The New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays are quickly turning into one of the more heated rivalries in the American League. In 2025, the Yankees were unable to get over the hump, leaving some to question if they can close the gap.
Both teams finished with 94 wins, and tied at the top of the AL East, however the Blue Jays dominated the head-to-head battle, giving them the AL East crown.
The two teams would then meet in the ALDS, where the Yankees head-to-head struggles against Toronto would continue. The Yankees would go on to lose the ALDS to the Blue Jays in five games in lopsided fashion.
The Blue Jays would then continue their postseason run all the way to Game 7 of the World Series, where they’d lose in heartbreaking fashion to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Heading into 2026, manager Aaron Boone was asked about closing the gap between them and their division rival.
“Playing better against them is the real simple answer. In the head-to-head they kicked our butt. It comes down to, against other good teams, execution, performance, game plan, all that,” Boone said.
The two teams figure to be fighting for the top AL East spot all season once again in 2026, and the Yankees will be looking to right the ship, and have better fortune against Toronto this time around.
More Yankees News:
- Winter Meetings may force Yankees to choose which young star to trade
- Yankees linked to free agent Blue Jays All-Star as huge Anthony Volpe upgrade
- How Yankees' Cody Bellinger decision could lead to big trade rumors
- Cody Bellinger's free agency update is bad news for Yankees