Judge vs. Vlad: Yankees-Blue Jays Lineups, TV & How to Watch
Yankees vs. Blue Jays: When Two Sleepy Offenses Collide, Who Wakes Up First?
TL;DR: The New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays—two of the three worst-hitting teams in baseball—face off again. The Yankees have the league’s best pitching but can’t hit a beach ball right now. Tonight, they face Dylan Cease, a Cy Young candidate who’s been nearly unhittable since the All-Star break.
The Big Picture: A Battle of "Who Can Score Less?"
Imagine two kids trying to see who can eat the fewest vegetables at dinner. That’s basically the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays right now—except the "vegetables" are runs, and both teams are starving.
- The Yankees own the best pitching staff in the American League (the junior circuit of MLB).
- The Blue Jays have been figuring things out lately and just took the first two games of this series.
- Both offenses rank in the bottom three in all of baseball.
The twist? The Yankees’ bats have gone completely silent since the All-Star Break (the mid-season pause). They’re hitting .203 as a team—that’s dead last. They reach base at a .275 clip—also dead last. They strike out more than almost anyone, and they aren’t hitting for power, either.
Important Point: Missing superstars Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger is a blow, but the writer argues it’s not an excuse for looking this lost at the plate.
What Happened Last Time? (The "Wet Bandits" Comparison)
The article compares the Yankees’ position players (the hitters and fielders) to the Wet Bandits from Home Alone—bumbling burglars who fall for the same traps over and over.
- The Blue Jays used the exact same tricks they’ve used all year.
- The Yankees kept falling for them.
- This happened in two straight losses that felt like a rerun of the 2025 ALDS (American League Division Series—the first round of the playoffs).
Bottom line: Toronto outsmarted New York, and the Yankees didn’t adjust.
Meet the Starting Pitchers: The Ace vs. The Reinvented Lefty
Dylan Cease (Blue Jays) — The Buzzsaw
- Cy Young frontrunner candidate (the award for the best pitcher).
- Since the All-Star Break: 5 starts, 33 innings, 7 earned runs = 1.91 ERA.
- 43 strikeouts in those 33 innings.
- Opponents are hitting .158 against him (that’s really bad for hitters).
- 36.1% strikeout rate—only one pitcher in baseball (Jacob Misiorowski) has a higher one this year.
- Why he’s scary: He misses bats constantly. A punchless lineup like the current Yankees is his favorite snack.
Ryan Weathers (Yankees) — The Fixer-Upper
- He ditched his four-seam fastball (a straight, high fastball that got crushed for home runs in the first half).
- Now he leans on a changeup, sinker, and sweeper (pitches that move down or sideways, making them hard to lift).
- Result: Five straight starts allowing one run or fewer.
- The catch: He rarely gets run support. But lately, nobody on the Yankees is getting run support.
Why the Yankees’ Bats Have Gone Cold (By the Numbers)
Since the All-Star Break, the Yankees offense has been historically bad:
| Stat | Yankees Rank | What It Means (ELI5) |
|---|---|---|
| wRC+ 75 | 2nd worst (only Angels worse) | They create 25% fewer runs than an average team. 100 = average. |
| Batting Average .203 | Dead Last | They get a hit roughly 1 out of 5 times. |
| On-Base % .275 | Dead Last | They reach base less than 3 times per 10 plate appearances. |
| Strikeout Rate | 2nd Highest in MLB | They swing and miss a lot. |
| Power (ISO/SLG) | Near Bottom | They aren’t hitting doubles or homers either. |
Translation: They aren’t hitting for average, they aren’t walking, they aren’t hitting for power, and they strike out constantly. It’s a "perfect storm" of bad hitting.
The New-Look Yankees Lineup: Shuffling the Deck
Manager Aaron Boone is trying anything to spark the offense. Here’s today’s batting order (1 through 9):
- Ben Rice (LF) — Leadoff for first time since July 1. .551 OPS since All-Star Break (very poor).
- Luis García Jr. (RF) — Trade deadline pickup.
- Heliot Ramos (CF) — Trade deadline pickup.
- Trent Grisham (DH) — Cleanup hitter (usually your best power guy).
- Spencer Jones (1B) — Rookie.
- George Lombard Jr. (3B) — Rookie.
- Ryan McMahon (SS)
- Austin Wells (C)
- José Caballero (2B) — Replacing struggling Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Important Point: This lineup features two rookies (Jones & Lombard) hitting 5th and 6th, a leadoff hitter with a .551 OPS, and several new faces. It looks more like a "September audition" than a playoff push.
How the Yankees Can Win Tonight: A 3-Step Plan (If Miracles Happen)
- Ryan Weathers keeps dealing: He matches his last five starts (1 run or fewer).
- Dylan Cease has a rare off-night: He loses command, walks guys, or leaves pitches over the plate.
- The "New Guys" step up: García Jr., Ramos, Jones, or Lombard deliver a big hit (or two) to manufacture 2–3 runs.
Baseball is funny. Sometimes the worst lineup beats the best pitcher just because the ball finds holes.
Game Details: Where & How to Watch
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Location | Rogers Centre — Toronto, ON |
| TV Broadcast | YES (NY), Sportsnet, TVA Sports (Canada) |
| Radio (NYY) | WFAN 660 AM / 101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (Spanish) |
| Radio (TOR) | SN590 THE FAN |
Summary
The Yankees are in a deep offensive hole—worst in baseball by nearly every measure since the All-Star Break. They’ve lost two straight to a Blue Jays team that knows exactly how to beat them. Tonight, they send a reinvented Ryan Weathers to the mound against Dylan Cease, who has looked like the best pitcher on the planet for six weeks. The Yankees’ lineup is a patchwork of rookies, trade acquisitions, and a leadoff hitter who can’t buy a hit. On paper, this is a mismatch. In baseball? The game still has to be played.
FAQ: Your Burning Questions, Answered Simply
What is wRC+ and why is 75 so bad?
wRC+ stands for Weighted Runs Created Plus. It measures a hitter’s total offensive value (hitting, walking, power) compared to the league average. 100 is average. A 75 means the Yankees’ offense has been 25% worse than average since the break. Only the Los Angeles Angels have been worse.
Who is Dylan Cease and why is he a "Cy Young frontrunner"?
Dylan Cease is the Blue Jays’ ace starting pitcher. The Cy Young Award goes to the best pitcher in each league. Cease has a 1.91 ERA (earned run average) and 43 strikeouts in 33 innings since the All-Star Break. Hitters are batting .158 against him. He strikes out 36.1% of batters he faces—second only to Jacob Misiorowski in all of baseball. He is elite right now.
Why did Ryan Weathers stop throwing his four-seam fastball?
His four-seamer (a straight, high-velocity fastball) was getting crushed for home runs in the first half. He shifted to a sinker (drops down), sweeper (breaks sideways), and changeup (looks like a fastball but arrives slower). These pitches are harder to hit in the air. The result: five straight quality starts (≤1 run allowed).
Why are rookies Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr. hitting 5th and 6th?
With Judge and Bellinger out, and the offense collapsing, Manager Aaron Boone is evaluating his young players in high-leverage spots. It’s a "sink or swim" audition for next year—and a desperate attempt to find any spark.
Can the Yankees actually win this game?
Yes. Baseball is the sport where the worst team beats the best team ~40% of the time. Cease could have command issues. Weathers could pitch another gem. A rookie could hit a three-run homer. That’s why they play the game. But on paper, the advantage lies heavily with Toronto.