Browsing: Mariners

SEATTLE (AP) — As Eugenio Suárez crossed home plate, he formed a heart with his hands as he has countless times.

Suárez suddenly stopped, pointed toward his wife in the stands behind home plate and took a second to embrace the moment. His bat had brought the Mariners within a victory of the first World Series trip for a team that started play in 1977.

Suárez hit a go-ahead grand slam after Cal Raleighâ€s tying drive in a five-run eighth inning, giving the Mariners a 6-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday and a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series.

“Iâ€ve been waiting for games like this my whole career,†Suárez said. “Today, I had it. Today, I had it in front of our crowd, in front of my family, my two daughters, my wife, and the moment is very special right now.â€

Suárez also homered in the second inning for Seattleâ€s first run, and the Mariners became the first home team to win in the series.

Game 6 is at Toronto on Sunday night.

“For our fans, theyâ€ve been waiting a long time for this moment and weâ€re here to give it to them. Weâ€re here to fight for a World Series,†Suárez said.

Raleigh, a switch-hitting catcher who led the major leagues with 60 home runs during the regular season, was hitting right-handed for the first time in the series when he led off the eighth by pulling a 2-0 sinker from loser Brendon Little.

“I came in and really couldnâ€t have pitched worse,†Little said.

The 348-foot drive rose 155 feet above the field on a high arc and had a 6.7-second hang time before it dropped over the left field wall at T-Mobile Park.

“It felt like Calâ€s ball was in the air for like an hour,†Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.

Raleighâ€s fourth homer of the postseason tied the score 2-2.

“Obviously it was really high, so you never know in this building,†Raleigh said. “Luckily today the roofâ€s closed.â€

Jorge Polanco and Josh Naylor walked, and Seranthony Domínguez relieved and hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch.

Suárez fouled off a 2-2 fastball, then hit an opposite-field drive to right, and the ball landed several rows into the seats for his fourth slam this season.

“Obviously, this is the biggest home run of my career,†Suárez said.

Suárez, who had put Seattle ahead in the second against Kevin Gausman, entered the game in a 6-for-50 slump. He was reacquired from Arizona at the trade deadline, finished the regular season with 49 homers and has three in the playoffs.

“Iâ€ve been waiting for this for a long time,†Suárez said. “Itâ€s been a while (since) Iâ€ve had a game like this today. It was awesome being able to hit that grand slam there to give the win to my team, to the fans. Theyâ€ve been here supporting us all year long.â€

Seattleâ€s Bryce Miller was pitching shutout ball when he was removed after allowing Addison Bargerâ€s leadoff single in the fifth, and George Springer hit an RBI double off Matt Brash.

Springer left in the seventh when he was hit on the right kneecap by a 95.6 mph sinker from Bryan Woo.

“Heâ€s got a right knee contusion. He had X-rays, which were negative, which is a good thing.,†Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “George is about as tough as they come. I think heâ€ll have to really, really be hurting to not be in the lineup on Sunday.â€

Pitching for the first time since Sept. 19 after recovering from pectoral tightness, Woo allowed Ernie Clementâ€s go-ahead single in the sixth.

Gabe Speier got the win with a perfect, nine-pitch eighth inning. Toronto wasted many chances, going 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Raleigh turned only the second 2-3 grounded double into play in postseason history when Clement tapped the ball onto the plate with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning. Raleigh grabbed the ball with a foot on the plate for a forceout, then threw to first.

The prior 2-3 DP in Game 2 of the 2000 ALCS was turned by Wilson with the New York Yankees†Bernie Williams at the plate.

“Thatâ€s what heâ€s done all season long,†Wilson said of Raleigh, “both sides of the ball.â€

Up next

Rookie RHP Trey Yesavage, who started Game 2 of both the AL Division Series, will start for the Blue Jays in Game 6. The Mariners scored five runs off the 22-year-old on Monday.

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With the bases loaded, Eugenio Suárez’s grand slam in the eighth sealed it for the Seattle Mariners, lifting them to a 6-2 win Friday and a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series.

Seattle jumped out to a 2-0 series lead on the road before Toronto battled back to even the series on Thursday.

The Mariners regained the advantage when Cal Raleigh hit a clutch home run in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game, setting the stage for Suárez’s grand slam to seal the win.

Suárez went 2-for-3 with two home runs and five RBIs, while Raleigh added a RBI on a solo homer, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate.

Mariners ace Bryce Miller got the start, striking out four while allowing four hits, two walks and one earned run over four innings.

Fans erupted over Suárez’s grand slam that secured the Mariners’ series lead.

Suárez put the Mariners on the board with a 396-foot home run in the second inning, giving Seattle a 1-0 lead over the Blue Jays.

In the top of the fifth, a double from Blue Jays’ George Springer brought home Addison Barger from second to even the score at 1-1.

Alejandro Kirk followed with a double in the sixth, setting up a RBI from Ernie Clement that gave the Blue Jays their first lead of the game, 2-1.

Raleigh delivered the game-tying home run in the eighth, a deep shot that just cleared the wall to even the score at two. With the bases loaded later in the inning, Suárez launched an opposite-field grand slam to send the crowd into a frenzy and give Seattle a 6-2 lead and the win.Â

While the Mariners and Blue Jays battle in the ALCS, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers are facing off in the National League Championship Series to determine who advances to the World Series.

Los Angeles currently leads that series 3-0 and will look to complete the sweep Friday night.

The series between the Mariners and Blue Jays will shift back to Toronto for a decisive Game 6 on Monday, with first pitch scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET.

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The 2025 ALCS had been a series of road wins, with the Seattle Mariners sweeping the first two games in Toronto, while the Toronto Blue Jays clawed back their first win in Seattle. But then, in Game 4, the Blue Jays dominated on their own turf, tying the series up. Will the Blue Jays continue their winning streak in Game 5 tonight, or will the Mariners roar back on their home turf? We’ll find out when they play their next game this evening at T-Mobile Park.

Game 5 of the 2025 ALCS will air at 6:08 p.m. ET tonight on FS1. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch Game 5 between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners.

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How to watch the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners Game 5:

Date:Friday, Oct. 17

Time: 6:08 p.m. ET/3:08 p.m. PT

TV channels: FS1

Streaming: DirecTV, Fubo, FoxONE and more

When is Game 5 between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners?

Game 5 of the ALCS between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners is Friday, Oct. 17, at 6:08 p.m. ET. The best-of-seven series is scheduled to run through Oct. 20 — if all seven games are necessary.

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners Game 4 channel:

Game 5 of the ALCS will be broadcast on FS1.

How to watch the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners without cable:

You can stream FS1 on platforms like DirecTV and Fubo, and the games will be available on Fox’s new streaming platform, Fox One.

DirecTV Stream’s Choice tier gets you access to Fox and FS1, the channels you need to watch the MLB ALCS series, plus the CW, ABC, CBS, Fox, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network and plenty more local regional sports networks.

DirecTV also offers unlimited Cloud DVR storage and access to ESPN+’s new streaming tier, ESPN unlimited.

The best part is, you can try all this out free for five days. So if you’re interested in a live TV streaming service but aren’t ready to commit, we recommend starting with DirecTV Stream.

Try free at DirecTV

Fubo TV gives you access to 100-plus live channels, including Fox and FS1, and many more so you can watch every ALCS game in one place. The cheapest plan starts at $85/month, making the live TV streaming service a significant investment. However, the inclusion of ESPN unlimited, a $30/month value, is a great deal if you watch sports year-round. Fubo subscribers also get access to ESPN unlimited, and unlimited cloud DVR storage.

Currently, the platform is offering a free trial, allowing you to explore everything it has to offer risk-free.

Try it free at Fubo

With a subscription to Fox One, you can tune in to all your favorite Fox channels like Fox News, Fox Sports, Fox Weather, FS1, FS2, Fox Business, Fox Deportes, Big Ten Network (B1G), and local Fox stations all in one place. That means you can watch every ALCS game in one place.

Fox One offers live programming, as well as shows and movies on demand. At launch, the base price for Fox One will cost $19.99 a month, or you can save with an annual subscription for $199.99. Fox Nation fans can even bundle it with Fox One for $24.99 a month, or opt for an annual subscription, which nets out to $19.99/month — that’s like getting a year of FOX Nation free.

You can also bundle Fox One with ESPN’s newly revamped streaming service for $39.99/month.

$19.99/month at Fox

2025 MLB ALCS Schedule:

All times Eastern

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Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners (series tied 2-2)

• Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 12, 8:03 p.m. (Fox)

• Game 2: Monday, Oct. 13, 5:03 p.m. (Fox/FS1)

• Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 15, 8:08 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 16, 8:33 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 5 (if necessary): Friday, Oct. 17, 6:08 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 6 (if necessary): Sunday, Oct. 19, 8:03 p.m. (FS1)

• Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, Oct. 20, 8:08 p.m. (Fox/FS1)

More ways to stream MLB ALCS Games:

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SEATTLE — Mad Max nearly had a month to fume, seethe and boil as he waited for his October opportunity.

Finally given the ball in the playoffs, he shut down the Seattle Mariners — and his own manager, too.

A fiery Scherzer turned back the clock with his vintage pitching performance and Andrés Giménez homered and drove in four runs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat Seattle 8-2 to even the American League Championship Series at two games apiece.

The 41-year-old Scherzer, left off the Division Series roster against the New York Yankees while dealing with neck pain, showed he still had plenty left in the tank by allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings.

“This is what you play for,†Scherzer said. “You work so hard the whole year, make all the sacrifices, put all the work in to get to this moment to have these types of moments to be able to win in the postseason.â€

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his fifth playoff homer for the Blue Jays, who have outscored the Mariners 21-6 in Seattle after losing the first two games at home.

Game 5 in the best-of-seven series has Kevin Gausman scheduled to start for Toronto against Game 1 winner Bryce Miller.

Scherzer earned his eighth postseason win and first since the 2019 World Series for Washington against Houston. Making his 500th major league start, regular season and postseason combined, he became the oldest pitcher to start a postseason game since Jamie Moyer was 45 with the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2008 World Series.

Moyer, who spent 11 years with the Mariners from 1996-2006, threw out the ceremonial first pitch Thursday.

Scherzer yielded three hits, one of which was a solo home run by Josh Naylor in the second inning. But the veteran right-hander settled in from there, even picking a runner off first base for the first time since 2013, and was not removed until manager John Schneiderâ€s second mound visit.

With two outs in the fifth, Schneider approached Scherzer on the field and the three-time Cy Young Award winner told his skipper — in no uncertain terms — he had no interest in coming out of the game at that point.

“I thought he was going to kill me. It was great. He locked eyes with me, both colors, as I walked out,†Schneider said with a smile. “He has this Mad Max persona, but he backed it up tonight.â€

Scherzer said he was busy thinking about the sequence of pitches he wanted to throw to Randy Arozarena.

“And all of a sudden I see Schneids coming out and it kind of caught me off guard,†Scherzer explained. “Thatâ€s just one of those moments where I know I wanted the ball. I knew the situation of the game. I wanted the ball and I basically told him that in a little bit different language.â€

Schneider left Scherzer in and the eight-time All-Star promptly struck out Arozarena swinging at a curveball.

“When a Hall of Famer like this tells you heâ€s good, you ought to leave him in the game,†Guerrero said. “And he showed heâ€s good.â€

It was one of five strikeouts for Scherzer, who pounded his glove in excitement.

“I tried to stay away from him,†teammate George Springer said. “You donâ€t really want to get in Maxâ€s way, so you kind of just let Max be Max. It was entertaining, for sure.â€

Said Schneider: “Iâ€ve been waiting for that all year, for Max to yell at me on the mound. I think at that point thereâ€s numbers, thereâ€s projections, thereâ€s strategy, and thereâ€s people. So I was trusting people.â€

The Blue Jays†offense, meanwhile, picked up where it left off after scoring 13 runs in Game 3. Giménez hit a two-run homer in the third inning for the second consecutive day, this one off starter Luis Castillo to give Toronto a lead it didnâ€t relinquish. The Blue Jays tacked on another run in the inning when reliever Gabe Speier walked in a run.

Toronto added to its advantage in the fourth on an RBI double from Springer, who came around to score on a wild pitch by Matt Brash. Guerrero, who singled earlier in the game, smacked an opposite-field homer to right in the seventh off Eduard Bazardo.

Guerrero leads the majors with five homers in these playoffs — breaking the Blue Jays record for one postseason that he had shared with José Bautista (2015).

Giménez provided more insurance in the eighth with a two-run single up the middle that deflected off reliever Emerson Hancockâ€s glove.

Up next

Miller has a 2.61 ERA in two playoff starts this October while Gausman, a two-time All-Star, is 1-3 with a 4.14 ERA in 10 career postseason games.

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SEATTLE — After coming home with a huge advantage in the American League Championship Series, the Seattle Mariners quickly squandered it on the mound.

Luis Castillo turned in Seattleâ€s second consecutive shaky start and the Toronto Blue Jays pounded Mariners pitching again in an 8-2 victory that tied the best-of-seven ALCS at two games apiece.

Seattle starters have given up 11 runs and 13 hits in 6 1/3 innings over the past two games, and the entire staff has allowed 21 runs, 29 hits and seven homers in 18 innings.

“Theyâ€re a good team,†Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh said. “When you leave pitches in the middle, they usually take advantage. So weâ€ve just got to do a better job of executing.â€

After winning twice on the road in Canada, the Mariners arrived home to sellout crowds needing two wins in three potential games in their own ballpark to reach the franchiseâ€s first World Series.

It seemed an ideal setup.

Now, no matter what occurs in Game 5, theyâ€re going to have to travel north of the border once again to try to close out the series in Toronto.

“This is two good teams going at it,†Seattle manager Dan Wilson said. “This is what the Championship Series is all about. We will make our adjustments and continue to do the things that we do that make us successful as well.â€

The winning formula for the AL West champion Mariners this year has been no secret to the rest of the league: They had strong starting pitching and a stingy bullpen, and their lineup is stacked with home run hitters.

Seattle hit three homers in Game 3 and another in Game 4, but the pitching staff has flopped at T-Mobile Park.

Mariners starter George Kirby was rocked for eight runs and eight hits — including three homers — in four innings of a 13-4 loss. The 32-year-old Castillo didnâ€t even last that long. He left with the bases loaded and was charged with three runs and five hits on 48 pitches in 2 1/3 innings.

No. 9 batter Andrés Giménez homered off Castillo — the second two-run shot for Giménez in two days.

Left-handed reliever Gabe Speier walked in a run and gave up an RBI double to George Springer, who scored on Matt Brashâ€s wild pitch to make it 5-1 in the fourth.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. connected off Eduard Bazardo in the seventh for his fifth postseason homer.

“Theyâ€re a good hitting team, and weâ€re aggressive with our pitches,†Speier said. “They got us in the last two, for sure. Weâ€re going to continue to attack. We need to play a little bit better, throw a little bit better pitches. But other than that, keep attacking.â€

Wilson also insisted the Mariners will keep going right at Blue Jays hitters with strikes.

“On the mound, we attack the zone, and we just need to continue to get back to that,†he said. “Thatâ€s what we do well, and weâ€ll get back to that tomorrow and bounce back in the series.â€

Josh Naylor hit an early solo homer off 41-year-old Toronto starter Max Scherzer and finished 3 for 3 at the plate, but the rest of the Mariners went 2 for 26 combined. And their best chance at a comeback was thwarted when Naylor made a baserunning blunder to end the sixth, getting thrown out at third base on an RBI single by Eugenio Suárez.

Seattle shortstop J.P. Crawford, the longest-tenured player on the Mariners roster, said the plan for Game 5 is simple: flush the bad feelings from the last two games and get ready to play.

“Our game is tomorrow,†Crawford said. “Be ready for that. Get some good sleep and be ready to compete tomorrow.â€

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The Toronto Blue Jays had some fun in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners with the unc memes featuring Max Scherzer, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco.

Following their 8-2 win over Seattle, the Blue Jays posted the graphic with the age and experience of all three legends from their sport and captioned it, “the Unc-tion did NOT disappoint” with the saluting emoji.

There were plenty of jokes leading up to the Thursday night NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals featuring Rodgers and Flacco as the starting quarterbacks.

Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward, dubbed the quarterback matchup the “Icy Hot Bowl” earlier in the week. The NFL game turned out to be a thriller, with Flacco throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns in Cincinnati’s 33-31 upset win.

Scherzer wasn’t even certain to make a start in the postseason. He was left off Toronto’s roster for the ALDS against the New York Yankees because of his 5.19 ERA during the regular season.

The Blue Jays tabbed Scherzer, whose last appearance was on Sept. 24, to be their Game 4 starter in Seattle trailing 2-1 in the series. He answered the call with two runs allowed in 5.2 innings to help the team get the victory and even the series at two games apiece.

If this ends up being the last game for Scherzer in 2025, he will be going out on a high note.

The Blue Jays have rebounded after losing the first two games against the Mariners at home. The two teams will play Game 5 in Seattle on Friday at 6:08 p.m. ET before the series shifts back to Toronto.

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  Buster OlneyOct 16, 2025, 10:51 PM ET

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  • Senior writer ESPN Magazine/ESPN.com
  • Analyst/reporter ESPN television
  • Author of “The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty”

SEATTLE — Luis Castillo’s smile was small and tight as he heard Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson tell him on the mound that he was being replaced. It was the third inning of Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, with the Mariners trying to hold off the Toronto Blue Jays, who had already won one game on the Mariners’ home field. Castillo, who had thrown fewer pitches than he had in any of his 247 starts in the major leagues, nodded in assent — if not agreement — and handed the ball to his manager.

What happened before Wilson’s decision was bad; what occurred after was worse. The Mariners’ relievers failed to contain the Toronto offense, in an 8-2 loss, and with the series tied at two games apiece, Seattle will go into Game 5 with its pitching options even more complicated by how Wilson’s choices played out.

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“You make decisions,” Wilson said after the game, “and you have to live with them.”

What the Mariners’ staff had talked about going into Game 4, Wilson explained, was that Seattle wanted to be aggressive in going to the bullpen. When Toronto blew out the Mariners in Game 3, Wilson was able to hold back all of his best relievers: Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andres Munoz. Additionally, Bryan Woo — who had been Seattle’s best pitcher before getting hurt Sept. 20 — would be available out of the bullpen, if Wilson found a suitable opportunity.

Castillo is a three-time All-Star, the most accomplished of the Mariners’ vaunted rotation of starting pitchers, known for his sturdy reliability. He has also had a year of diminished stuff, with his swing-and-miss rate the lowest of his career; Toronto had scored eight runs in 10 innings against him during the regular season.

In the first two innings Thursday, Castillo threw crisply, attacking the strike zone with a fastball that reached 95 mph. But in the third inning, everything changed. Isiah Kiner-Falefa pulled a double down the third-base line, and with a 3-2 count, Andres Gimenez pulled a slider into the right-field stands, giving the Jays a 2-1 lead. Relievers began stirring in the Seattle bullpen, and as Nathan Lukes and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled, Speier quickly warmed up. Too many pitches in the middle, Cal Raleigh would say later.

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Alejandro Kirk drew a walk to load the bases. Wilson’s options in that moment: stick with Castillo, or summon Speier, a lefty, to face left-handed hitting Daulton Varsho.

Wilson emerged from the dugout and didn’t immediately signal to the bullpen; rather, he spoke to Castillo, telling him he was intending to call on Speier. Castillo had thrown only 48 pitches, the fewest in his nine-year career. He returned to the dugout and watched the rest of the inning play out from the top step.

“It’s a tough decision,” Wilson said, “and it was not an easy one to tell him. But that’s what we went with.”

Varsho fell behind 1-2 in the count, but he fouled off two pitches and worked the count full before drawing a walk. Toronto’s lead was 3-1. Speier struck out the next two hitters to avoid further trouble, and Castillo met him with a high-five as he stepped into the dugout.

In the next inning, Speier pitched himself into trouble again. After a Kiner-Falefa single and a sacrifice bunt, right-handed hitting George Springer batted next.

Wilson had three options in that moment:

He could have summoned Brash, his best set-up man, to face Springer. He could have effectively compelled Speier to pitch around Springer. Or, with the left-handed hitting Lukes on deck and Guerrero set to follow, he could allow Speier to face Springer.

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Wilson went with the third option, and Springer ripped a double into the left-field corner, extending the Jays’ lead to 4-1. By the time Lukes grounded out, Speier — the best left-handed option in the Seattle bullpen — had thrown 32 pitches, more than any outing in his career.

Wilson summoned Brash into the game with the Mariners down by three runs — probably not the situation the manager envisioned at a time when his team was leading the series. Seattle’s bullpen had to cover 20 outs Thursday.

Bryce Miller starts Friday, in the Mariners’ final chance to win a championship series game in front of their home crowd. This series is guaranteed to return to Toronto — but whether it does with a Seattle lead is up to Miller and a bullpen that was used heavily in Thursday’s loss.

“We did use bullpen guys tonight, but they were very well rested again,” Wilson said. “So I think that we’re still in good shape in terms of our bullpen and also, we have Bryan down there as well, and we’ll utilize him when the time is right.”

It is unclear how Castillo felt about all of this. In his time with the Mariners, he has been known for consistently sticking around to answer questions after his starts, good or bad. But by the time reporters were permitted into the Mariners’ clubhouse after Game 4, Castillo was gone.

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SEATTLE – Four games into this American League Championship Series battle between the Blue Jays and Mariners, and nothing separates these two clubs – except another cross-country flight on deck, with nothing short of a pennant on the line.

With the ALCS even at two games apiece, Seattle and Toronto will enter Friday’s Game 5 locked into a best-of-three for a trip to the World Series, with Bryce Miller taking on Kevin Gausman in a matchup of right-handers.

“Weâ€ll come back ready to go,†said Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh. “Bryce obviously threw a great first game, so weâ€ll have to come up with a good game plan tomorrow to keep them at bay and put a few runs on the board.â€

It has been a showdown defined thus far by road dominance: The Blue Jays have outscored the Mariners 21-6 in the two games at T-Mobile Park. Thatâ€s a flip from how the first pair of contests went at Rogers Centre, where Seattle outscored Toronto, 13-4.

“We didn’t get too high, we didn’t get too low,†said the Blue Jays†Isiah Kiner-Falefa. “The coaches did a great job all around of not panicking, kind of keeping the mood light. Normally, you go down 2-0 and you’re doing PFPs.

“We kind of kept our normal routine, and guys were able to kind of just slow the game down. We were able to come up big here in these last two games. Hopefully, we can keep going.â€

Torontoâ€s resounding Game 4 victory restored home-field advantage for the stretch run, but first comes one more clash in the Pacific Northwest before the scene shifts back to Canada, where this seesaw showdown will be decided.

“Obviously we wanted to get a couple wins here in the series at home,†Seattle manager Dan Wilson said. “We haven’t been able to do that. But tomorrow we have a chance to bounce back, and that’s where our focus is going forward.â€

When is the game and how can I watch it?
First pitch is scheduled for 6:08 p.m. ET (3:08 p.m. PT) on Friday at T-Mobile Park and can be seen in the United States on FS1.

Blue Jays fans in Canada can tune in via Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ for the broadcast with Buck Martinez, Dan Shulman and Hazel Mae, or listen to the radio call with Ben Shulman and Chris Leroux on Sportsnet 590 The FAN.

All series are available in the US on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games also are available live internationally, although not in Canada. Sportsnet is MLB’s exclusive English language broadcaster in Canada for every Postseason game, while TVA Sports will be covering the entire AL Postseason and the World Series in French and Broadcaster RDS will cover the entire NL Postseason in French.

Who are the starting pitchers?
Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman (10-11, 3.59 ERA) has pitched Game 1 in both the AL Division Series against the Yankees and this ALCS, but the stage just keeps getting bigger. His outings have been eerily similar, both at 5 2/3 innings with 75 pitches in one and 76 in the other, so itâ€s clear where the Blue Jays want to keep Gausmanâ€s workload. Gausman is Torontoâ€s ace for a reason, but given that he relies so heavily on his fastball and splitter combo, it will be interesting to see how the Mariners handle that mix after seeing him in Game 1.

Mariners: Bryce Miller (1-0, 2.61 ERA in these playoffs) will face a Game 1 rematch vs. Gausman, in which he outlasted the splitter specialist by overcoming a leadoff homer to George Springer on his very first pitch to hold the Blue Jays 1-for-19 the rest of the way. Miller wound up clearing six brilliant innings in his first career start on short rest, though heâ€ll be on standard rest in Game 5. However, Miller noted that this will be his first time facing the same team in a five-day span since he was in the Minors, where a standard head-to-head series lasts a full week of six games.

What might the starting lineups look like?
Blue Jays: With Anthony Santander now done after being removed from the ALCS roster with an injury, the Blue Jays could roll out the same lineup they did for Game 4. Kiner-Falefa felt like a surprising addition at the time, but he came up with two big hits and has the full trust of manager John Schneider. Joey Loperfido would then take over as the top lefty bat option on the bench, with Davis Schneider available from the right side and Myles Straw as the pinch-runner.

Mariners: Wilson made his first notable tweak to the starting nine in these playoffs in Game 4, opting for Dominic Canzone in right field (over Victor Robles), Jorge Polanco at designated hitter (where Canzone had been starting vs. righties) and switch-hitter Leo Rivas at second base (where Polanco had been playing). Polanco remained at cleanup, Canzone at No. 7 and Rivas was added at No. 9, with J.P. Crawford moving up a spot to No. 8. It didnâ€t necessarily correlate to much, as the Mariners mustered the same number of hits as walks (five). But Wilson has been prone to consistency, so itâ€s possible he sticks with it against another righty.

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Blue Jays: The most interesting wrinkle will be the potential availability of Trey Yesavage out of the bullpen on short rest, but since the Blue Jays evened up the series and are no longer fighting for their lives, it could make more sense to hold Yesavage for Game 6 at home. Behind Gausman, the Blue Jays should once again have everyone available, including back-end arms Louis Varland, Seranthony Domínguez and Jeff Hoffman. If any length is needed, Chris Bassitt and Eric Lauer are available.

Mariners: Wilson said that he intended to be aggressive with the bullpen in Game 4, given that he didnâ€t turn to his three highest-leverage arms (Andrés Muñoz, Matt Brash and Gabe Speier) in Games 2 or 3. And that was a big factor in why he went to Speier in place of Luis Castillo with just one out in the third on Thursday. Seattle was already trailing and unable to recover, which led Wilson to using low-leverage options Carlos Vargas and Emerson Hancock at the end. Muñoz, who hasnâ€t pitched since Game 1, will almost certainly be used in Game 5 now that the stakes are even higher. But the biggest question mark is on Bryan Woo, who spent each of the past two games in the home bullpen and is expected to pitch in relief as soon as Friday (more below).

Any injuries of note?
Blue Jays: Bo Bichette was left off the Blue Jays†ALCS roster as he continues to rehab from his left knee sprain, and his status will remain a daily story in Toronto as he pushes to return in time for a potential World Series. Given that this is also the final year of Bichetteâ€s deal in Toronto, the only organization he has known, the stakes are sky high.

Santander was removed from the Blue Jays†ALCS roster prior to Game 4 with a back injury, so he will no longer be eligible for the World Series, and his 2025 season is over.

Mariners: The Mariners made the decision to move Woo (pectoral inflammation) to the bullpen once the series shifted to Seattle, and given that there are only three games left at most and Woo hasnâ€t pitched since exiting a Sept. 19 start in Houston, Seattle probably can spend him only once. So now the question becomes where to do so. If Miller is on the ropes early, like Castillo in Game 4, Woo could be a piggyback option. Itâ€s also likely that the Mariners would want to deploy Woo for a clean inning, since he hasnâ€t done this since his college days at Cal Poly, where he made 25 of his 31 career appearances as a reliever but not since 2019-21.

Who is hot and who is not?
Blue Jays: Guerrero might be the hottest hitter in baseball right now. He launched his fifth home run in eight postseason games Thursday and is officially entering Aaron Judge territory when it comes to how opposing teams need to handle him. Donâ€t sleep on Clement, either. The utilityman is batting .452 and has been crucial to extending this Blue Jays†lineup. Springer seems to be yanking a line drive into left field every time he swings the bat, too, while Giménez has now homered in back-to-back games. One through nine, this lineup looks like it did in the ALDS again, which is a very scary thing for the Mariners.

Mariners: After outscoring the Blue Jays, 13-4, in Toronto, the Mariners†bats have gone cold since the series shifted to T-Mobile Park, going 13-for-63 (.206) with a .688 OPS and six runs scored. Leadoff man Arozarena has experienced the most glaring troubles, as heâ€s now 2-for-15 in this ALCS and hitting .158 overall this postseason. Naylor, meanwhile, will look to stay hot, as heâ€s 6-for-14 in this series with two homers, including a second-inning blast in Game 4 that gave the Mariners an early lead.

Anything else fans might want to know?
Blue Jays:

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The Toronto Blue Jays secured a Game 4 American League Championship Series 8-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday on the road, evening the series at 2-2.

Blue Jays ace Max Scherzer had a solid night and even appeared to refuse to come out of the game in the fifth inning, striking out five over 5.2 innings while allowing three hits, one home run, two earned runs and four walks.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made history after going 2-for-5 at the plate and hitting his fifth home run of the postseason, setting a new Blue Jays record for most home runs in a single postseason, surpassing Jose Bautista (2015), per SportsNet.

Andrés Giménez went 2-for-3 on Thursday, hitting a two-run homer and a two-run single for four RBIs, while George Springer and Daulton Varsho also added RBIs.

“Mad Max,” Vladdy and the Blue Jays thrilled fans on Thursday, evening the ALCS with an electrifying performance on the road.

Josh Naylor sparked the Seattle Mariners’ offense with a leadoff home run to center in the bottom of the second, giving Seattle a 1-0 lead, but it was short-lived.

Giménez responded in the top of the third with a two-run homer to right and a bases-loaded walk to Varsho added another run, putting Toronto ahead 3-1.

Springer extended the Blue Jays’ lead in the fourth with an RBI double and later scored on a wild pitch by Matt Brash, making it 5-1.

Eugenio Suárez singled to right in the sixth to drive in a run, but a rocket throw from Addison Barger in right field nailed Josh Naylor at third to end the inning with minimal damage.

Guerrero Jr. launched a 359-foot home run to center in the seventh, reclaiming the run and giving the Blue Jays a 6-2 lead.

Giménez added a RBI double in the eighth to blow the game open, and the Blue Jays went on to win 8-2.

As the Mariners and Blue Jays duel in the American League, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers clash in the National League to decide who advances to the World Series. Los Angeles currently holds a 3-1 series lead.

Game 5 will stay in Seattle on Friday, with first pitch scheduled for 6:08 p.m. ET, as Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman and Mariners’ Bryce Muller are set to face off.

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SEATTLE — As the ball rolled rapidly toward the right-center-field wall, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.â€s eyes grew wide. For the fourth time in four at-bats Wednesday in ALCS Game 3, Guerrero had blistered an offering from a Mariners pitcher and was about to reap the rewards.

But this was more than just another well-struck ball. Guerreroâ€s first three hits of the night were a high-bouncing chopper that he legged out for an infield single, a screaming line-drive double that nearly dented the left-field fence and a booming home run to straightaway center field. If Guerrero kicked it into high gear as his fourth batted ball scurried toward the fence and raced for a triple, a cycle — just the second in MLB postseason history — was within reach.

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Alas, it was not to be. As Seattle center fielder Julio Rodriguez hustled over and hurried the ball in, Guerrero sensibly slowed at second and settled for his second double of the game, recognizing that pushing for a historic individual achievement amid a 12-2 playoff game posed more risk than reward. Still, he turned to his teammates and grinned, knowing what could have been.

“We were all yelling,†infielder Ernie Clement said afterward. “We couldn’t believe it. We wore him out.â€

“I didn’t even realize he was a triple shy,†third baseman Addison Barger said. “And then everybody’s like, ‘Go, go, go! Go to third!†And I said, ‘Why would he go to third? It’s, like, 12 to 2.’ And then I was like, ‘Oh, s***, he would’ve hit for the cycle.â€â€

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“He’s being smart. It could have been a play where he just slides and hurts himself,†conceded backup catcher Tyler Heineman, one of several teammates who was visibly disappointed as Guerrero coasted into second. “… I would have loved to see him do it just because I’ve never seen a cycle. But I’m just happy he had a good night.”

Cycle or not, one thing was clear: The Toronto Blue Jays were having a blast.

[Get more Toronto news: Blue Jays team feed]

Guerreroâ€s four-hit game was the headlining performance of a collective offensive outburst for the Blue Jays†lineup in Game 3, as Toronto emphatically distanced itself from an uncharacteristic no-show in the first two games of the series en route to a decisive 13-4 victory.

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Undaunted by the challenges of traveling cross-continent with a 2-0 series deficit and awakening an offense in the least hitter-friendly ballpark in the majors, the Blue Jays exploded for 18 hits, including five home runs. Every Toronto starter reached base at least once, eight scored at least one run, and six recorded multi-hit games. The 13 runs were the most the Mariners had allowed in a home game since June 30, 2023.

As usual, Guerrero was at the center of it all.

The face of the franchise completely torched the New York Yankees in the ALDS, demolishing any perception of October struggles after six poor games across three previous postseason appearances. But with the stakes higher in the championship series, even Guerreroâ€s spectacular showing against New York was quickly forgotten when he went hitless in both games in Toronto as the Blue Jays fell into a stunning hole to open the series against Seattle. As a whole, the Blue Jays mustered one hit after George Springerâ€s leadoff homer in a 3-1 loss in Game 1, and the offense evaporated again the next night, notching one hit over the final seven innings while the Mariners cruised to a 10-3 victory in Game 2.

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Combined with how formidable the Mariners looked on both sides of the ball in Toronto, the Blue Jays seemed to be in an especially precarious position as they headed west. But the consecutive lackluster showings at the plate were an extreme outlier for this unit, and that offered reason for optimism as the series shifted to Seattle.

“It’s not like we went out there and played our game and lost,†veteran pitcher Chris Bassitt said ahead of Game 3. “We still have a lot of confidence in our game and how we play and what we do.â€

That confidence was rightfully rooted in a full-season sample that indicated the Blue Jays†offense was not to be taken lightly, having led MLB in batting average and on-base percentage while ranking fourth in runs per game. And sure enough, in Game 3, led by Guerreroâ€s humongous display at the plate — the kind that has so often gone hand-in-hand with his teamâ€s success — the Blue Jays got back to playing their game, making this ALCS all the more compelling.

“He’s our heart and soul,†Clement said of his superstar teammate. “He carries the load. The last few years, I’ve seen him struggle, I’ve seen him be the best hitter on the planet. I see the work that he puts in. And to see him have success on the biggest stage, when everybody knows we need him to do it, is special.â€

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Said Barger: “Even if he’s off, he’s still gonna produce with the best of them. But when he’s on, it’s scary — there’s not much they can do. I feel bad for the pitchers.”

Torontoâ€s confidence that the bats would break out proved warranted, as the Blue Jays tagged Seattle starter George Kirby for eight runs Wednesday before adding five more against the underbelly of the Mariners†bullpen. But Torontoâ€s outlook on the mound was less certain entering Game 3. Taking the ball was high-profile trade-deadline acquisition Shane Bieber after his first postseason showing as a Blue Jay went rather poorly, with Bieber recording just eight outs in Torontoâ€s lone loss to the Yankees in the ALDS.

Bieberâ€s second outing didnâ€t inspire much confidence in the early going, either, as Julio Rodriguez destroyed a poorly located fastball in the bottom of the first inning for a quick 2-0 Mariners lead that sent T-Mobile Park into an immediate frenzy. For a Blue Jays team desperate for any semblance of momentum, it was an ominous opening. But Bieber remained confident that he could turn his outing around.

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“It was an unfortunate start, but I came into the dugout and told the guys, ‘Pick me up.†Like, ‘I got good stuff tonight,â€â€ Bieber said afterward. “And they definitely listened and picked me up in a huge way, and I was able to go back out there … and reestablish what I wanted to do.â€

In an era defined by high-end velocity, Bieber, whose fastball maxed out at 93.7 mph in Game 3, thrives on precision and sequencing, rather than rearing back and unleashing hellacious heat. And after his one glaring mistake to Rodriguez — and after the Blue Jays supplied him with five runs of support in the top of third inning — Bieber hit his stride and started to carve through the Mariners†lineup with a balanced diet of his five-pitch mix. The slider was the star, coaxing seven whiffs on a dozen swings. But the changeup, knuckle-curve and cutter all served as valuable weapons, in turn making his fastball more effective as the game went along. The pitchâ€s infrequent and unpredictable deployment actually made it more difficult to handle, despite its pedestrian velocity.

After that first inning, just two more baserunners reached against Bieber, as he completed six frames on 88 pitches with eight strikeouts and just the two runs allowed on the Rodriguez blast. As it turned out, after ace Kevin Gausman had an untimely misstep late in Game 1 and multiple key arms surrendered runs in an ugly Game 2, Bieber served as a much-needed stabilizing force on the mound for Toronto.

“It’s fun to watch guys like that work,†manager John Schneider said afterward. “It was exactly what we needed tonight.â€

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With the tone of the series firmly altered by Torontoâ€s resounding triumph in Game 3, the focus now shifts back to the home team and its ability to bounce back from another postseason pitfall. The Mariners were able to do just that after ALDS Game 4 in Detroit, which followed a similar script to Wednesdayâ€s loss, with an enticing early lead crumbling into a noncompetitive blowout loss.

Seattleâ€s epic effort in the 15-inning Game 5 to take down the Tigers was an encouraging display of the teamâ€s resilience, but it held significant advantages over Detroit from a talent standpoint. In Thursdayâ€s ALCS Game 4 and beyond, the Mariners face a much taller task against the top-seeded Blue Jays, regardless of how the first two games unfolded.

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“Momentum can be a real thing,†Schneider said. “But we’re going to approach tomorrow like the series is 0-0 and continue to try to do everything we can do to win tomorrow.â€

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