The Toronto Blue Jays are drawing attention prior to Game 1 of the ALDS, as Kevin Gausman revealed the club’s approach for containing New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge—and it involves intentional walks. Gausman, who’s set to start Saturday’s opener, spoke openly just hours before first pitch, offering rare insight into the Blue Jays pitching strategy to keep Judge’s bat in check.
During an interview with MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, Gausman detailed how the team plans to approach Judge in high-leverage moments. Hoch later posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), sharing what the veteran pitcher had to say about the staff’s strategy against a hitter of Judge’s caliber.
“There’s times, if there’s an open base and it’s late in the game, we’re probably going to walk him. That’s the nature of the beast.”
The comments reflect the Blue Jays’ awareness of just how dominant the Yankees slugger has been—especially against Toronto. In 13 regular season games against the Blue Jays in 2025, he posted a .325 batting average, 3 home runs, and a 1.118 OPS, even as Toronto won the season series 8-5. Across his career, the 6-foot-7 slugger has a .300 average with 140 hits, 41 home runs, 89 RBIs, 88 runs scored, and a 1.017 OPS in 133 games against the Blue Jays.
The matchup between Gausman and Judge is just as lopsided. In 61 career plate appearances against Gausman, the reigning AL MVP owns a .354 average with 6 homers and a 1.283 OPS. While the right-hander has struck him out 19 times, the damage has often been done.
The Blue Jays' pitching plan heading into the ALDS against the Yankees is rooted in precedent. Toronto walked Judge 15 times during the regular season, including 7 intentional walks—more than any other team. That cautious approach appears set to continue into October.
The ALDS Game 1 strategy isn’t without risks. New York’s lineup offers little relief behind Judge, with Giancarlo Stanton, Trent Grisham, Jazz Chisholm, and Cody Bellinger all capable of punishing intentional walks. But the Blue Jays appear willing to bet on limiting Judge’s damage rather than challenging him directly in high-leverage moments.
Gausman’s openness brings fans into the chess match of playoff baseball. The decision to walk the two-time AL MVP highlights the level of respect he commands—and the calculated pressure the Blue Jays face in trying to contain one of the game’s most dangerous hitters, capable of shifting an entire series with a single swing.
