“You don’t take Shane out with 53 pitches with Game 4 being a bullpen game,” Wells tweeted Tuesday night.

After grabbing Games 1 and 2 in Toronto, the Blue Jays hit the road with plans to start the veteran Bieber in Game 3 and turn to Johnny WholeStaff for a bullpen game Thursday in a Game 4, if needed.

Shane Bieber, pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, walks off the mound at Yankee Stadium during Game 3 of the American League Division Series.
Shane Bieber recorded just eight outs Tuesday.Getty Images
Toronto left starters Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt off its postseason roster despite knowing that it left the team perhaps needing to cobble together innings in Game 4.

It seemed like Game 4 may not be needed after Toronto claimed a 6-1 lead in the third inning, but the Yankees used three hits and a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 6-3.

After Bieber walked Jazz Chisholm Jr. to put two on with two outs, Schneider opted to go to his pen and lefty reliever mason Fluharty struck out pinch-hitting righty Amed Rosario.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Shane Bieber holds a baseball as he is relieved during Game 3 of the ALDS.
John Schneider takes the ball from Bieber.AP

Vernon Wells, a Toronto Blue Jays player, wearing a black and light blue jersey, holding a baseball bat and helmet, looks to the right.
Former Blue Jays legend Vernon Wells.Jeff Zelevansky
While Wells is fair to question pulling Bieber at this point, it’s also fair to note that Schneider would not have needed to worry about a Game 4 if the bullpen held a three-run lead.

Bieber had already surrendered five hits and walked one, and Giancarlo Stanton just missed a two-run homer that inning that would have made it a one-run game.

Like Alex Cora in Game 2 of the wild-card series, Schneider went for the knockout blow to end the series rather than worry about the next-day effect.

“It’s a tough decision obviously. I thought he was throwing the ball fairly well. I thought his secondary stuff was really good in the second inning,” Schneider said. “Then just looked like he was having a little bit of trouble missing bats. Then you kind of get into pitches that inning and things like that.

“Again, you’re trying to just do what you can, what you think is best to win the game right now. I get how it looks with the bullpen game tomorrow and all that kind of stuff. Man, these guys are going to be ready to go.”

Manager John Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays runs onto the field before the game.
Schneider’s decision to turn to his bullpen backfired.Getty Images

Agree with lifting Bieber in the third?

Toronto’s bullpen ultimately faltered, with Aaron Judge’s game-tying three-run blast off Louis Varland in the fourth fueling the Yankees’ rally.

Now, a beleaguered bullpen will hope for a better result to avoid heading back to Toronto for a Game 5 on Friday night.


“Again … you’re trying to take chances to win today, and it didn’t work out,” Schneider said. “Everyone is available tomorrow. Everyone is available, just not exactly sure who’s going to start yet.”