Toronto rode a bullpen day to beat New York and earn a spot in the ALCS, allocating eight relievers to navigate the Yankees’ top lineup. Louis Varland opened, Seranthony Domínguez finished, with Yariel Rodríguez, Braydon Fisher and Jeff Hoffman keying the middle innings while the offense supplied just enough runs.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led the series with nine hits and nine RBIs, a historic outburst that underscored Toronto’s depth and the staff’s clever planning. The win ends playoff misfires and leaves the Jays one step from the World Series, awaiting Detroit or Seattle.

Toronto brings a 2-0 series lead into ALDS Game 3 in the Bronx, powered by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Daulton Varsho, with Trey Yesavage flashing ace-like stuff in a standout prior audition. Shane Bieber faces Carlos Rodon in a marquee matchup that could tilt the series’ balance on the road. The Jays’ offense has torched the first two games (23 runs), while New York countered with a hot top of the order but couldn’t slow Toronto’s barrage.

Betting lines tilt toward the Yankees at home, but Toronto’s recent offense and Bieber’s late-season form keep this one highly live. The preview highlights key batter-versus-pitcher history (Guerrero Jr. vs Rodon; Judge vs Bieber; Stanton vs Bieber) and model-backed bets, plus lineup and bullpen notes for a swingy, high-leverage clash in a venue suited for dramatic playoff moments.

The Yankees trail 0-2 and may shuffle the order for Game 3 against Shane Bieber, with Aaron Boone weighing a possible swap that could flip the offense or defense. A hypothetical Goldschmidt at 1B could surface to attack Bieber, pushing Ben Rice to the bench or to catcher behind Wells, a move that carries defensive risk. Bieber’s small rehab-size sample and his traditional reverse-platoon quirks are part of the calculus, as NYY fights to tighten run prevention after giving up 23 runs in two games.