Blue Jays win ALCS Game 4 2025

SEATTLE – So far, home-field advantage hasnâ€t meant much in this American League Championship Series – and the Blue Jays couldnâ€t be happier about it.

Max Scherzer shone in a vintage performance while Andrés Giménez homered and drove in four runs, silencing the crowd for a second consecutive evening in the Blue Jays†8-2 victory over the Mariners in Thursday nightâ€s Game 4 at T-Mobile Park.

Torontoâ€s win continues the trend of road teams winning each matchup so far, pulling the ALCS even at two games apiece while ensuring this series will return to Canada with everything still up for grabs.

“Youâ€re in the biggest moment of the season right now,†Scherzer said. “These games are must-win, every single one of them. When you get success, itâ€s great. This is what you play for.â€

One out shy of qualifying for a victory, Scherzer snarled and shouted emphatically during a mound visit from manager John Schneider, who left the three-time Cy Young Award winner in the game.

“I kind of went, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa,†like, ‘Iâ€m not coming out of this ballgame,â€â€ Scherzer said. “I feel too good. I wanted it.â€

Schneider said he “thought he was going to kill me.†Scherzer responded by striking out Randy Arozarena on a curveball in the dirt, punctuating it with a roar and a fist pump.

“When a Hall of Famer like this tells you heâ€s good,†Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said through an interpreter, “you leave him in the game.â€

Guerrero launched a seventh-inning homer to pad Torontoâ€s advantage – Guerreroâ€s fifth home run this postseason, breaking a tie with José Bautista (2015) for the most in a single playoff run by a Blue Jays player. Toronto has outscored Seattle 21-6 after losing the first two games at home.

“We knew it wasnâ€t going to be easy,†said Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh. “Now itâ€s a best-of-three.â€

Teams to lose Games 1-2 but then win Games 3-4 in any best-of-seven postseason series have gone on to win that series 10 of 23 times (43.5%). In series with the current 2-3-2 format that have been tied after Game 4, the team playing Game 5 on the road has taken the series 34 of 60 times (56.7%).

“This is two good teams going at it,†Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “This is what the Championship Series is all about. Weâ€ll make our adjustments.â€

As in Game 3, the Mariners struck first, with Josh Naylor lifting a Scherzer changeup for a second-inning home run – Seattleâ€s eighth homer of this ALCS.

But once again, the bottom of Torontoâ€s order sparked a third-inning outburst, showing fight. Isiah Kiner-Falefa led off with a double, and Giménez followed by hammering a Luis Castillo slider over the right-field wall.

“We dealt with adversity all year,†Kiner-Falefa said. “We almost lost the AL East lead, and we played every game the way weâ€ve been playing the last couple days. Our backs were against the wall. We had to go on a little bit of a run, and we ended up getting the job done.â€

Two more hits and a walk prompted an exit for Castillo, with Gabe Speier inheriting a bases-loaded, one-out jam. It was a surprisingly early hook for Castillo, who had been 4-0 with an 0.86 ERA in six games (five starts) dating to Sept. 7, including the postseason.

“We talked about it beforehand, that we had the ability tonight to be aggressive with the bullpen,†Wilson said. “You make tough decisions. That was a tough one, for sure.â€

Toronto wasnâ€t done. Kiner-Falefa opened the fourth with a single, advanced on a sacrifice bunt and scored on George Springerâ€s double to left field. Matt Brash bounced a slider for a wild pitch that allowed Springer to trot home with Torontoâ€s fifth run.

“We need to pitch a little bit better,†Speier said. “Continue to attack, but maybe a little more intent with what weâ€re doing.â€

Making his first appearance since Sept. 24 due to minor neck and back issues, Scherzer had been throwing simulated games during his downtime, but his sharpness remained a mystery even to his own team.

He quickly erased any doubts, hitting 96.5 mph on a first-inning pitch to Raleigh – Scherzerâ€s fastest velocity of the season. Getting better as the game went on, Scherzer separated his velocity masterfully, limiting Seattle to three hits and four walks while striking out five.

“He was huge for us today,†said Springer. “He was who he is. You kind of stay away from him. You donâ€t really want to get in Maxâ€s way. You kind of just let Max be Max. It was entertaining, for sure.â€

Eugenio Suárez stroked a sixth-inning RBI single facing Mason Fluharty, the second run charged to Scherzer, but right fielder Addison Barger threw out Naylor at third base to end the inning. Giménez added two insurance runs in the eighth with a two-run single that ticked off reliever Emerson Hancockâ€s glove.

Scherzer became the fourth pitcher to win an ALCS start at age 41 or older, joining Dennis Martinez (Game 6, 1995), Roger Clemens (Game 3, 2003) and Kenny Rogers (Game 3, 2006).

“You work so hard the whole year, make all the sacrifices, put all the work in to get to this moment,†Scherzer said. “Itâ€s just a great effort by our team, all the way around – our offense, our defense, our relievers. Everybody contributed tonight, and thatâ€s what makes it special.â€

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