2025 American League Championship Series: Difference between revisions

Line 203: Line 203:

|BoxURL = https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mariners-vs-blue-jays/2025/10/19/813038/final/box

|BoxURL = https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mariners-vs-blue-jays/2025/10/19/813038/final/box

}}

}}

Game 6 features a pitching rematch from Game 2 between starters [[Trey Yesavage]] of the Blue Jays and [[Logan Gilbert]] of the Mariners. In the bottom of the second inning, [[Addison Barger]] scored [[Daulton Varsho]] and [[Isiah Kiner-Falefa]] scored [[Ernie Clement]] on back-to-back hits to take a 2–0 lead for the Blue Jays. In the top of the third inning, Yesavage escaped a one-out bases-loaded jam with [[Cal Raleigh]] grounding into a double play to preserve a 2–0 lead for the Blue Jays. In the bottom of the third inning, Barger hit a two-run home run off Gilbert to extend the lead to 4–0. In the top of the fourth inning, Yesavage escaped another one-out bases-loaded jam with [[J.P. Crawford]] grounding into a double play to preserve a 4–0 lead for the Blue Jays. In the bottom of the fifth inning, [[Vladimir Guerrero Jr.]] homered to left field to extend the lead to 5–0. Gilbert pitched four innings, allowing seven hits, four runs, and walking one batter while striking out three. In the top of the sixth inning, [[Josh Naylor]] hit a solo home run off Yesavage to put the Mariners on the board 5–1. Yesavage pitched {{frac|5|2|3}} innings, allowing six hits, one run, and walking three batters while striking out seven. [[Eugenio Suárez]] then scored [[Randy Arozarena]] to cut the Blue Jays’ lead to 5–2. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Mariners reliever [[Matt Brash (baseball)|Matt Brash]] wild pitch scored Guerrero, extending the lead to 6–2. The Blue Jays got the final out of the game when [[Dominic Canzone]] popped out to third baseman [[Ernie Clement]], evening the series at 3–3 apiece and forcing a winner-takes-all Game 7.

Game 6 features a pitching rematch from Game 2 between starters [[Trey Yesavage]] of the Blue Jays and [[Logan Gilbert]] of the Mariners. In the bottom of the second inning, [[Addison Barger]] scored [[Daulton Varsho]] and [[Isiah Kiner-Falefa]] scored [[Ernie Clement]] on back-to-back hits to take a 2–0 lead for the Blue Jays. In the top of the third inning, Yesavage escaped a one-out bases-loaded jam with [[Cal Raleigh]] grounding into a double play to preserve a 2–0 lead for the Blue Jays. In the bottom of the third inning, Barger hit a two-run home run off Gilbert to extend the lead to 4–0. In the top of the fourth inning, Yesavage escaped another one-out bases-loaded jam with [[J.P. Crawford]] grounding into a double play to preserve a 4–0 lead for the Blue Jays. In the bottom of the fifth inning, [[Vladimir Guerrero Jr.]] homered to left field to extend the lead to 5–0. Gilbert pitched four innings, allowing seven hits, four runs, and walking one batter while striking out three. In the top of the sixth inning, [[Josh Naylor]] hit a solo home run off Yesavage to put the Mariners on the board 5–1. Yesavage pitched {{frac|5|2|3}} innings, allowing six hits, one run, and walking three batters while striking out seven. [[Eugenio Suárez]] then scored [[Randy Arozarena]] to cut the Blue Jays’ lead to 5–2. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Mariners reliever [[Matt Brash (baseball)|Matt Brash]] wild pitch scored Guerrero, extending the lead to 6–2. The Blue Jays got the final out of the game when [[Dominic Canzone]] popped out to third baseman [[Ernie Clement]], evening the series at 3–3 apiece and forcing a winner-takes-all Game 7.

===Game 7===

===Game 7===

Baseball championship series

2025 American League Championship Series
Dates	October 12–20
Umpires	Ryan Additon, Doug Eddings, Marvin Hudson, Alfonso Márquez (crew chief), Ben May, D. J. Reyburn, Quinn Wolcott
Television	Canada: Sportsnet TVA Sports (French) United States: Fox (Game 1, 2 and 7) FS1 (Game 2–7)
TV announcers	Dan Shulman, Buck Martinez, and Hazel Mae (Sportsnet) Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, and Tom Verducci (Fox/FS1)
Radio	ESPN
Radio announcers	Karl Ravech, Eduardo Pérez, and Tim Kurkjian
ALDS

The 2025 American League Championship Series (ALCS) is the best-of-seven playoff in Major League Baseball‘s 2025 postseason between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners for the American League (AL) pennant and the right to play in the 2025 World Series. It marks the sixth time that two expansion teams have met in the ALCS, and is the second postseason meeting for the two teams after their matchup in the 2022 American League Wild Card Series; they were the two teams added to the league in its 1977 expansion. The Mariners are trying to reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history; they are the only major league team who have never played in that series. This is the first time the ALCS has featured two teams that have each played at least thirty years since reaching the World Series or never reaching it before in that timespan.^{[note 1]}

The series began on October 12 with a Game 7 scheduled for October 20. Fox and FS1 (including their Fox One streaming service) are televising the games in the United States.^[1][2] Sportsnet (including its Sportsnet+ streaming service) is televising the games in Canada,^[3] while TVA Sports is broadcasting the series in French.^[4]

Background

This is the first American League Championship Series (ALCS) since 2015 not to feature the Houston Astros, who failed to qualify for the playoffs, or the Cleveland Guardians (formerly the Indians), who were defeated by the Detroit Tigers in the 2025 American League Wild Card Series (ALWCS) in three games.

The Toronto Blue Jays qualified for the postseason on September 21 and won the American League East by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays on the last day of the season.^[5][6] They tied the New York Yankees in the standings at 94–68, but by virtue of their better 8–5 regular season head-to-head record against New York, they won the division to claim a first-round bye and the top seed in the league. It was the Blue Jays’ first AL East title since 2015 and their fourth overall postseason appearance since 2020. In the ALDS, they defeated the Yankees in four games, with their Game 1 win ending a six-game postseason losing streak.^[7][8] This is the Blue Jays’ eighth ALCS (first since 2016), going 2–5 in their previous seven appearances. Toronto is attempting to end its 32-year pennant drought and return to the World Series for the first time since their 1993 championship season, which was their second consecutive championship.

The Seattle Mariners qualified for the postseason on September 23 with a win over the Colorado Rockies.^[9] The next night, they defeated the Rockies again to clinch their first American League West division title since 2001, which ended the second longest division title drought in the majors, and claimed a first-round bye as the second seed in the league.^[10] In the ALDS, the Mariners defeated the Detroit Tigers in five games on a Jorge Polanco bases-loaded walk-off single in the 15th inning.^[11] This is the Mariners’ fourth ALCS appearance, their previous three appearances having been in 1995, 2000, and 2001. The Mariners are looking to win the American League pennant and reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history in their 49th year of existence.

This series marks the second postseason meeting between the Blue Jays and Mariners, following the Mariners’ sweep in the 2022 American League Wild Card Series at the Rogers Centre. In Game 2 of that series, the Mariners came back from a 9–5 deficit in the eighth inning.^[12] The Blue Jays won the 2025 season series, 4–2, which included a road sweep of the Mariners in T-Mobile Park from May 9 to 11.^[13] This is the first ALCS to either feature a team that has never won a pennant (Mariners) or a team that has a 30-plus year pennant drought (Blue Jays) since the 1995 ALCS, which also featured the Mariners.^[14] Both franchises came into the league together in 1977 as part of expansion. This series also marks the sixth time that two expansion teams have met in the ALCS.^{[note 2]}

Summary

Series tied, 3–3.

Game	Date	Score	Location	Time	Attendance
1	October 12	Seattle Mariners – 3, Toronto Blue Jays – 1	Rogers Centre	2:48	44,474[15]
2	October 13	Seattle Mariners – 10, Toronto Blue Jays – 3	Rogers Centre	3:28	44,814[16]
3	October 15	Toronto Blue Jays – 13, Seattle Mariners – 4	T-Mobile Park	2:49	46,471[17]
4	October 16	Toronto Blue Jays – 8, Seattle Mariners – 2	T-Mobile Park	2:54	46,981[18]
5	October 17	Toronto Blue Jays – 2, Seattle Mariners – 6	T-Mobile Park	3:00	46,758[19]
6	October 19	Seattle Mariners – 2, Toronto Blue Jays – 6	Rogers Centre	2:51	44,764[20]
7	October 20	Seattle Mariners at Toronto Blue Jays	Rogers Centre	8:08 pm	–[21]

Game summaries

Game 1

In the bottom of the first inning, George Springer hit a leadoff home run off Mariners starter Bryce Miller‘s first pitch to give the Blue Jays a 1–0 lead. Springer’s home run was the only run the Blue Jays scored in this game and one of two Toronto hits. The Blue Jays led until the top of the sixth inning, when Cal Raleigh hit a solo home run off Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman to tie the game at 1–1. Brendon Little then relieved Gausman and allowed a Jorge Polanco hit RBI single that scored Julio Rodríguez for the Mariners to take the lead at 2–1. Gausman pitched 5+2⁄3 innings, allowing three hits, two runs, and one walk while striking out five batters. Miller, pitching on short rest after starting Game 4 of the ALDS, pitched six innings, allowing two hits, one run, and three walks with three strikeouts. In the top of the eighth inning, Polanco hit another RBI single, scoring Randy Arozarena for an insurance run to extend the Mariners’ lead to 3–1. Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz got the last out after Alejandro Kirk flew out to left field as the Mariners took a 1–0 lead in the series.

This was the first Mariners’ LCS win since Game 3 of the 2001 ALCS against the New York Yankees.^[22]

Game 2

The Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League moved the time of their October 13 home game against the Detroit Red Wings up two hours to accommodate Game 2 of the ALCS; fans could stay inside the Scotiabank Arena to watch the remainder of Game 2 of the ALCS live.^[23][24]

In the top of the first inning, after hitting Randy Arozarena with a pitch and walking Cal Raleigh, Blue Jays starter Trey Yesavage gave up a three-run home run to Julio Rodríguez to give the Mariners a 3−0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, George Springer scored when Nathan Lukes reached on a throwing error by Josh Naylor, cutting the Mariners’ lead to 3−1. Later that inning, Lukes scored on an Alejandro Kirk single, reducing the Mariners’ lead to 3−2. In the bottom of the second inning, Ernie Clement scored to tie the game 3−3, when Lukes hit an RBI single. Mariners starter Logan Gilbert pitched three innings, giving up three runs on five hits and one walk, while striking out two. Yesavage pitched four innings, giving up five runs on four hits and three walks, while striking out four. In the top of the fifth inning, Jorge Polanco hit a three-run home run off Louis Varland, giving the Mariners a 6−3 lead. In the top of the sixth inning, Mitch Garver hit a lead-off triple and was later pinch-run for by Leo Rivas, who scored on an RBI single by J. P. Crawford, extending the Mariners’ lead to 7−3. In the top of the seventh inning, Polanco hit a single, then Naylor hit a two-run home run, pushing the Mariners’ lead to 9−3. Still in the seventh inning, Eugenio Suárez scored on Crawford’s sacrifice fly to give the Mariners a 10−3 lead. The Mariners took Game 2 and a 2–0 lead in the series.

This was the first time since 2000 that the Mariners won two games in the ALCS.^[25]

Game 3

October 15, 2025 5:08 pm (PDT) at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington 59 °F (15 °C), Clear

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Toronto	0	0	5	1	2	4	0	0	1	13	18	0
Seattle	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	4	8	1
WP: Shane Bieber (1–0)   LP: George Kirby (0–1) Home runs: TOR: Andrés Giménez (1), George Springer (2), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1), Alejandro Kirk (1), Addison Barger (1) SEA: Julio Rodríguez (2), Randy Arozarena (1), Cal Raleigh (2) Attendance: 46,471 Boxscore

The game began with a familiar sense of déjà vu, mirroring the first two matchups. In the bottom of the first inning, Julio Rodríguez hit a two-run home run off Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber to give the Mariners an early lead. This time, however, the Blue Jays turned the tables. Andrés Giménez hit a two-run home run off Mariners starter George Kirby to tie the game at two in the third. Nathan Lukes scored a go-ahead run on a wild pitch from Kirby, and Daulton Varsho scored Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk on a two-run RBI double, putting the Blue Jays up 5–2. In the top of the fourth inning, George Springer hit a solo home run, making it 6–2. Kirby pitched four innings, allowing eight hits, eight runs, and walking two batters while striking out four batters. The offensive surge continued in the fifth when Guerrero crushed a homer to center field, pushing the lead to 7–2. Ernie Clement then scored Anthony Santander, padding the margin to 8–2. In the sixth, Kirk blew the game wide open with a three-run homer off Mariners reliever Caleb Ferguson, stretching the Blue Jays’ advantage to 12–2. Bieber pitched six innings, allowing four hits, two runs, and walking only one batter while striking out eight batters. The Mariners found some late offense in the bottom of the eighth, where back-to-back home runs from Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh trimmed the deficit to 12–4. But in the top of the ninth, Addison Barger added one more with a solo shot, making it 13–4. The game ended when Victor Robles grounded out to Guerrero, sealing the Blue Jays’ first win of the series.^[26]

Game 4

In the bottom of the second inning, Josh Naylor hit a solo home run off Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer to get the Mariners in front at 1–0. In the top of the third inning, Andrés Giménez hit a two-run home run off Mariners starter Luis Castillo to flip the lead in the Blue Jays’ favor to 2–1. Castillo pitched 2+1⁄3 innings, allowing five hits, two runs, and walking one batter while striking out one. The Blue Jays extended their lead to 3–1 when Mariners reliever Gabe Speier walked Daulton Varsho, scoring Nathan Lukes. In the top of the fourth inning, George Springer scored Isiah Kiner-Falefa on an RBI double, and Springer scored on a wild pitch from reliever Matt Brash as the Blue Jays extended their lead to 5–1. Scherzer pitched 5+2⁄3 innings, allowing three hits, one run, and walking four while striking out five. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Jorge Polanco scored on an RBI single by Eugenio Suárez, cutting the Blue Jays’ lead to 5–2. In the top of the seventh inning, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a solo home run to center field, extending the Blue Jays’ lead to 6–2. In the top of the eighth inning, Giménez scored Ernie Clement and Myles Straw on a two-run RBI single, further extending the lead to 8–2. The Blue Jays got the final out of the game when reliever Seranthony Domínguez struck out Dominic Canzone and evened the series at two apiece, making it a best-of-three going forward in the ALCS.^[27]

Scherzer was the fourth starting pitcher with a postseason win at age 41 or older, joining: Roger Clemens (5 wins), Kenny Rogers (3), and Dennis Martínez (1).^[28]

Game 5

Game 5 featured a pitching rematch from Game 1 between starting pitchers Kevin Gausman and Bryce Miller. In the bottom of the second inning, Eugenio Suárez hit a solo home run off Gausman, giving the Mariners a 1−0 lead. In the top of the fourth inning, Miller escaped a bases-loaded jam after Ernie Clement grounded into a double play. Miller pitched four scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out four. In the top of the fifth inning, George Springer hit an RBI double, scoring Addison Barger and tying the game 1–1. In the top of the sixth inning, Clement delivered an RBI single that drove in Alejandro Kirk, putting the Blue Jays ahead 2–1. Gausman pitched 5+2⁄3 innings, allowing three hits and one run while issuing three walks and recording four strikeouts. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Cal Raleigh homered off Blue Jays reliever Brendon Little to tie the game 2–2. Suárez then hit a grand slam to right field to put the Mariners ahead, 6–2. For Suárez, it was the fourth grand slam he had hit this season.^[29] Closer Andrés Muñoz got the final out after Joey Loperfido ground out to shortstop J. P. Crawford as the Mariners took Game 5 of the ALCS. This marks the first time in this series that the home team won a game as the road team won the four games earlier in the ALCS.

This win marked the first time in franchise history the Mariners won three games in an ALCS, previously only winning two against the Cleveland Indians in 1995 and the New York Yankees in 2000. This was also the first home win for the Mariners in an ALCS since 2000.^[30]

Game 6

Game 6 features a pitching rematch from Game 2 between starters Trey Yesavage of the Blue Jays and Logan Gilbert of the Mariners. In the bottom of the second inning, Addison Barger scored Daulton Varsho and Isiah Kiner-Falefa scored Ernie Clement on back-to-back hits to take a 2–0 lead for the Blue Jays. In the top of the third inning, Yesavage escaped a one-out bases-loaded jam with Cal Raleigh grounding into a double play to preserve a 2–0 lead for the Blue Jays. In the bottom of the third inning, Barger hit a two-run home run off Gilbert to extend the lead to 4–0. In the top of the fourth inning, Yesavage escaped another one-out bases-loaded jam with J.P. Crawford grounding into a double play to preserve a 4–0 lead for the Blue Jays. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered to left field to extend the lead to 5–0. Gilbert pitched four innings, allowing seven hits, four runs, and walking one batter while striking out three. In the top of the sixth inning, Josh Naylor hit a solo home run off Yesavage to put the Mariners on the board 5–1. Yesavage pitched 5+2⁄3 innings, allowing six hits, one run, and walking three batters while striking out seven. Eugenio Suárez then scored Randy Arozarena to cut the Blue Jays’ lead to 5–2. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Mariners reliever Matt Brash wild pitch scored Guerrero, extending the lead to 6–2. The Blue Jays got the final out of the game when Dominic Canzone popped out to third baseman Ernie Clement, evening the series at 3–3 apiece and forcing a winner-takes-all Game 7.^[31]

Game 7

See also

Notes

References

External links