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Oct 11, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

Another day, another win-or-go-home Game 5 in the 2025 MLB playoffs!

With the American League Division Series decided in an epic finale, the National League Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers comes down to one last meeting tonight at American Family Field.

The Brewers entered the series as the favorite — and the NL’s top overall seed. But after taking a commanding 2-0 lead, their NL Central rival Cubs evened the series with two wins at Wrigley Field.

Now we’re back in Milwaukee — with the winner moving on to face the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL pennant.

We’ve got you covered with pregame lineups and the keys to Game 5, along with takeaways after the final out.

Series tied 2-2

Game 5 starters:TBD vs. TBD

Key to winning Game 5 for Chicago:The Cubs will need to get some length from one of their pitchers. While it will undoubtedly be Johnny Wholestaff going for manager Craig Counsell, they’ll probably need one pitcher to go at least three innings or so. Shota Imanaga, who was bad in Game 2 and struggled down the stretch? Colin Rea, who pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless relief in that game? Game 3 starter Jameson Taillon, coming off a 75-pitch outing? Aaron Civale, who pitched 4.1 scoreless innings in mop-up duty in Game 1? This game shapes up as an interesting strategic battle of relief decisions and pinch-hitters between Counsell and Pat Murphy, with Murphy focusing on his left-handed pitchers against Michael Busch, daring Counsell to pinch-hit, and Counsell trying to get his right-handed pitchers against Jackson Chourio, who is 7-for-15 in the series. — David Schoenfield

Key to winning Game 5 for Milwaukee:The Brewers have rightfully received a lot of credit for their ability to score runs without relying as much on homers as other teams. But they’ll probably need to hit more home runs than the Cubs to win this game. When the Brewers hit at least one home run, they’re 70-36, including 1-1 in this series. Yes, they scored nine runs in Game 1 without hitting a home run, but when they don’t hit a home run this season, they’re 29-31. If Shota Imanaga pitches for the Cubs, either as the starter or in a long-relief role, that’s a good sign for the Brewers. They homered twice off him in Game 2, and he’s now allowed at least one home run in 10 consecutive appearances and two-plus home runs in eight of his last 14 appearances. — Schoenfield

Lineups

Cubs

TBD

Brewers

TBD

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Four hundred forty-three times before, J.P. Crawford had crossed home plate as a member of the Seattle Mariners. But never quite like this.

This time, as Crawford approached the plate in the bottom of the 15th inning of ALDS Game 5 against the Detroit Tigers, he paused. Rather than rush across the plate to confirm the run scored as soon as possible, he slowed and looked down at the white pentagon in the dirt that had seemed like an impossible destination for both teams over the previous five hours. He held both arms in the air, helmet in hand, savoring the magical moment he was about to unlock.

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Then, he took a step and scored.

[Get more Seattle news: Mariners team feed]

Driven in by a hard-hit single to right field by Jorge Polanco with the bases loaded, Crawford represented the winning run for Seattle in its jaw-dropping, stomach-churning, hair-pulling, history-making, series-clinching 3-2 victory over Detroit to advance to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2001. Polancoâ€s walk-off hit was the final act in a contest loaded with unforgettable sequences that combined to produce a postseason clash for the ages.

“We’ve talked about the fight all year long,†Seattle manager Dan Wilson said afterward. “To go 15 innings tonight, 15 rounds, so to speak, and to come out on top — that sure feels good.â€

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It took 4 hours, 58 minutes for the Tigers and Mariners to play 15 innings — the longest winner-take-all game in postseason history. Fifteen pitchers combined to throw 472 pitches, with the highest pitch count belonging to Tigers starter Tarik Skubal, whose 99 pitches produced 26 whiffs and 13 strikeouts in one of the more spectacular playoff pitching performances in recent memory — and one that somehow faded into the background as the ultra-close contest continued deep into the night.

“I feel like I pitched three days ago, if I’m being honest,†Seattle starter George Kirby said postgame.

Skubalâ€s sensational outing was the headlining performance in a game dominated by pitching on both sides; the two teams combined to hit .163 (16-for-98) while striking out 37 times. Before Polancoâ€s hit enabled Crawfordâ€s right cleat to touch home plate, just four runs had been mustered over the first 14 and a half frames, all of which required their own extraordinary sequences to come to be.

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Seattle struck first in the second inning courtesy of Josh Naylor, who reached out and poked a 100.2-mph sinker from Skubal well off the outside corner down the left-field line to put himself into scoring position. And while it was Naylorâ€s strength that enabled an extra-base hit on such a ridiculously uncomfortable-looking swing, it was his speed that shined next — or, perhaps more accurately, his baserunning acumen. Despite ranking as one of the slowest players in baseball, according to Statcastâ€s sprint speed, Naylor has become a basestealing fiend in 2025, frequently taking advantage of opponents who underestimate his willingness and ability to swipe bags.

And knowing that runs would be difficult to come by against Skubal — and recognizing that T-Mobile Park with the roof closed was far too loud for Skubal to hear his teammates alerting him that the runner was getting such a gigantic lead — Naylor took off for third and nabbed it successfully, making him a perfect 20-for-20 on stolen bases as a Mariner. Mitch Garver then drove in Naylor with a sacrifice fly that put the Mariners up 1-0 in the second inning.

Meanwhile, Seattle starter George Kirby was cruising in the early going, but he arrived at a predictable pivot point in the sixth inning, with Tigers slugger Kerry Carpenter coming to the plate with a runner on second after Javier Baez led off with a double. Carpenterâ€s home run against Kirby in Game 1 — his fifth against the pitcher in 11 plate appearances to that point — plus two more hits already in Game 5 ensured that Wilson called on lefty reliever Gabe Speier to handle Carpenter in this scenario.

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And that matchup promptly backfired, as Carpenter drilled Speierâ€s second pitch deep to center field for a stadium-silencing, two-run homer that made it 2-1 Detroit.

With Skubal still in the game — having struck out eight of 10 hitters since Garverâ€s sac fly, including a postseason-record seven in a row — the prospect of scoring another run with just four innings left seemed awfully daunting for Seattle. But Skubal left it all on the table in the sixth. His final pitch of the game was also his hardest: 100.9 mph right down the middle to blow away Cal Raleigh for his 13th strikeout. Skubal roared as he bounced off the mound toward the dugout.

“After the fifth, I checked in on him how he was doing physically and emotionally, and we both knew that he had one left,†Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said postgame. “He emptied his tank and obviously was emotional coming off the mound, and I think that signals exactly where we were in the game. He gave us everything he could.â€

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With that, Skubalâ€s night was over.

For everyone else, it was only just beginning.

As soon as Skubal departed, Seattle conjured a rally in the seventh against Detroit reliever Kyle Finnegan. A Polanco walk plus another Naylor hit put Polanco in scoring position for … Leo Rivas?

On his 28th birthday and with zero postseason plate appearances to his name — not to mention just 197 in the regular season — the switch-hitting utility infielder was called on to pinch-hit against lefty reliever Tyler Holton. Holton had entered after the Mariners announced lefty slugger Dominic Canzone would be pinch-hitting for Garver, but Wilson opted to burn Canzone and instead tab Rivas for the high-stakes spot and the chance to be the unlikeliest of heroes.

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And Rivas delivered. He smacked the second pitch from Holton into left field for a game-tying single, sending the crowd into euphoric disbelief while simultaneously (and unknowingly) settling the game into a stalemate of epic proportions.

Over the next seven-and-a-half scoreless innings, a stunning carousel of pitchers cycled through the ballgame for both teams, ranging from traditional high-leverage arms (Will Vest, Matt Brash, Andrés Muñoz, Eduard Bazardo) to versatile swingmen (Troy Melton, Keider Montero) to full-blown starting pitchers (Logan Gilbert, Jack Flaherty, Luis Castillo). All of these pitchers had already been asked to cover pivotal innings in this series against these same hitters, yet all of them were up to the task of continuing their efforts in a sudden-death scenario.

All of them, until Tommy Kahnle in the bottom of the 15th, put up zeroes.

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“It felt like it was a pretty quiet game, from an opportunity standpoint, until we got into extras,†Hinch said, “and then there were runners everywhere, and there were double plays, and thereâ€s caught stealing, and there’s bunts, and there’s guys picking up each other on errors or misplays.â€

Tigers closer Vest carved through the middle of Seattleâ€s lineup with ease. Gilbert, who starred for Seattle in his Game 3 start just three days earlier, made his first relief appearance since his sophomore year of college and provided two scoreless innings. Melton, Detroitâ€s Game 1 starter, was touching 100 just two days after throwing three scoreless innings in relief in Game 4. Bazardo, whoâ€d already pitched for the Mariners in the first four games of the series after 73 appearances in the regular season, recorded eight outs, two more than he had in any outing all year. Tigers starter Flaherty has barely pitched out of the bullpen in his career, and he delivered two hitless frames, navigating around three walks. Castillo, Seattleâ€s Game 2 starter, made his first relief cameo since he was in A-ball nearly a decade ago — and earned the win.

While Detroitâ€s cavalcade of hurlers led by Skubal unquestionably did their part, Seattleâ€s pitching staff was ever-so-slightly better, and their collective effort to preserve the tie and set the stage for Polancoâ€s walk-off will be remembered as one of the great triumphs in franchise history.

“You can’t say enough about the bullpen and two starters we had up there in the bullpen, just taking the ball and just running with it and not wanting to come out of the game, wanting to keep throwing pitches, keep throwing innings,†Wilson said postgame. “… They don’t want to leave the ballpark until they win. And tonight was that.

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“They didn’t want to leave the ballpark until they won, and they made it happen.â€

It was Crawford, though, who began the sequence that ensured the Mariners didnâ€t need to throw any more scoreless innings. He led off the bottom of the 15th with a single against Kahnle, scooping a 3-2 changeup into right field for his first hit of the game. Kahnle then plunked Randy Arozarena with his next pitch to move Crawford into scoring position. After a Raleigh flyout allowed Crawford to advance to third, Julio Rodriguez was intentionally walked to load the bases, with Detroit seeking a double play from Polanco after theyâ€d wiggled out of jams in the 12th and 13th.

But Polanco stayed on the changeup from Kahnle and laced it into right field for the game-winner, allowing Crawford to take the 90-foot journey home.

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“It was bound to happen at some point,†Kirby said later. “The more you keep letting us into the game, especially at home, you know, we’re going to find a way.â€

As Seattleâ€s longest-tenured player, Crawford knows as well as any what his winning run meant. His acquisition from Philadelphia via trade in December 2018 was a critical one in a series of transactions that marked the start of a rebuild. Crawford is the only current Mariner who endured the non-competitive lows of the 94-loss 2019 season. He raised his national profile by winning a Gold Glove in 2020, but the team was still quite bad. 2021 marked a huge step forward, as the team won 90 games, but their minus-51 run differential was a sobering indicator that the club was miles away from being a real contender.

In 2022, Crawford got his first taste of the spectacular highs and devastating lows of postseason baseball. Seattle ended its dreaded playoff drought and even won a wild-card series against Toronto, but the Mariners were emphatically swept out of the ALDS by the rival Astros. Their season ended in a game eerily similar to Fridayâ€s thriller: an epic marathon of prolific pitching in which scoring seemed impossible until one swing from Jeremy Peña delivered the ultimate gut punch in a 1-0 loss in 18 innings.

But this time was different. It had to be. After coming up painfully short of qualifying for the postseason the previous two seasons, the Mariners aggressively assembled a roster worthy of returning to baseballâ€s premier month. Urged in August by franchise icon Ichiro Suzuki to not take an opportunity like this for granted, the Mariners surged in September en route to their first division title since Ichiroâ€s rookie season in 2001 and home-field advantage in the ALDS — an advantage that proved vital as Seattle leaned into its core strength and pitcher-friendly ballpark while tossing 15 nearly flawless innings to punch its ticket to the ALCS.

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Four wins against the top-seeded Toronto Blue Jays now separate the Mariners from a place they’ve never been before. For all the ups and downs Crawford has experienced in his seven years as Seattleâ€s shortstop, they represent merely a fraction of this franchiseâ€s tortured history as the only major-league team that has never even appeared in the World Series, much less won one.

It was 30 years ago that Edgar Martinezâ€s iconic walk-off double defeated the Yankees to send the Mariners to the ALCS for the first time. That Martinezâ€s walk-off sustains as the premier franchise highlight in nearly a half-century of existence is a testament to the magic of the moment — and a reflection of how little Seattle has accomplished in three decades since. Several superstars have come and gone, with feats of individual brilliance and a few formidable ballclubs along the way. But only rarely has the World Series been remotely within reach. The ‘95 team faltered in the championship round. Back-to-back trips to the ALCS in 2000 and ’01 produced the same result. And then, a drought — thedrought. Sure, 2022 was a salve of sorts, but it was nowhere close to the ultimate prize.

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But in toppling the Tigers and advancing to Toronto — Game 1 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Sunday at Rogers Centre — the 2025 Mariners have arrived at a special opportunity. Their five grueling games against Detroit served as a reminder that nothing comes easy this time of year — and evidence that Seattle has the talent and resilience to succeed in these pressure-packed postseason affairs.

What happens next for the Mariners in their quest to finally reach the Fall Classic remains to be seen. But in emerging victorious on Friday — and giving the Seattle crowd a night to remember — they made sure that elusive goal is still within reach.

“That was an incredible win for them, which means it was an incredible loss for us,†Hinch said. “But I wish them well in the next round. They earned it, and that was an epic game.â€

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The Seattle Mariners returned to the ALCS for the first time since 2001 with a 15-inning win over the Detroit Tigers to close out the ALDS on Friday night.

Seattle now has to hop on a plane to Toronto to face the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday in ALCS Game 1.

Toronto owns a very clear pitching advantage going into the series since Seattle maxxed out its arms just to stay alive in the postseason.

Seattle’s got a terrific set of arms and power bats that can combat what the Blue Jays can throw at it, but it faces an uphill climb at the start of the series.

Game 1: Sunday, October 12 (8:03 p.m. ET, Fox)

Game 2: Monday, October 13 4:38 p.m. ET or 5:03 p.m. ET (Fox)

Game 3: Wednesday, October 15

Game 4: Thursday, October 16

Game 5 (if necessary): Friday, October 17

Game 6 (if necessary): Sunday, October 19

Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, October 20

All games televised on Fox and live-streamed on FoxSports.com.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Toronto (-110; bet $110 to win $100)

Toronto has a clear advantage in Game 1 because it can set its rotation whichever way it wants.

The Blue Jays will likely throw Kevin Gausman and Trey Yesavage in Games 1 and 2 at home, just like they did in the ALDS against the New York Yankees.

Seattle’s pitching plan is up in the air. George Kirby started ALDS Game 5 on Friday. Luis Castillo and Logan Gilbert each pitched in relief. Gilbert threw two innings, while Castillo worked 1.1 innings and got the win.

Bryce Miller is the only completely fresh starter the Mariners have. He started Game 4 against Detroit on Wednesday. The Mariners likely won’t make that decision until they get to Toronto.

The Game 1 matchup as a whole favors Toronto because Seattle played 15 innings in a series clincher and now has to get on a cross-continent flight to Ontario.

Yesavage, who was just called up in September, has never faced Seattle. That will play into Toronto’s favor at the start of Game 2.

The Blue Jays won four of the six regular-season contests between the two sides, but those games took place in April and May, so it’s not a good barometer for where both teams are at the moment.

At minimum, the Blue Jays need to take Game 1 before the pitching advantage swings back into Seattle’s favor. The Mariners could easily throw Gilbert and Kirby twice each later in the series.

Toronto presents a different matchup for those pitchers compared to Detroit, though, as the Blue Jays had the second-lowest strikeout rate in the majors. The Tigers had the fifth-highest punchout rate.

Toronto’s ability to avoid the strikeouts and put the ball in play could end up as its top difference-maker in what should be a close series.

Prediction: Toronto over Seattle in 7.

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In an epic contest that will go down as one of the greatest postseason games in Major League history, the Mariners defeated the Tigers, 3-2, in 15 innings at T-Mobile Park on Friday to advance to their first American League Championship Series in 24 years. Awaiting them in Toronto are the Blue Jays, who earlier in the week clinched their first trip to the ALCS in nine years by beating the Yankees in four games.

In the National League, the Dodgers beat the Phillies in four games to advance to the NLCS for the second straight year as they look to defend their World Series title. They will find out which team they will face after Saturday’s NLDS Game 5 between the Cubs and Brewers in Milwaukee.

With one of the LCS matchups set, here’s a breakdown of the series between the Mariners and Blue Jays as we prepare for Game 1 on Sunday at Rogers Centre:

Blue Jays (1) vs. Mariners (2)

Schedule
Game 1 (at TOR): Sunday, 8:03 p.m. ET on FOX
Game 2 (at TOR): Monday on FOX/FS1
Game 3 (at SEA): Wednesday on FOX/FS1
Game 4 (at SEA): Thursday on FOX/FS1
Game 5 (at SEA, if necessary): Oct. 17 on FOX/FS1
Game 6 (at TOR, if necessary): Oct. 19 on FOX/FS1
Game 7 (at TOR, if necessary): Oct. 20 on FOX/FS1

Season series: The Blue Jays went 4-2 against the Mariners in the regular season, losing two of three in Toronto in April before sweeping Seattle at T-Mobile Park in May.

Postseason history: In the only playoff meeting between the two sides, the Mariners swept the Blue Jays two games to none in the 2022 AL Wild Card Series, with both games coming at Rogers Centre. Seattle won 4-0 behind 7 1/3 scoreless innings from Luis Castillo in Game 1, then erased an 8-1 deficit to win Game 2.

Keys to the matchup: A captivating contrast in styles. The Mariners do a little bit of everything – they finished third in MLB in home runs and stolen bases, and sixth in the AL in ERA during the regular season. The Blue Jays donâ€t match Seattleâ€s firepower or pitching depth, so they attack in a different way. Toronto led baseball in on-base percentage and had the second-fewest strikeouts. The Jays can wear down an opponent with long at-bats and pressure a defense by putting the ball in play more frequently than anyone else. On the other side, Toronto boasts an elite defense with top-flight gloves such as Andrés Giménez, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Myles Straw, Daulton Varsho and Alejandro Kirk.

Player to watch: Josh Naylor. The well-traveled Seattle first baseman and Mississauga, Ontario native gets to start this series – and perhaps clinch a World Series berth – in his home province. As if the fiery Naylor needs more motivation. He fit in perfectly in Seattle after a deadline trade from the D-backs, notching an .831 OPS and stealing 19 bases in 54 games without being caught. Naylor is a .314 career hitter in Toronto, though with just one home run. He had five hits in 14 at-bats with Arizona during a three-game series at Rogers Centre in June. Naylor owns a career .642 postseason OPS, with nine extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in 99 at-bats.

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Oct 11, 2025, 01:05 AM ET

The 2025 American League Championship Series matchup is set!

Starting Sunday in Toronto, the No. 2 seed Seattle Mariners and No. 1 seed Toronto Blue Jays will clash with a trip to the World Series on the line.

Seattle outlasted the Detroit Tigers in a thrilling ALDS Game 5 on Friday night, two days after Toronto dispatched the AL East rival New York Yankees to get to the ALCS.

What has stood out about both teams so far? What does each side need to do to punch a ticket to the Fall Classic? And who are the X factors on each roster? Our ESPN MLB experts break it all down.

Note: Matchup odds come from Doolittle’s formula using power ratings as the basis for 10,000 simulations to determine the most likely outcomes. Team temperatures are based on Bill James’ formula for determining how “hot” or “cold” a team is at any given point; average is 72°.

Dan Hamilton/Imagn Images

At last! Super-fans of 1977 expansion have been waiting for this LCS matchup since the early days of the Carter administration. The Blue Jays and Mariners came into existence at the same time, but they have never met with stakes like these in play. The M’s beat the Jays in a wild-card round matchup in 2022, but this is different.

The two strongest division champs in the AL are vying to end long World Series droughts. Toronto hasn’t won the title in 31 years, and Seattle has never won it.

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The great Willie Horton was among the first players to play for both franchises. Even though he’s best remembered as a Tiger and has a statue outside of Comerica Park, they should still let him throw out the first pitch in Seattle and Toronto. — Bradford Doolittle

No. 1 seed Blue Jays’ concern level:Appropriately alert. Toronto has the better seed and home-field edge, but Seattle has been playing slightly better in the latter stages of the season, and the run differentials are virtually the same.

What’s really exciting is the star power on both teams and that the standouts have been shining in October. Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh and the scorching Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have played huge roles in the teams getting this far.

Both teams have leaned on the long ball for scoring, getting more than half their runs on homers. It’s a really close matchup that could be decided by Andres Munoz, Seattle’s edge at the back of the bullpen. — Doolittle

Toronto Blue Jays

Odds of advancing: 55.1%

Team temperature: 96°

What stood out most as the Blue Jays rolled past the Yankees in the ALDS?

Castillo:The relentlessness of their lineup. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. starred from start to finish, but Toronto received contributions from seemingly everyone manager John Schneider put in there. Four players not named Guerrero recorded two hits in Game 1. Daulton Varsho had four extra-base hits, and Ernie Clement went 3-for-4 in Game 2. Clement added another four hits in Game 3.

The Blue Jays were the toughest team to strike out during the regular season, and they registered more home runs than strikeouts in the first two games at Rogers Centre, where they’ve thrived all season. It helped that Playoff Vladdy Jr. surfaced, going 9-for-17 with three home runs, including a monumental grand slam in Game 2.

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Schoenfield:Have to go with Trey Yesavage’s absolutely dominant performance in Game 2, when he made his fourth career start and held the Yankees hitless for 5â…“ innings while striking out 11. The Yankees had no chance against him. Other than the length of the start — the Blue Jays pulled him with a big lead — it was as dominant a postseason outing as we’ve seen in a long time.

His over-the-top delivery creates an unusual look for batters, and he’s throwing 95-96 mph with a slider and wipeout splitter. Hard to believe there were 19 players selected ahead of him in the draft in 2024.

Why will (or won’t) it work against the Mariners in the ALCS?

Castillo:It’ll work at Rogers Centre because it has always worked at Rogers Centre this season. The Blue Jays scored 431 runs at home during the regular season, the third most in the majors. In the ALDS, they scored 23 in two games in Toronto. The Blue Jays dominate pitchers north of the border. The question is whether it’ll work in Seattle. T-Mobile Park is a difficult place to hit. Mariners pitchers posted a 3.28 ERA at home this season. But the Blue Jays scored 21 runs in a three-game sweep of the Mariners in May. Maybe their offense will travel.

Schoenfield:It will … if he throws strikes. He did against the Yankees, walking just one batter in his start, but in the minors, he walked 41 batters in 98 innings. The Mariners have a mix of patient hitters (Cal Raleigh, Randy Arozarena) and hitters who chase (Julio Rodriguez, Eugenio Suarez), but like the Yankees, the Mariners also whiff a lot.

Which one player is the X factor who can make (or break) Toronto’s World Series hopes?

Castillo:Trey Yesavage. Asking a rookie with four major league starts to continue dominating deep into October is a lot, but the Blue Jays lack that clear premier ace. Yesavage has the potential to supply it. Not only is his stuff good enough, he’s different enough to flummox even the most experienced hitters. His release point and arm angle are among the highest in baseball, making his fastball-splitter combination especially difficult to solve. Then, there’s his slider, which often runs arm side instead of the usual glove side. Toronto has been careful with the 22-year-old right-hander. He hasn’t thrown more than 94 pitches in a game this season, which started for him in Low-A. Now, he’s on the sport’s grandest stage and could be the difference in October.

Schoenfield:Shane Bieber. Kevin Gausman and Yesavage looked great, but given a 6-1 lead in Game 3, Bieber got knocked out in the third inning. Given how poorly Toronto’s bullpen pitched after that, maybe it was a bit of a quick hook, but it’s clear the Blue Jays will need all three of these starters to pitch well, given the bullpen didn’t post a bunch of zeroes against the Yankees. The Blue Jays’ ability to put the ball in play — they had the lowest strikeout rate in the majors — means they should continue to score some runs, so the question is whether they can keep enough runs off the scoreboard.

Seattle Mariners

Odds of advancing: 44.9%

Team temperature: 89°

What stood out most as the Mariners beat the Tigers in the ALDS?

Gonzalez: The effectiveness of the starting rotation, which should come as no surprise. George Kirby, Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller — before the fifth inning, at least — all pitched well in the ALDS. The hope is that Bryan Woo, the Mariners’ best starter this season, will return from a pectoral injury for the ALCS, taking this rotation to yet another level.

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The Mariners feel really good about their back-end relievers and believe this is the deepest lineup they’ve fielded in this era. But this team still revolves around its starting pitching — a unit that dominated throughout 2024 and finally started to round into form again in the stretch run of this season. The starters need to consistently provide six and seven innings so that manager Dan Wilson doesn’t have to venture outside of Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andres Munoz late in games. That’s the formula.

Doolittle:Seattle’s lineup depth is really impressive, even without a standout designated hitter. It’s eye-popping to see Eugenio Suarez hitting in the six-hole and J.P. Crawford at No. 9. It’s a group that hits for power, steals bases and strikes out at a much less problematic rate than the Mariners lineups we’re used to. Raleigh and Rodriguez make for such a dynamic one-two stack in the batting order. The R&R Boys.

Why will (or won’t) it work against the Blue Jays in the ALCS?

Gonzalez: No team struck out less often than the Blue Jays this season. Only the Yankees and Dodgers finished with a higher OPS. And when the playoffs arrived, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ernie Clement and Daulton Varsho slugged a combined 1.000 in four ALDS games. This offense operates at a different level than the Tigers’ — and could have Bo Bichette back for this next round.

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Gilbert and Woo pitched pretty well against the Blue Jays this season (five earned runs in 11 2/3 innings). Castillo and Miller (15 earned runs in 15 innings) did not. But these two teams have not seen each other since May. The Mariners’ rotation is not the same as it was then.

Doolittle:A deep lineup plays against anybody, but there’s one factor that works in Seattle’s favor. With Trey Yesavage emerging for Toronto, the Blue Jays have four key hurlers who can dominate with splitters, the breakout pitch of the 2025 postseason. (Yesavage, Kevin Gausman, Seranthony Dominguez and Jeff Hoffman are the four.)

The Mariners were in the middle of the pack in hitting splitters during the season, but they had two hitters who crushed them. And it’s the R&R Boys — Raleigh had 1.159 OPS against splitters and Rodriguez 1.091.

Which one player is the X factor who can make (or break) Seattle’s World Series hopes?

Gonzalez: Randy Arozarena. The Mariners inserted Arozarena at the top of the lineup after they acquired Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor at the trade deadline, and Arozarena has struggled mightily ever since. He showed some flashes in the ALDS, but the Mariners need “Playoff Randy” — the one who took over during the 2020 postseason and became a sensation while playing for Team Mexico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. If he gets going ahead of Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez, the Mariners’ offense will be scary.

Doolittle: Matt Brash. Well, that’s not fair, as Brash is good, and I picked his name as an avatar for Seattle’s middle relief crew. If the Mariners’ roster has a soft underbelly, it’s the non-closing part of the bullpen. It’s not a bad group, but with a deep, productive lineup and a star closer in Munoz, plus excellent starting pitching, it might well be Brash, Eduard Bazardo, Gabe Speier and Carlos Vargas who determine if the Mariners can finally play in a World Series.

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It took 15 innings, but for the first time in 25 years, the Seattle Mariners are headed to the American League Championship Series after a 3-2 Game 5 win over the Detroit Tigers in Friday’s AL Division Series.

With the bases loaded, Jorge Polanco singled to right in the bottom of the 15th, driving in the walk-off run and sending the longest-tenured Mariner, J.P. Crawford, across the plate, propelling Seattle to the ALCS.

No. 2 Seattle will now face the No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays, who have been awaiting their opponent since defeating the New York Yankees 3-1 in the ALDS on Wednesday.

Luis Rivas finished 1-of-3 at the plate with one RBI, Mitch Garver added a RBI and Polanco drove in the game-winning run. Jonathan Naylor, Crawford and Polanco each crossed home plate once.

Mariners ace George Kirby set the tone with a dominant outing, recording six strikeouts over five innings while allowing three hits and one earned run.

The Mariners and their key players thrilled fans with a historic walk-off win in the 15th inning.

Seattle struck first as Garver hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Josh Naylor, giving the Mariners a 1-0 lead after two innings.

Starter Kirby was pulled after five innings, at the top of the sixth after allowing a double to Báez, just before Carpenter came to the plate. Reliever Gabe Speier entered and immediately gave up a 411-foot, two-run home run, putting the Tigers ahead 2-1.

Seattle’s Rivas singled in the seventh, driving in a run to tie the game at 2-2 and sending the home crowd into a frenzy that carried into extra innings.

After holding Detroit scoreless in the top of the 10th, Seattle’s Victor Robles reached second on a double with no outs, but the Tigers escaped and ended the threat.

Seattle faced a tense moment in the top of the 12th, as Eugenio Suarez made a perfect throw to prevent a Detroit run at home plate. After an intentional walk to Carpenter loaded the bases, the Mariners managed to escape the inning unscathed.

Polanco’s 15th-inning RBI sealed the Mariners’ victory to send them to the ALCS.

Game 1 of the ALCS is scheduled for Sunday, with first pitch set for 8:03 p.m. ET.

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October has delivered for baseball fans, and now we’re down to one Game 5 in the divisional round of the MLB playoffs.

The victor of the Chicago Cubs-Milwaukee Brewers matchup on Saturday (8:08 ET, TBS) will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, which begins Monday. The ALCS between the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays begins Sunday in Toronto.

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Here’s a look at the schedules for the ALCS and NLCS:

ALCS

No. 2 Seattle Mariners vs. No. 1 Toronto Blue Jays

Schedule, TV times, broadcast networks (all times ET)

Game 1: Sunday, Oct. 12 — Mariners at Blue Jays, 8:03 p.m., Fox
Game 2: Monday, Oct. 13 — Mariners at Blue Jays, 5:03 p.m. if Brewers advance to NLCS/4:38 p.m. if Cubs advance to NLCS, Fox and FS1
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 15 — Blue Jays at Mariners, TBD, Fox and FS1
Game 4: Thursday, Oct. 16 — Blue Jays at Mariners, TBD, Fox and FS1
Game 5*: Friday, Oct. 17 — Blue Jays at Mariners, TBD, Fox and FS1
Game 6*: Sunday, Oct. 19 — Mariners at Blue Jays, TBD, Fox and FS1
Game 7*: Monday, Oct. 20 — Mariners at Blue Jays, TBD, Fox and FS1

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NLCS

No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers/No. 4 Chicago Cubs

Schedule, TV times, broadcast networks (all times ET)

Game 1: Monday, Oct. 13 — Dodgers at Brewers OR Cubs at Dodgers, 8:08 p.m. if Brewers advance/7:08 p.m. if Cubs advance, TBS, truTV and HBO Max
Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 14 — Dodgers at Brewers OR Cubs at Dodgers, 8:08 p.m., TBS, truTV and HBO Max
Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 16 — Brewers at Dodgers OR Dodgers at Cubs, TBD, TBS
Game 4: Friday, Oct. 17 — Brewers at Dodgers OR Dodgers at Cubs, TBD, TBS
Game 5*: Saturday, Oct. 18 — Brewers at Dodgers OR Dodgers at Cubs, TBD, TBS
Game 6*: Monday, Oct. 20 — Dodgers at Brewers OR Cubs at Dodgers, TBD, TBS
Game 7*: Tuesday, Oct. 21 — Dodgers at Brewers OR Cubs at Dodgers, TBD, TBS

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World Series (best of seven)

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 24
Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 25
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 27
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 28
Game 5*: Wednesday, Oct. 29
Game 6*: Friday, Oct. 31
Game 7*: Saturday, Nov. 1

(*if necessary)

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Tarik Skubal, John Smoltz, David Wright Among 60 Participants Teeing Off for Charity at Exclusive Course

Major League Baseball today introduced the Capital One MLB Open, a new competitive golf tournament featuring current and former MLB stars. The tournament at Shadow Creek, the exclusive course owned by MGM Resorts International, will be a cornerstone of MLB Awards Week Nov. 12-14.

Sixty current and former Major Leaguers representing all 30 Clubs are scheduled to participate in the Capital One MLB Open, including Jimmy Rollins, Tarik Skubal, John Smoltz, Justin Turner and David Wright, while Mookie Betts provides commentary as a correspondent from the links. Tournament coverage airs Tuesday night, Nov. 18 on TNT with additional highlights and coverage on MLB Network Thursday, Nov. 20. The full list of participants will be announced at a later date and many of the participating players will also attend the MLB Awards at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 13.

“For years weâ€ve wanted to create this truly one-of-a-kind offseason golf experience for players and fans, but it took the support of key partners in Capital One, MGM Resorts and TNT Sports to bring everything together,†said Noah Garden, MLB Deputy Commissioner, Business & Media. “Now with this unique and competitive event in an exceptional location, we can showcase more of our players and allow their personalities to shine in a setting where fans havenâ€t seen them before.â€

The three-day event leads off with a pro-am, pairing MLB stars past and present with amateur players for a one-of-a-kind experience. The televised event features a two-day tournament with a competitive field of the current and former MLB players going head-to-head in a team gross best-ball format. A unique scoring system will turn every hole into a chance for players to climb the leaderboard. Using a modified Stableford point-based scoring system, every individual plays their own ball, with the team using the best ball and earning points for their score on each hole. The team with the most points wins the tournament and the top three teams earn monetary donations to the charities of their choice.

“We are excited to partner with Major League Baseball on the inaugural Capital One MLB Open, an exciting extension of our MLB Sponsorship,†said Byron Daub, Vice President of Brand Sponsorships at Capital One. “Our cardholders will have access and VIP packages that include the rare opportunity to play Shadow Creek with MLB current players and legends, as a part of the Pro-Am.â€

In addition to the special TNT recap broadcast, Bleacher Report, MLB Network and @MLB will provide further coverage of the tournament. The television production will be led by PGA Tour Productions, with support from MLB Network. The Tournament Director is Mike Milthorpe of Milthorpe Sports and the Tournament is a Mike Flaskey Entertainment Production.

“We have worked with MLB over the last several years to refine and bring to life our vision for this exciting tournament,†said Corrine Flaskey, CEO, Mike Flaskey Entertainment. “It is a great example of how the game of golf can be fun, competitive and raise notable funds for charity.â€

The Capital One MLB Open takes place during MLB Awards Week, with the annual MLB Awards presented by MGM Rewards airing live on MLB Network from The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 13. Betts, the Dodgers perennial All-Star, for the first time takes the stage this year in front of a live audience to co-host the awards show with renowned comedian, Emmy-nominated producer and baseball fanatic Roy Wood Jr.

During the awards show, the Hank Aaron Award winners, Comeback Players of the Year, Mariano Rivera & Trevor Hoffman Relievers of the Year, Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter of the Year, selections for the All-MLB First and Second Teams and the Capital One Premier Play of the Year award will all be announced. Additionally, fans can expect entertaining performances on the stage and surprise moments unique to MLB. Fans can purchase tickets to the exclusive awards show at MLB.com or Ticketmaster.com and additional ticket information is available here.

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Outfielder Cody Bellinger intends to decline his $25 million player option for the 2026 season, making him a free agent.

ESPN’s Jorge Castillo reported Bellinger intends to opt out of his deal with the New York Yankees and test the open market.

The Yankees acquired Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs last December for right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet. He enjoyed a productive season in New York, hitting .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI while scoring 89 runs. Bellinger was excellent in the field as well with 11 total runs saved, per Fielding Bible.

Bellinger arrived in the majors in 2017 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he provided an immediate positive impact, hitting 39 home runs and posting a .933 OPS while winning NL Rookie of the Year honors, making the All-Star Game and even finishing ninth in the NL MVP race. He helped L.A. win the NL pennant as well.

Bellinger’s best season was 2019, when he won NL MVP honors after hitting .305 (1.035 OPS) with 47 home runs and 115 RBI.

Bellinger then endured a three-year slump, in part because of numerous injuries suffered during the 2021 season, when he hit just .165 over 95 games. From 2020-2022, Bellinger hit just .203 (.648 OPS).

After the 2022 season, Bellinger left the Dodgers for the Cubs in free agency on a one-year, $17.5 million deal. He enjoyed a great bounce-back campaign in 2023, hitting .307 (.881 OPS) with 26 home runs and 97 RBI in 130 games. Bellinger finished 10th in the NL MVP race and earned his second career Silver Slugger award.

He re-signed with Chicago on a three-year, $80 million deal after the season. Following the 2024 campaign, the Cubs went in a different direction, adding outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros, leaving Chicago with extra players at the position. And so Bellinger went to the Bronx, a place his father, Clay Bellinger, called home from 1999-2001 as a utility man for the Yanks.

Bellinger enjoyed a great 2025 season, but this is a situation where the 30-year-old should cash in on a fantastic year and look for a lucrative, long-term deal.

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Oct 10, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

This is October baseball at its finest!

It’s time for a win-or-go-home Game 5 in the American League Division Series between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park.

The Tigers, who entered these playoffs as the No. 6 seed, will look to ride their momentum from a dominant Game 4 win in Detroit on Wednesday to a second consecutive victory. The Mariners, the No. 2 seed with home field advantage, hope to secure their first trip to the American League Championship Series since 2001.

Which team will come out on top to face the Toronto Blue Jays for the AL pennant?

We’ve got you covered with pregame lineups and the keys to Game 5 along with takeaways after the final out.

Series tied 2-2

Game 5 starters: Tarik Skubal vs. George Kirby

Key to winning Game 5 for Seattle:In 1997, Hall of Famer Randy Johnson went 20-4 with a 2.28 ERA for the Mariners. One team, however, had his number: He started five times against the Orioles, including twice in the ALDS, and the Mariners lost all five games.

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Skubal is the 2025 version of Johnson — and the 2025 Mariners seem to have his number. In his second start of the season, the Mariners beat him 3-2. In July, they scored four runs off of him in five innings, including a Julio Rodriguez home run, and won 12-3. In Game 2 of this series, Jorge Polanco homered twice as Skubal left trailing 2-0, with the Mariners eventually winning 3-2. Three Skubal starts, three Mariners victories.

Now, Seattle has to do it a fourth time, and the pitching staff will have to shut down the Tigers. It’s hard to string together hits against Skubal, so the Mariners will need to hit a home run or two (when Skubal doesn’t allow a home run this year, he’s 12-1). They won’t necessarily try to run up his pitch count — since they might try to attack early in the count and avoid his wipeout change — but Skubal has thrown more than 100 pitches just four times this season, so trying to do that and get him out after six innings is another potential path to victory. Mostly, the Mariners will need a hero to step up and beat the best pitcher in the AL. — David Schoenfield

Key to winning Game 5 for Detroit:Yes, the most-cited stat related to this series is Seattle’s 3-0 record when facing Skubal this season. That fact can be taken as a source of optimism (We have his number!) or anxiety (No way we beat that guy a fourth time!). But the Mariners have done a solid job of getting into hitter’s counts against Skubal and then doing damage once they do. At the same time, the Tigers haven’t scored in the early innings of any of those games, which has also been a problem during the postseason. Scoring a couple of runs early would be huge for Detroit and for Skubal, as it would allow him to attack the zone and avoid those hitter’s counts. I don’t really think the Mariners have Skubal’s number, but he’s not infallible. He doesneed his offense, however, to give him at least a sliver of a margin for error. — Bradford Doolittle

Lineups

Tigers

TBD

Mariners

TBD

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