'Epitome of what we've built': Blue Jays use whole team in Game 1 win

We'll have you covered throughout the ALDS between the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays. Here are our takeaways from Toronto's 10-1 victory in Game 1.

'Epitome of what we've built'

In a Blue Jays season built on so many unexpected contributions, it should come as no surprise that one of their role players had the biggest hit of the game.

Nathan Lukes' two-RBI double in the seventh inning helped give them some much-needed breathing room after the Yankees pulled within two runs.

The 31-year-old has had to fight for everything in his big-league career - he didn't even debut in the majors until he was 28. Lukes has been an integral part of Toronto's success this season, making an impact with his bat, baserunning, and defense.

"I'm thrilled for him, for a guy who has grinded in the minor leagues," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said postgame. "I thought his at-bats were awesome all day. He's the epitome of what we've built here. ...

"That was kind of the blueprint of what we've done all year."

Lukes doesn't come up with the bases loaded without hits from the Blue Jays' two biggest - and most scrutinized - offseason acquisitions, Anthony Santander and Andrés Giménez. Santander singled to put a runner in scoring position, while Giménez's RBI single made it 3-1. The pair can counter a lot of criticism with a solid October.

"You get to the postseason, and you never know who it's going to be," Schneider said.

The Blue Jays' offense showed no signs of rust despite the layoff. Toronto pounded out 10 runs on 14 hits and struck out just twice.

'He's so electric'

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins made it a priority to add velocity to the back end of the bullpen at the trade deadline, and one of the arms he acquired got the ball in a critical spot Saturday.

After Kevin Gausman allowed a run and loaded the bases in the sixth inning, Louis Varland entered to face Giancarlo Stanton with Toronto clinging to a 2-1 lead. Varland struck out Stanton on a 100.7-mph fastball - the fastest pitch of the game and the second-fastest pitch of Varland's career.

"Varland executed a good heater that G was late on," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

Schneider said Varland's ability to throw breaking balls as well as 100-mph fastballs was exactly what he wanted in that situation against Stanton.

Varland's efforts helped preserve a really nice outing from Gausman, who finished with one run allowed over 5 2/3 innings. Gausman also picked up the first win of his postseason career.

"He's so electric," Gausman said. "That was one of the greatest trades we've ever made."

'The face of our franchise'

The Blue Jays need Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to be a $500-million player this postseason, and boy, did he ever make a statement in Game 1.

Guerrero hammered his first career playoff home run in the first inning off Luis Gil. He followed that up in the second inning with an incredible diving defensive play to double off Jazz Chisholm Jr. at first base. Guerrero walked off the field to a loud ovation.

"He's the face of our franchise," Gausman said.

"When Vlad's locked in, it can be contagious," Schneider said.

Guerrero's received plenty of criticism for his postseason struggles, although it's a small sample size - he'd gone 3-for-22 with one extra-base hit and one RBI in six playoff games entering Saturday.

"When you think of his time in the postseason, it hasn't been fun for him," Schneider said. "I was interested to see how he came out today. There was a bit of a different feel about Vlad today."

The five days off between the end of the regular season and the start of the ALDS seemed to give Guerrero a bit of a boost after he struggled down the stretch.

"I think (the few days) off was good for him to sort some things out," Schneider said.

'He did enough'

Gil was perceived as the weakest part of the Yankees' playoff rotation, and the right-hander lasted 2 2/3 innings on 48 pitches. After he surrendered a two-out single to Guerrero, Boone emerged from the dugout and pulled him for Tim Hill.

Boone credited Gil's "moxie" going into the start, but the 27-year-old clearly didn't have much Saturday. He surrendered home runs in both the first and second innings and finished his outing having allowed two runs off four hits.

"He did enough where we felt we could still piece it together there," Boone said.

Gil's been playing catchup for the better part of the season. He didn't debut until August after suffering a lat strain. He did have a somewhat encouraging September, posting a 2.93 ERA over five starts and allowing two or fewer runs in four of those outings. Those numbers don't tell the full story, though: Gil really struggled with his command, walking 14 batters over 27 2/3 innings and striking out 12.

Hill and Camilo Doval were brilliant for the Yankees, combining to throw 3 1/3 shutout innings and keep New York in the game. A lot of that good was quickly undone by Luke Weaver in the seventh, as last year's playoff hero has likely pitched himself out of any high-leverage spots the rest of October.

Weaver's faced six batters this postseason and has yet to record an out (walk, double, single, walk, single, single).

'Hard work paying off'

The Blue Jays needed someone to step up in Bo Bichette's absence. Enter Alejandro Kirk.

The catcher homered twice in four at-bats in Game 1 and now has four home runs and a double in his last 10 plate appearances.

"It's hard work paying off," Kirk said.

The All-Star appeared to be running on fumes in September; going into the final day of the regular season, he was hitting .172/.257/.297 in his last 20 games with four extra-base hits.

Kirk flipped a switch in Game 162. He hit two homers and drove in a career-high six runs in the AL East-clinching contest, and he looks to be carrying that hot streak into the postseason.

'Didn't get the job done'

Judge is off to a solid start this postseason, going 6-for-15 through four games, but he failed to come through in a massive spot Saturday.

Gausman loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth inning with Judge coming to the plate. It was a massive opportunity for Judge to flip the game.

"It didn't feel great, honestly," Schneider said of the situation. "With Judge coming up, bases loaded, nobody out, that's not what you want to see. But Kev made big pitches, man."

Gausman got Judge to chase a splitter on what would have been Ball 4 for the first out of the inning. It was Judge's only plate appearance of the game where he didn't put the ball in play.

"In the end, I didn't get the job done," Judge said, according to YES Network.