Many Twins fans are still upset with the trade that sent Louis Varland to Toronto, and the Minnesota native's clutch performance during Game 1 of the American League Division Series (ALDS) added salt to the wound. Of course, most Twins fans still wish Varland to have success (unless he's pitching against Minnesota), but many would have preferred he stay in a Twins uniform for the foreseeable future.
Kevin Gausman gives praise after former Twin Louis Varland delivers clutch performance during Game 1 of ALDS between Blue Jays and Yankees
During Game 1 of the ALDS between the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees on Saturday at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, the Blue Jays replaced Gausman in favor of Varland while leading 2-1 in the top of the sixth inning with two outs and the bases loaded. Varland made sure the Blue Jays were happy with the decision, striking out Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton with a 101-mile-per-hour fastball to end the frame.
The @BlueJays escape the jam with the lead intact! pic.twitter.com/N6j375R6BQ
— MLB (@MLB) October 4, 2025
"I think Louis Varland versus anybody right now," Gausman said to reporters after the game. "I would take him. He's just so electric. He's throwing an almost 90-mile-per-hour knuckle curve, and then I think he struck out Stanton on 101 [miles per hour], so you've kind of seen him take his game to another level when he needs to. When he was the opener for one of the last games of the season, I think he threw two innings and struck out five or four. He's just electric. That was one of the greatest trades we ever made."
Varland went on to collect one more out in the seventh inning before being replaced with Seranthony Domínguez after allowing a single to third baseman Ryan McMahon. The Blue Jays then scored eight more runs en route to defeating the Yankees 10-1 to claim a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.
Varland, whom the Twins shockingly traded to the Blue Jays along with first baseman Ty France in exchange for lefty starter Kendry Rojas and outfielder Alan Roden on July 31, will likely continue to get the ball in high-leverage situations for Toronto during the postseason. During the regular season with the Twins and Blue Jays, Varland posted a 2.97 ERA with a 25.3% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate in 72 2/3 innings.