The Wild Card round has already knocked out four clubs, but plenty of former Blue Jays are still chasing October hardware.
The Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies were the first teams sent home in the 2026 MLB Playoffs, and that ended the run for a few ex-Toronto names trying to keep their postseason stories alive. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, now with the Red Sox, won’t get a shot at another redemption chapter after last year’s World Series moment in Game 7. Kevin Gausman also saw his postseason end early when the Cubs were bounced in Game 2 by the San Diego Padres.
Even with those exits, 12 former Blue Jays are still standing as the Division Series begins today, Oct. 3.
The New York Yankees still have two ex-Jays on the roster in P Ryan Yarbrough and C Ali Sánchez, though neither saw action in the Wild Card sweep of the Red Sox. New York rolled through Boston by scores of 9-0 and 9-2, and both players should have a better chance to get into the mix when the Yankees move on to face the Tampa Bay Rays.
That Rays-Yankees matchup brings Steven Matz back into the picture. Tampa Bay earned a first-round bye as AL East champs, and Matz heads into the ALDS after spending much of the season as a swingman. He made 11 starts among his 36 appearances, but after some early trouble in the rotation, the 35-year-old was used mostly out of the bullpen down the stretch.
Chicago’s ex-Blue Jays group was busy in the sweep of Houston. Anthony Kay threw 0.2 scoreless innings and allowed one walk, while Jordan Hicks appeared in both games and kept the Astros off the board over three innings, striking out four.
Randal Grichuk also chipped in, entering as a pinch hitter in Game 1 and going 2-for-3 in the White Sox’s 6-3 win. Trevor Richards wasn’t on the AL Wild Card roster, but he could still come back into the picture for the ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians.
In the National League, Rowdy Tellez is still alive with the Atlanta Braves after they knocked off the Phillies in three games. Tellez, a former Blue Jays fan favorite, spent most of the 2026 season with Gwinnett, Atlanta’s Triple-A affiliate, and he is likely to remain a bench option when the Braves take on the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Padres also move on with two former Toronto players in the fold. Robbie Ray wasn’t used in the sweep of the Cubs after strong outings from Michael King and Nick Pivetta, but he should be in the conversation once San Diego meets the Milwaukee Brewers. Ty France, meanwhile, was productive against Chicago, going 4-for-8 with two doubles and two runs scored while staying in the middle of the Padres’ order.
The Dodgers, who had a bye, are waiting to open their postseason against the Braves, and that means Teoscar Hernández and Brock Stewart will get their first playoff action of the year when Game 1 starts at 4:00 p.m. (EST).
Stewart has been a dependable arm when healthy, putting up a 2.70 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with 25 strikeouts in 26.2 innings, and he should stay important in the bullpen. Hernández had a down year by his standards in 2026, but he still hit .267 with a .759 OPS, 16 home runs and 64 RBIs in 125 games.
He has also delivered in previous playoff runs and will be aiming for his third World Series ring in three years.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Face A Telling Davis Schneider Decision
Davis Schneider has given the Blue Jays enough of a look to know why he has remained part of the conversation. He brings power, a patient approach at the plate and the kind of defensive versatility that can make a roster fit in more than one way, which is why Toronto has kept him in the mix even as the team has continued sorting out its long-term bench picture.
The problem is that the appeal has been uneven, and the non-tender deadline on Nov. 20 puts a real decision in front of the front office. Schneiders inconsistency has left his status vulnerable at a time when other players are also pushing for space, so Toronto has to weigh whether his upside is worth holding onto or whether his roster spot is better used elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays May Be Heading Into 2026 With A Rotation Problem
Torontos pitching plans for 2026 already look like a conversation worth having, and not because the Blue Jays are short on names. The bigger issue is sorting out which arms can be counted on to provide real innings and real value after a decade in which the clubs best rotations usually had a clear backbone, whether in workload or in overall effectiveness. That kind of stability has been part of the Jays best stretches on the mound, and it is the standard they have to chase again.
The problem is that the current picture comes with plenty of uncertainty, which is why the front office may have to think beyond the internal options it already has. Health and consistency are still open questions for several pitchers in the mix, and that leaves Toronto with the same offseason math plenty of contenders face: either get enough certainty from the group in house, or add another arm who can help steady the rotation or take pressure off the bullpen. [Read more 🡒]
Don Mattingly's Phillies Run Just Raised The Heat On John Schneider
Don Mattinglys first full stretch in Philadelphia was strong enough to change the conversation around him almost immediately. After taking over the Phillies in late April 2026, he guided them through the rest of the season at 79-55 and into a National League Wild Card spot, and the club responded by locking him in with a two-year contract that keeps him in place through the 2028 season.
For the Blue Jays, it is another reminder of how quickly managerial confidence can shift when a team finds its footing. John Schneider has had to navigate a far messier season on the Toronto side, and the contrast between the two clubs has only sharpened the scrutiny around how each dugout handled the year, especially as Philadelphias stability became part of the story and Torontos did not. [Read more 🡒]