Toronto Blue Jays vs New York Yankees: Series Preview

Are you having fun yet? Probably not if you're a Blue Jays fan who watched all three games of this week's series in Houston and saw the team get swept, mustering only two runs on nine hits and five walks in the process.

For starters, the Blue Jays aren't hitting for power. The club entered Wednesday's game with only 13 home runs, the second-fewest across MLB and only half that of a league-average team.

Their .105 ISO was also second-last; their 5.7 per cent barrel rate, dead last. The team leader in home runs - Andres Gimenez with three - hasn't hit one this month.

Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Astros didn't feel that close - was Toronto's fifth consecutive and dropped the team a game under .500.

It's not necessarily the way you want to go into a weekend series in The Bronx.

On Wednesday alone, the Yankees scored more runs (5) on more hits (11) and more walks (8) than the Blue Jays did over three games in Houston.

Blue Jays veteran Jose Berrios is on the bump on Friday night versus Yankees starter Carlos Carrasco. First pitch is at 7:05 PM ET on Sportsnet and on Yes Network.

Berrios came away with a no-decision in his last outing an 8-4 extra-innings loss to the Mariners, giving up three runs on four hits and four walks over six-plus innings. He struck out three.

The right-hander produced his second quality start in five trips to the mound on 82 pitches (47 strikes), but a solo shot by rookie Ben Williamson to lead off the seventh inning tied the game at 3-3 and denied Berrios a shot at his second win of 2025.

He'll carry a 5.02 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 24:13 K:BB through 28.2 innings into Fridays outing against the Yanks.

The good news for the Blue Jays is Carlos Carrasco has not been effective for the Yankees so far in 2025 and it just might be what the doctor ordered to get their bats going on Friday.

Carrasco did not factor into the decision in his last outing in a 10-8 extra-inning loss to the Rays, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks with one strikeout over four innings.

Carrasco was spotted a 6-1 lead but yielded three runs in the fourth inning and was pulled after 75 pitches.

He threw just 38 of them for strikes while managing only two whiffs. The veteran has given up at least three runs in four of his five outings and owns an uninspiring 6.53 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 15:7 K:BB across 20.2 innings.

Blue Jays ace Kevin Gausman is on the hill versus Yankees ace Max Fried on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is at 1:05 PM ET on Sportsnet and Yes Network.

Gausman (2-2) took the loss in his last outing against Houston on Monday, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks while striking out six batters over six innings.

Gausman held Houston scoreless through four innings, but Atlanta got to him for four runs in the fifth. That was more than enough to send the veteran righty to his second loss, as Astros ace Hunter Brown dominated Toronto's lineup.

Gausman still holds a solid 3.16 ERA on the campaign, and Monday marked the first time in 2025 that he's given up more than three runs in an outing.

He'll look to get back in the win column on Saturday in tough matchup on the road against Max Fried.

Fried (4-0) earned a win in his last outing after he pitched 7.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits, two walks and a hit-by-pitch while striking out two in Sunday's 4-0 victory over the Rays.

Fried silenced Tampa Bay for his longest outing of the 2025 campaign, never allowing a baserunner to reach second base Sunday.

The left-hander has now logged three consecutive quality starts, producing an 0.85 ERA and 0.76 WHIP with 20 strikeouts over 21.1 innings during that stretch.

Blue Jays veteran Chris Bassitt is on the mound versus Clarke Schmidt for the series finale on sunday afternoon. First pitch is at 1:35 PM ET on Sportsnet and Yes Network.

Bassitt (2-1) took the loss against the Astros in his last outing on Tuesday after allowing four runs on seven hits and one walk in 5.1 innings. He struck out three.

Although Bassitt had allowed just two runs through his first four starts of the year, it was a struggle for him Tuesday.

The veteran right-hander matched a season low with three punchouts, and most of the damage was done during a three-run first inning by the Astros.

Bassitt still sports a 1.88 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and a sparkling 34:6 K:BB over 28.2 frames ahead of a tough matchup against the Yankees.

However, the righty does have a strong 2.27 ERA and 35:18 K:BB in seven appearances (43.2 innings) versus the Yankees as a member of the Blue Jays since 2023.

Clarke Schmidt gets the ball for the Yankees sunday afternoon. Schmidt (0-1) took the loss in his last outing at Cleveland, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks over four innings. He struck out seven.

Despite inducing a respectable 13 whiffs in this 80-pitch outing, Schmidt struggled, coughing up four extra-base hits (two homers, two doubles).

Things went off the rails for the New York right-hander in the third inning, when Jose Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo popped back-to-back homers to fuel a four-run, four-hit frame.

After two starts, Schmidt now sports a 7.45 ERA, 1.66 WHIP and 9:5 K:BB across 9.2 innings.