For the first time since 2016, the <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a> are heading to the American League Championship Series.

With a 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees, the Blue Jays have punched their ticket to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2016. While they had a <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/instant-reaction-toronto-blue-jays-blow-five-run-lead-yankees-series-lead-half">slight hiccup on Tuesday</a>, the Yankees didn’t put up much of a fight against the Jays.
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This win has continued to build on what has become a special season. After finishing the 2024 season with a 74-88 record, there wasn’t a lot of optimism coming into this season. That carried into mid-May, as the Blue Jays’ record dropped to 16-20. After a sweep at the hands of the Rays in late May, something changed.
In the top of the ninth in May 28th’s game against the Texas Rangers, Bo Bichette hit a two-run home run, kick-starting an impressive summer for the Jays. At one point, the Jays were eight games back of the Yankees, but a four-game series sweep at the end of June and early into July saw the Blue Jays take the division lead.
They never looked back, even if at times, things looked dicey. Take the end of the season, for example. Late in the season, the Jays had a five-game lead over the Yankees, but that dwindled to just one after a losing spell. The Jays needed to win their last four games to control their destiny, and they did just that to finish with the best record in the American League.
After stomping the Yankees in the first two games in Toronto, they blew a 6-1 lead in Game 3, ultimately falling 9-6. Things looked dicey again heading into Wednesday’s game, as the Jays had a bullpen game, but in the end, the Jays were able to pick up the victory.
This season is special, <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/its-starting-feel-like-2015-for-toronto-blue-jays">similar to the 2015 season</a>, when the Jays made it to Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. This came after a hard-fought series against the Rangers in the round before, capped off by José Bautista’s three-run home run.
After Edwin Encarnación hit a walk-off home run in the Wild Card Series in 2016, the Jays swept the Rangers, but fell in five to the Cleveland Guardians. Hopefully, things can go better for the Blue Jays in the 2025 ALCS. Friday’s game between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers will determine their opponent.
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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Blue Jays Nation</a>, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Oilersnation</a>, and <a href="https://flamesnation.ca/author/ryley-delaney">FlamesNation</a>. She can be followed on Twitter <a href="https://x.com/Ryley__Delaney">@Ryley__Delaney</a>.
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For the first time since 2016, the <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a> are heading to the American League Championship Series.



With a 5-2 victory over the New York Yankees, the Blue Jays have punched their ticket to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2016. While they had a <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/instant-reaction-toronto-blue-jays-blow-five-run-lead-yankees-series-lead-half">slight hiccup on Tuesday</a>, the Yankees didn’t put up much of a fight against the Jays.
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This win has continued to build on what has become a special season. After finishing the 2024 season with a 74-88 record, there wasn’t a lot of optimism coming into this season. That carried into mid-May, as the Blue Jays’ record dropped to 16-20. After a sweep at the hands of the Rays in late May, something changed.

In the top of the ninth in May 28th’s game against the Texas Rangers, Bo Bichette hit a two-run home run, kick-starting an impressive summer for the Jays. At one point, the Jays were eight games back of the Yankees, but a four-game series sweep at the end of June and early into July saw the Blue Jays take the division lead.

They never looked back, even if at times, things looked dicey. Take the end of the season, for example. Late in the season, the Jays had a five-game lead over the Yankees, but that dwindled to just one after a losing spell. The Jays needed to win their last four games to control their destiny, and they did just that to finish with the best record in the American League.

After stomping the Yankees in the first two games in Toronto, they blew a 6-1 lead in Game 3, ultimately falling 9-6. Things looked dicey again heading into Wednesday’s game, as the Jays had a bullpen game, but in the end, the Jays were able to pick up the victory.

This season is special, <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/its-starting-feel-like-2015-for-toronto-blue-jays">similar to the 2015 season</a>, when the Jays made it to Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. This came after a hard-fought series against the Rangers in the round before, capped off by José Bautista’s three-run home run.

After Edwin Encarnación hit a walk-off home run in the Wild Card Series in 2016, the Jays swept the Rangers, but fell in five to the Cleveland Guardians. Hopefully, things can go better for the Blue Jays in the 2025 ALCS. Friday’s game between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers will determine their opponent.

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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Blue Jays Nation</a>, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Oilersnation</a>, and <a href="https://flamesnation.ca/author/ryley-delaney">FlamesNation</a>. She can be followed on Twitter <a href="https://x.com/Ryley__Delaney">@Ryley__Delaney</a>.

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