Toronto Blue Jays vs New York Yankees Picks and Prediction for Saturday, August 22, 2026

The Toronto Blue Jays visit the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, with the opening pitch at 1:35 PM ET. Toronto is 63-66 and fourth in the AL East after beating Tampa Bay 5-1 Thursday. The Blue Jays have won three of their last five and entered the latest Wild Card standings one game outside the final AL spot. New York is 72-55 and second in the AL East after a 6-1 win over Baltimore, extending its winning streak to four games. The Yankees hold the top AL Wild Card position. The matchup offers several angles for our free MLB picks.

Toronto Blue Jays Look to Build on Tampa Bay Win

Toronto has produced better results recently, winning three of five while scoring at least five runs in each victory. The Blue Jays rank 15th in MLB with a .244 batting average and have a .306 on-base percentage with a .379 slugging percentage. Ernie Clement leads Toronto with a .285 average and 136 hits, while Kazuma Okamoto has supplied the power with 26 home runs and 74 RBI. George Springer has added 12 homers, 40 RBI and 10 stolen bases.

The Blue Jays rank 11th in MLB pitching with a 3.99 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. Toronto has allowed opponents to bat .240 while recording 1,107 strikeouts across 1,140.1 innings. The staff has allowed 132 home runs and issued 468 walks, making control an important area against a Yankees lineup with 175 homers. Toronto has been inconsistent away from home at 30-33 but enters this series after taking two of three games at Tampa Bay.

Injuries: Andres Gimenez (Day-To-Day), Spencer Arrighetti (15-Day IL), Brett Bateman (Day-To-Day), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (7-Day IL), Jonatan Clase (10-Day IL).

New York Yankees Enter on Four-Game Winning Streak

New York has won four straight games, allowing only six total runs during that stretch. The Yankees rank 29th in MLB with a .230 batting average but have produced 175 home runs and a .408 slugging percentage. Ben Rice has been the leading power source with 34 homers and 80 RBI while batting .251. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has 17 home runs and 33 stolen bases, while Trent Grisham has added 17 homers and 54 RBI.

Pitching has been New York’s strongest area throughout the season. The Yankees rank first in MLB with a 3.24 ERA and have a 1.17 WHIP while holding opponents to a .224 batting average. New York has recorded 1,133 strikeouts, 50 quality starts and 12 shutouts. The Yankees have also allowed only 125 home runs through 126 games. New York is 31-27 at Yankee Stadium and has won four of the last five meetings with Toronto.

Injuries: Ryan McMahon (Day-To-Day), Cody Bellinger (10-Day IL), Kervin Castro (15-Day IL), Max Fried (15-Day IL), Giancarlo Stanton (10-Day IL).

Pitching Matchup

Toronto Blue Jays – Dylan Cease

Cease is 7-5 with a 2.42 ERA and 1.06 WHIP through 137.2 innings. The right-hander has allowed 87 hits, 59 walks and nine home runs while striking out 201. His strikeout total stands out, while the low hit and home-run numbers have helped Cease limit damage throughout the season.

New York Yankees – Ryan Weathers

Weathers is 5-7 with a 3.56 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 134.0 innings. The left-hander has allowed 122 hits, 38 walks and 18 home runs while recording 140 strikeouts. Weathers has shown solid control, but Cease owns the advantage in ERA, WHIP, strikeouts and home runs allowed.

Toronto Blue Jays vs New York Yankees Game Pick

• New York Yankees

New York gets the call Saturday based on its current form and season-long pitching numbers. The Yankees have won four straight while allowing only six runs, and their staff leads MLB with a 3.24 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. Toronto has the stronger starting pitcher statistically, with Cease posting a 2.42 ERA, which makes this a difficult matchup. However, New York has 175 home runs compared with Toronto’s 123 and has won four of the last five meetings between these clubs. The Yankees are the choice at home.

Toronto Blue Jays vs New York Yankees Over/Under Pick

• Under

Strong starting pitching makes the under the better direction for Saturday’s total. Cease enters with a 2.42 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 201 strikeouts, while Weathers has posted a 3.56 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. New York has also allowed only six runs during its four-game winning streak and owns MLB’s best team ERA. Toronto has scored well in its recent victories, but the Yankees’ pitching numbers provide a difficult matchup. With both starters capable of limiting baserunners, a lower-scoring game is the play.