The Toronto Blue Jays have been laying down an absolute hammer on the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series this year, winning the first two contests at home by scores of 10-1 and 13-7.
A big part of that production has been the long ball. The Blue Jays have hit eight home runs in the series already: two from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., two from Alejandro Kirk, two from Daulton Varsho, one from George Springer, and one from Ernie Clement. Considering they've struck out just seven times in the series, it's safe to say Toronto hitters have the Yankees' number.
If any of that sounds remotely familiar, it's because the Blue Jays just joined the legendary 2005 Chicago White Sox in terms of offensive production.
According to baseball history guru Sarah Langs, the 2025 Blue Jays and 2005 White Sox are the only teams in postseason history to hit more home runs than strikeouts in their first two playoff games.
The Blue Jays have 8 home runs and 7 strikeouts so far this postseason
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 6, 2025
They’re the second team in postseason history with more home runs than strikeouts in their first two games of a single postseason, joining:
2005 White Sox, 6 homers & 4 strikeouts
2005 White Sox offer World Series blueprint for Blue Jays
Now, the White Sox of 20 years ago were one of the most dominant postseason teams of all time, going 11-1 on their way to lifting the Commissioner's Trophy. It'd be a rather unfair ask of the Blue Jays to replicate that, even with Guerrero Jr. doing his best Paul Konerko impression.
Still, what the Blue Jays are doing to the reigning AL pennant winners is nothing short of impressive, and is certainly reminiscent of the way the White Sox manhandled the reigning World Series champion Boston Red Sox two decades ago.
In Game 1 of that ALDS, the White Sox pounced on Boston early, scoring five runs in the first inning on their way to a 14-2 romp. They hit five home runs in the game (two from A.J. Pierzynski, one from Scott Podsednik, one from Juan Uribe, and one from Konerko) while striking out twice.
Game 2 was a bit closer (5-4), though a three-run home run from Tadahito Iguchi in the fifth inning proved to be the difference. Yet again, the lineup proved impervious to whiffing, striking out only twice for the second consecutive game.
Like the Blue Jays, those White Sox won their first two games at home. They then proceeded to go on the road and sweep the Red Sox at Fenway Park, a feat Toronto is surely hoping to match at Yankee Stadium this year.
This Jays team has a long way to go to earn more comparisons to the 2005 South Siders, but it's a foreboding sign for the rest of the American League that they've begun their playoff run in such historically dominant fashion.