TORONTO – One game into the American League Championship Series, both the Mariners and Blue Jays have a clear sense of how tight the margins may be.
That was evident in Sundayâ€s opener, when the Mariners carried the momentum of their 15-inning Division Series clincher into another memorable October night. Twenty-four years removed from their last ALCS appearance, Seattle made the wait worthwhile, erasing Torontoâ€s home-field advantage.
“Theyâ€re one of the best teams in the league,†said Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. “Theyâ€re really tough — theyâ€ve got great pitchers, great hitters. Itâ€s going to be tough. Weâ€ve just got to keep doing it.â€
Alejandro Kirk flied out to end Game 1, an unfamiliar feeling for a Blue Jays team that rarely falters at home. Toronto played its best baseball at Rogers Centre this season, but the towel-waving crowd never got to unleash its full roar, limited mostly to George Springerâ€s leadoff homer in the first inning.
That, too, figures to change as the series continues. Seattle has tabbed right-hander Logan Gilbert to start Game 2, while Toronto will send rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage to the mound, fresh off his dominant hitless effort against the Yankees.
“Weâ€re trying to figure out a way to win four,†manager John Schneider said. “I think our guys will be up for the challenge to show what weâ€ve been doing all year offensively.â€
When is the game and how can I watch it?
First pitch is scheduled for 5:03 p.m. ET on Monday at Rogers Centre and can be seen in the United States on FOX and 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: Rookie Trey Yesavage (3-1, 3.21 ERA) is making the biggest start of his career in Game 2, but isnâ€t that what all five of his starts in the big leagues have been? The 22-year-old just keeps rising to the occasion and was brilliant against the Yankees in Game 2 of the ALDS, striking out 11 batters over 5 1/3 innings of no-hit ball.
Yesavage comes at hitters with a sky-high delivery, making it awfully difficult to pick up on whether a fastball or splitter is coming, and if you guess wrong, good luck. Yesavageâ€s splitter is a true wipeout pitch in the Major Leagues and heâ€s been the story of the season in this organization, skyrocketing from Single-A with stops at each Minor League affiliate along the way. With 160 strikeouts over 98 innings in the Minors, heâ€s a strikeout machine and every Canadianâ€s new favorite pitcher.
Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (1-0, 1.13 ERA this postseason) will take the mound just two days removed from throwing 34 high-stress pitches in his first career relief outing. But the towering ace says that heâ€s plenty up for it, having tweaked his in-between starts routine after it became clear that he would be used out of the bullpen in the Mariners†15-inning marathon win in ALDS Game 5.
“I like to practice a lot and get my work in, but in the playoffs, you kind of just get ready for the games,†Gilbert said. “I’ve been toning down the practice throws a little bit.â€
Before holding the Tigers scoreless over three hits and one walk on Friday, he stymied them in a Game 3 start in Detroit last Wednesday, twirling six brilliant innings of one-run, four-hit ball. Like Yesavage, he has a devastating splitter thatâ€s among the best pitches in the sport, as opposing hitters hit just .158 with a .200 slugging percentage against it. But he also has 98 mph in his back pocket, making the total package for the 6-foot-6 right-hander among the Mariners†best.
What might the starting lineups look like?
Blue Jays: Letâ€s work with the possibility that Nathan Lukes is not in the lineup in Game 2 after leaving the opener with a right knee contusion. An X-ray and CT scan were negative, but thereâ€s no escaping soreness and swelling. One solution could be sliding Ernie Clement, one of this clubâ€s hottest hitters in the ALDS, right up to Lukes†No. 2 spot.
Mariners: Manager Dan Wilson regularly deployed a more consistent daily lineup throughout the regular season, and that was particularly true once the entire roster came together after the Trade Deadline. And that has remained in the playoffs, with the only factors changing based on the opposing pitcherâ€s handedness. In that context, heâ€ll likely roll out a lineup nearly identical to what he used in the ALDS against Detroitâ€s right-handed starters.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Blue Jays: The Blue Jays†bullpen should still be fresh, given that they had the advantage of clinching the ALDS in Game 4 while the Mariners grinded out a 15-inning Game 5. Louis Varlandâ€s 21 pitches represented the biggest workload, but heâ€s plenty capable of back-to-backs and the same should go for Jeff Hoffman with the off day waiting Tuesday. One interesting wrinkle is Chris Bassitt, who is now in the Blue Jays†bullpen and sounds likelier than Max Scherzer to be used in a relief role.
Mariners: After Bryce Millerâ€s gutsy effort in Game 1, Wilson only needed three arms to get to the finish line of a 3-1 win, turning to Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz for an inning apiece — and more valuable, each of them only needed eight pitches to do so. That should set them up nicely to empty the tank if called upon again, especially with Tuesdayâ€s off-day looming before this series shifts to Seattle. Beyond that trio, though, the rest of their arms could be in a more all-hands-on-deck scenario, depending on how long of a leash theyâ€ll give Gilbert after his relief appearance on Friday. Eduard Bazardo, notably, did not pitch in Game 1 after throwing in all five games of the ALDS, including a career-best performance on Friday.
Blue Jays: Bo Bichette was left off the Blue Jays†ALCS roster as he continues to rehab from his left knee sprain. The Blue Jays – aside from Lukes†knee contusion – are otherwise healthy, but Bichetteâ€s 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 heâ€s known, the stakes are sky high.
Ty France is the only other relevant injury on the Blue Jays. France ended the season on the IL with an oblique injury, but heâ€s recovered by now and it was a baseball decision to leave him off the ALCS roster.
Mariners: Bryan Woo (pectoral inflammation) was added to the Mariners†ALCS roster after not being included in the ALDS, and heâ€s scheduled to throw a live batting practice before Game 2, but early in the day. The Mariners do not anticipate heâ€ll be ready until later in the series, but the fact that they included him on their 26-man roster shows that they do envision him being a part of this best-of-seven matchup at some point.
Who is hot and who is not?
Blue Jays: Outside of Springerâ€s home run in Game 1, this lineup didnâ€t do much, so theyâ€ll need to look to the ALDS win over the Yankees for optimism. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 9-for-17 (.571) with three home runs and a whopping nine RBIs in that series, Ernie Clement went 9-for-14 (.643) and Daulton Varsho went 7-for-16 (.438 with a pair of home runs). In Game 2, the Blue Jays will need to prove that the opener was just a blip and their explosive offense from the ALDS is still alive.
Mariners: Even before his massive homer in Game 1, Cal Raleigh was already having an epic October, as heâ€s now hitting .400 with a 1.163 OPS in 29 plate appearances … In the ‘pen, Muñoz still hasnâ€t surrendered a run in five playoff outings, having pitched in every game but one … As for whoâ€s not, their Trade Deadline acquisitions who were vital down the stretch — Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez — are a combined 9-for-52 for a .492 OPS … Randy Arozarena has also struggled to get going, as the leadoff man is now hitting .148 with a .443 OPS in October.
Anything else fans might want to know?
Discover more from 6up.net
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.