Blue Jays Lose to Mariners 3–1 in 2025 ALCS Opener
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By Harry Kettle
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Summary:
- Seattle Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 in Game 1 of ALCS.
- George Springer hit a leadoff homer, but Toronto’s bats went cold after that.
- Cal Raleigh and Jorge Polanco powered Seattle’s comeback with key hits.
George Springer gave the Toronto Blue Jays the start they were hoping for in the American League Championship Series on Sunday night.
However, that was about as good as it got. His leadoff home run off Bryce Miller which was his 21st postseason homer was the team’s only real highlight in a 3–1 loss to the Seattle Mariners at Rogers Centre.
Not a Lot of “Battled Ball Luck”
Manager John Schneider commented,
I thought we took some good swings and hit some balls at people a little bit. (We) didn’t have a whole lot of batted ball luck, if you want to call it that.
Springer’s first-pitch homer electrified the sellout crowd of 44,474, who came ready for more after Toronto averaged 8.5 runs per game against the Yankees in the division series. However, the bats went quiet.
Nathan Lukes followed Springer with a 12-pitch walk, giving fans hope for a big inning, yet Miller, pitching on short rest, escaped and quickly found his rhythm. Toronto managed just one more hit all night, namely, an Anthony Santander single in the second inning, as its six-game home winning streak came to an end.
David Schneider: “It’s a Tough Team”
Cal Raleigh tied the game with a solo shot in the sixth, and Jorge Polanco added two RBI singles to push Seattle ahead. “It’s a tough team and they were the second-best team in the AL for a reason” said outfielder Davis Schneider.
Kevin Gausman gave the Blue Jays a strong start, retiring 15 straight batters before Raleigh’s blast. He exited after a two-out walk to Julio Rodríguez in the sixth, and reliever Brendon Little surrendered the go-ahead single to Polanco. The Mariners added another run in the eighth when Polanco drove in Randy Arozarena.
Gausman commented
I had the game right there, This one’s on me.
Andres Muñoz worked a clean ninth to secure the save. In contrast to the usual postgame noise and music, the Toronto clubhouse was unusually subdued afterward. Players spoke quietly, and the sounds of cleats being cleaned and showers running filled the silence.
The Mariners had every reason to be tired after arriving in Toronto late Saturday night following a 15-inning Game 5 win in Detroit, but they didn’t show it.
Seattle manager Dan Wilson,
I think we’ve talked about just how resilient these guys are, and tonight was one of those instances again. Great job all around.
Game 2 was set for Monday, with rookie Trey Yesavage starting for Toronto and Logan Gilbert taking the mound for Seattle. The series will move to T-Mobile Park in Seattle for Game 3 on Wednesday.
