The Yankees are having a rough time in the ever-competitive AL East. They enter tonight’s game not only 10-17 in the division, but 2-6 against the Blue Jays and 0-5 in Toronto. They sit four games back in a division they led for the first three months of the season, and if they drop tonight’s game, they’ll drop six consecutive games to the Blue Jays for the first time since 2000-01.
It’s a tall task ahead for rookie Cam Schlittler, making his second career start and first game since July 9th. He was
supposed to start Friday’s series opener in Atlanta, but was pushed back a few days due to bicep soreness. The 24-year-old tossed 5.1 solid innings and got his first career win in Yankee Stadium on the 9th against Seattle, but got predictable towards the end, giving up a pair of home runs on loud contact. He’ll be going up against a Blue Jays lineup that is historically good at not striking out. Toronto also fares pretty well against high velocity, something that could work as an equalizer against other teams.
The ageless wonder Max Scherzer will take the ball for just the sixth time in 2025, but the second time against the Yankees. He coughed up a two-run homer to Jazz Chisholm Jr., but overall pitched well last time he toed the slab against the Yanks on June 30th, allowing just two runs in five innings with seven strikeouts. Overall, he has a 4.70 ERA (91 ERA+) and 4.87 FIP with just 23 innings pitched. He had his longest outing of the year in Sacramento last week, tossing six innings and throwing 90 pitches.
In his first start against the Yankees, he had his second highest four-seamer usage of the year at 49.3 percent, while throwing his changeup less and his slider more. Their goal will be to make the 40-year-old veteran work and get into a Toronto bullpen that didn’t have to be extended last night with Kevin Gausman’s performance. Despite Scherzer’s long career, it’s only his 14th career start against the Yankees.
Cody Bellinger is back in the lineup, batting second in left field. Ben Rice gets the start at first base over Paul Goldschmidt and, perhaps most notable, Anthony Volpe is batting ninth for the first time this season, even below Jorbit Vivas.
Nathan Lukes will lead off for the ninth time this season, continuing a recent trend of him starting against a righty. Addison Barger and Will Wagner are also back in the lineup, batting fifth and ninth respectively.
How to Watch:
Location: Rogers Centre — Toronto, ON, CAN
First Pitch: 7:07 p.m. EDT
TV broadcast: YES | Sportsnet, TVA Sports (TOR)
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 | SN590, SN APP (TOR)
Online stream: MLB.tv, Gotham Sports App
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Tuesday in Toronto. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/Ra3ZKDi2XS
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 22, 2025
Let's do it again! #lightsupletsgo pic.twitter.com/48ryonq5Ux
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 22, 2025
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