From pulling Chris Bassitt out of a game against the Braves back in April to yanking Shane Bieber during the Wild Card series against the Yankees, Blue Jays manager John Schneider has taken plenty of heat for some of his pitching decisions. But despite all the criticism, he doesn’t seem shaken or ready to change his approach.

The latest example came in Game 1 of the ALCS, where the Jays fell 3-1 to the Mariners. Once again, Schneider’s call to pull Kevin Gausman sparked debate among fans and analysts. And, as always, he had his reasons, and he made sure everyone knew where he was coming from.

“I just kind of read the situation after the walk (Julio Rodriguez). You try to squash it… You’re trying to read the situation; every game is different… We talk about everything before the game, and you just try to read it in real time.” Schneider added.

Well, Gausman was dealing on the mound, shutting down Seattle through 5.2 innings before Cal Raleigh finally broke through with a solo homer that threw things off track. And that blast ended Gausman’s shutout after 5 2/3 dominant frames!

Now, much like Aaron Judge in the ALDS, Raleigh’s power can be tough to avoid. But it was what happened next that really decided Game 1. Yes, a 3-1 loss that gave the Blue Jays a rough start to the ALCS. Reportedly, after Gausman walked Julio Rodriguez, Schneider pulled him at just 76 pitches. The move felt familiar, almost a repeat of when Gausman was lifted after 75 pitches and 5 2/3 innings in Game 1 of the ALDS.

If you remember, in Game 1 of the ALDS, the Jays’ veteran pitcher was cruising through five shutout innings against the Yankees before things got a little shaky in the sixth. He ended up walking in a run with two outs, prompting Schneider to hand the ball over to Varland. The move did pay off that time and helped the Blue Jays hang on for the Game 1 win. But this time, it backfired.

However, Schneider explained afterward that he saw the game unfolding differently and believed bringing in lefty Brendon Little was the right call. Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, that gamble didn’t pay off.

The Blue Jays’ offense should be more concerning

More than how the Jays performed at the mound, it is more concerning about they performed with the bat against the Mariners.

Yes, the game started with George Springer setting the tone early in Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday. But his solo shot ended up being the only real spark for the Blue Jays’ offense on the night. And then for most of the game, it was a tight, old-school pitching duel through six innings.

If you remember, this is the same Blue Jays offense that exploded for 34 runs in four games against the Yankees. But this time, the Jays’ bats suddenly went quiet. And once Mariners starter Bryce Miller settled down after giving up Springer’s homer, Toronto couldn’t get much going.

Now, outside of Springer’s blast, the only other hit came from Anthony Santander in the second inning. This was a routine single that didn’t lead anywhere. And guess what, this game ended up being the fewest hits the Blue Jays have ever had in the playoffs.

So while Schneider’s decision to pull Kevin Gausman grabbed headlines, the real story was Toronto’s offense completely losing its groove at the worst possible time.