For all of the bad blood that has boiled between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays in recent seasons, the current rendition of the Bronx Bombers has the chance to play perhaps the ultimate villain in the rivalry over the final two weeks of the 2023 MLB regular season.
Between Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s refusal to ever play for the Yankees and whispers and accusations of New York cheating earlier in the season when the two teams got together in Toronto, the Blue Jays and Yankees are never at a loss for words when it comes to each other. However, with the 2023 season winding up, New York has the chance to have the final say … at least until next spring.
Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees rivalry on display for next two weeks
While the Yankees are still mathematically alive for the postseason in what has been a disappointing and injury-filled 2023 campaign in the Bronx, Toronto is fighting for its playoff life. The Blue Jays enter Monday’s action with a half-game lead for the second Wild Card spot, with both the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners nipping at their heels.
Over the final two weeks of the season, New York and Toronto will face each other six times, beginning on Tuesday with a three-game series in the Bronx and continuing the following Tuesday with a three-game set at Rogers Centre. New York holds the season series edge over Toronto by a slim 4-3 margin.
While the Yankees will certainly be fighting to keep their very slim playoff hopes alive, there will likely be some solace if New York can continue its recent winning ways (11-5 in September) and keep Toronto out of the postseason by winning matchups. Sure, moral victories may not count for much … but submarining the Blue Jays when they need to win the most? That would likely play well in the minds of Yankees fans.
There’s always an edge when these two AL East rivals get together, and that edge is a little sharper over the next two weeks as Toronto fights to keep its World Series hopes alive as New York wants to extinguish them.