Now, recent developments involving one of their biggest rivals — the New York Yankees — could further strengthen Toronto’s outlook in the AL East.
Blue Jays’ long journey back to contention
Toronto’s climb back to contention has not been smooth.
The club narrowly missed the playoffs in 2021, then suffered disappointing early postseason exits in 2022 and 2023. That stretch created the sense that simply reaching October was no longer enough for a franchise that had invested heavily in its roster.
Things appeared to fall apart in 2024, when the Blue Jays finished with a sub-.500 record, raising questions about whether the rebuild that began in 2018 had truly worked.
However, the organization rebounded dramatically in 2025, reaching the World Series and nearly capturing its first championship in more than three decades. Toronto then followed that breakthrough season with an aggressive offseason designed to keep the team competitive for years to come.
Rival Yankees facing internal questions
Meanwhile, the Yankees continue to operate under longtime general manager Brian Cashman, who has led the organization since 1998 after first joining the franchise as an intern in 1986.
During his tenure, New York has captured four World Series titles and seven American League pennants. Yet the team has not won a championship since 2009, and the prolonged drought has begun to test the patience of many Yankees fans.
Despite the growing criticism, recent reporting from the New York Post indicates that Cashman has no plans to step away from his role anytime soon.
That development may actually be welcome news for Toronto supporters.
Yankees struggling to maintain dominance
While the Yankees remain competitive, they have struggled to consistently build dominant rosters in recent seasons.
The team did reach the 2024 World Series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and finished with the same record as the Blue Jays in 2025. However, New York ultimately lost the division on a tiebreaker and was eliminated by Toronto in the ALDS.
During the offseason, the Yankees made relatively few major additions and largely opted to bring back many of the same players rather than aggressively reshaping the roster.
They also lost two important bullpen arms — Luke Weaver and Devin Williams — to their cross-town rivals, the New York Mets.
Toronto gaining ground in the rivalry
Toronto’s recent success against New York suggests that the competitive balance in the division may be shifting.
The Blue Jays posted an 8–5 record against the Yankees in 2025 and eliminated them from the postseason during their playoff run.
While the Yankees still feature elite talent such as Aaron Judge, along with a strong rotation led by Gerrit Cole and Max Fried, the team has struggled to translate that star power into sustained dominance.
Opportunity for the Blue Jays
For Toronto, the combination of organizational momentum and aggressive roster management could give the club a chance to surpass one of its biggest rivals.
If the Yankees continue relying on largely the same core roster while the Blue Jays keep improving, the gap between the two teams could continue to widen.
And if Brian Cashman remains firmly in charge, Blue Jays fans may feel confident that their team’s upward trajectory will keep them firmly in the AL East title conversation for years to come.
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