To say that the Toronto Blue Jays have exceeded expectations would be an understatement. Sure, it would've been easy to assume the Jays would've improved following last season's debacle, but who expected Toronto to be in a tie for first place in the AL East and for the No. 1 seed in the AL with just two games to go in the regular season? For that, John Schneider deserves immense credit.
With that being said, while Schneider has had an awesome year managing the Blue Jays, he isn't perfect. His plan for Kevin Gausman, the team's ace, is a prime example of Schneider being far from perfect.
Kevin Gausman will pitch “in some capacity” tomorrow, John Schneider says.
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) September 27, 2025
If they really need him, it’s a full start. It sounds like he’ll still pitch a bit in any scenario, though, even if it’s a shorter outing. #BlueJays
Schneider says Gausman will pitch "in some capacity" on Sunday, meaning that even if the game is completely meaningless, he'll still be pitching. Whether the game is meaningless or not, Gausman shouldn't be pitching on Sunday.
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Blue Jays are taking too big of a risk by using Kevin Gausman on Sunday
The reason Schneider is intending to use Gausman on Sunday is rather obvious - he'd like to win the division. Winning the AL East would not only ensure that the Jays would receive a first-round bye, but it'd almost certainly guarantee them the No. 1 seed, assuring them home-field advantage through the ALCS.
Gausman is the Blue Jays' ace, so he'd give them the best chance to win Sunday's game. That's all great, but there are several issues with this.
- Starting Gausman doesn't guarantee a win
- Starting Gausman risks injury
- Starting Gausman ensures he won't be on full rest in the Wild Card Series
Even if the Jays throw their best, who is to say they'll automatically win? As a matter of fact, while Gausman pitched well against the Tampa Bay Rays, Sunday's opponent, his last time out, he allowed six runs in 5.2 innings, the only time he faced them at Rogers Centre this season. There's no guarantee that Gausman, as well as he's pitched lately, would pitch well on Sunday, and even if he does, who's to say the Jays would win?
Starting Gausman on Sunday also risks an injury. Sure, it's a risk anytime a starter takes the mound, but it's not as if Toronto's season will end if Gausman doesn't take the mound on Sunday. They might lose the division, but they'd still make the playoffs. Risking an injury in a game that wouldn't end their season if he didn't participate feels foolish.
The third reason is the most important of the three.
Blue Jays must prioritize postseason over winning AL East
Earning a bye and the No. 1 seed would be unbelievable and put the Jays in a prime position to go on a deep postseason run. With that being said, winning the division doesn't guarantee a team anything other than an ALDS appearance. It'd sting if the Jays did all of this work only to not win the division, but we've seen teams earn a bye and lose in the ALDS several times in recent years.
Given that, the Jays should simply prioritize getting into the playoffs. Why should the Jays risk entering a Wild Card Series with Gausman not even fully rested? If they had to win on Sunday to make the playoffs, that would've been one thing. Starting Gausman when they're already in the playoffs, potentially compromising him for their first round, is a disastrous decision.
The risks outweigh the rewards here. From the injury potential to Gausman not being fully rested, it makes no sense to potentially risk an early postseason exit just to try and win the division.
There is only one scenario where using Kevin Gausman on Sunday makes any sense
While starting Gausman on Sunday would be foolish, there is one scenario in which starting him isn't the end of the world. If the Jays clinch the division, which would be accomplished with a win on Saturday AND a Yankees loss, it isn't the end of the world to pitch him on Sunday.
The reason for that is winning the division would come with a first-round bye, meaning the Jays wouldn't play for a week. This means that Gausman would be fully rested in time for Toronto's first postseason game, which should be the ultimate goal.
I wouldn't start Gausman even if a bye isn't secured, as the injury risk is too real, but knowing that Gausman would at least be rested (assuming he comes out of that start healthy) for Toronto's first postseason game makes the idea of pitching Sunday not totally reprehensible. Gausman pitching when the Jays could end up in the Wild Card Series, though, could be a season-defining mistake.