Braydon Fisher to Open Bullpen Game for Toronto Blue Jays vs New York Yankees

The Toronto Blue Jays named a starter for Saturday’s game against the New York Yankees, handing the ball to right-hander Braydon Fisher to open a bullpen contest. The decision comes on the heels of a 3-1 victory on Friday night, giving Toronto a 1-0 series lead over their division rivals as the club fights to climb the American League standings.

Braydon Fisher Gets the Call in Saturday Bullpen Game

Fisher enters the assignment carrying a 3.54 ERA and a 3-3 record across 61 innings of work this season, having tallied 67 strikeouts and 33 walks. Manager John Schneider outlined a multi-phase pitching plan for the matchup, indicating that right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson will also contribute in some capacity as the Blue Jays look to navigate toward high-leverage bullpen arms like Tyler Rogers, Louis Varland, and the newly acquired Paul Sewald.

A Crowded American League Wild-Card Picture

Entering Saturday’s action, the Blue Jays hold a 60-64 record, placing them just one game back of the American League’s third wild-card spot currently held by the Detroit Tigers at 60-62. A congested race features four additional clubs sitting within 1.5 games of the postseason threshold, making every series outcome pivotal as August winds down.

The immediate wild-card picture finds the Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Detroit Tigers occupying the qualification slots, with the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers sitting 0.5 games behind Detroit. Toronto remains closer to a playoff position than it has been since the end of June, fueled by a turbulent stretch of play against the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, and Chicago Cubs.

Concussion Testing for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Lineup Adjustments

Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was absent from Saturday’s starting lineup after he exited Friday’s game due to taking a knee to the head. According to Schneider, Guerrero experienced headaches afterward and underwent concussion testing.

The Blue Jays also injected fresh organizational depth on Saturday by calling up former top prospect Ricky Tiedemann for his first major-league stint. Tiedemann has been pitching out of the bullpen over the past week at Triple-A, marking his initial game action since undergoing Tommy John surgery two years ago.

Facing Cam Schlittler and Yankees History

Fisher and the Toronto pitching staff will match up against Yankees starter Cam Schlittler, who is putting together a sophomore campaign contending for Cy Young honors with a 2.21 ERA and 182 strikeouts over 146.2 innings. Beyond the standings implications, lingering tension remains between the Yankees pitcher and the Toronto fanbase following remarks Schlittler made in June.

Braydon Fisher to Open Bullpen Game for Toronto Blue Jays vs New York Yankees — Photo: Yahoo Sports

Schlittler added further context regarding the cross-border rivalry and last year’s postseason matchup.

“All the stuff last year in the playoffs or whatever it is — they’ve got a whole country behind them, so there’s a lot. They’re passionate about it. You respect them for that, but I don’t really like them. They ended our season last year. I hope everyone’s got that chip on their shoulder.”
Cam Schlittler, New York Yankees starting pitcher

What to Watch Next in the Yankees Series

With a series win already secured from Friday’s 3-1 decision, Toronto aims for a victory against New York on Saturday afternoon to apply further pressure on the wild-card field. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT, with live coverage broadcast on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ as Fisher takes the mound for the opening frame.