yankees would have liked and Fried pitched very well in Game 1 of the Wild Card Round against the Boston Red Sox, although his efforts were wasted by the Yankees bullpen.
In four regular season starts against the Toronto Blue Jays, Max Fried finished with a 2-1 record, although his performances at home and on the road were very different. In two home starts, Fried received the decision win both times and held the Blue Jays to three earned runs in 12 Innings thrown, but pitching in Canada was very different.
Two starts were made in this ballpark and Max Fried ended up with a 0-1 record and allowed eight runs in a little over 11 Innings thrown.
That record will not be far from the mind, while the entire Yankees team have struggled when making the relatively short trip over the border. After losing Game 1, the Yankees have lost seven of eight road games in Toronto in 2025.
Prediction
This is a fascinating Game 2 of this Divisional Round Series and it is perhaps unfair to have the Toronto Blue Jays as a home underdog.
Not only have they dominated the New York Yankees at home, but they have managed to get to Max Fried, who is the starting pitcher, when he has thrown here in two games this season.
Trey Yesavage is a question mark- he has pitched so well in three Major League outings and looks to be someone who will be a leading player for years to come, but a first Playoff start and against this batting lineup will be a test.
Toronto showed enough from the batting lineup to believe they can back Yesavage up if he does get into any trouble, but you have to expect a response from the New York batters.
Picking a winner is tough, but it may pay to back the Toronto batters to just make Max Fried have to beat them.
This is a big contact making lineup, even if the power is not as great through the lineup as New York, and that makes it tough to strike them out.
Max Fried is unlikely to be pulled out as quickly as Luis Gil, even if in early difficult spots, but he only has 12 Strikeouts in 24 Innings thrown against this opponent in the regular season.
He may have had 6 Strikeouts in the opening game against Boston to build up his confidence, but the under line here looks a big price and perhaps the best approach to take to Game 2 of this Divisional Round Series.
The Pick :
Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 New York Yankees
