The Blue Jays put together an impressive win in four games over the Yankees in the ALDS this past week, and it's all the more impressive when one considers that, they managed to pull it off without one of their star players. Shortstop Bo Bichette has been on the injured list since early September due to a left knee sprain, and did not participate in the Division Series as a result.
Smith has been adamant he wants to remain as the Dodgers' catcher, even after suffering a hand injury which kept him sidelined for most of September. He didn't entertain the idea of filling in as the team's designated hitter during his recovery. "We've got a pretty good DH," Smith said, referring to three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani. "I think we're pretty set on that."
Defensive Runs Saved oscillated between giving Alonso positive and negative grades earlier in his career but has soured on him more recently. He was credited with a -3 score last year and -9 this season, bringing him down to -7 for his whole career. Outs Above Average has been more consistently down on him, as 2021 is the only year that metric had him above average. He's at -33 for his career overall, including -8 in 2024 and -9 in 2025.
Big Vlad is back in the starting lineup. The Toronto Blue Jays primary first baseman will hit third and play as the teams Designated Hitter on Monday night when they take on the Minnesota Twins at Rogers Centre to begin a three game set.
