The Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays have set the stage for a high-stakes American League Championship Series (ALCS) showdown, and fans are already buzzing after a dramatic Game 1 at Rogers Centre. The Mariners, riding a wave of momentum from a grueling 15-inning ALDS victory over the Detroit Tigers, stormed into Toronto and stunned the home crowd with a 3-1 win on Sunday night, October 12, 2025. Now, with Game 2 looming, both teams are bracing for what’s shaping up to be an epic battle for a spot in the World Series.
Let’s start with the man of the hour: Bryce Miller. The Mariners’ right-hander faced a hostile, sellout crowd and a Blue Jays lineup brimming with confidence. Things looked shaky right out of the gate when George Springer hammered Miller’s first pitch, and Toronto quickly loaded the bases with walks from Nathan Lukes and Addison Barger. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Daulton Varsho sent warning shots to the outfield, but Miller, unfazed, escaped the inning having allowed just one run. He threw 27 pitches in that opening frame, but what followed was nothing short of a pitching clinic.
Miller’s mix of four-seamers, sinkers, splitters, and sliders became a puzzle Toronto couldn’t solve. From the second inning onward, he retired 13 Blue Jays in a row, strutting off the mound with the kind of swagger Seattle fans have come to love. Over six innings, Miller allowed just that lone run, keeping the Mariners within striking distance and setting the stage for a dramatic comeback. As the dust settled, it was clear: Miller’s performance wasn’t just a bounce-back, it was a defining moment in his young career.
Seattle’s offense, meanwhile, took a little while to get going against Toronto’s ace, Kevin Gausman. The Blue Jays’ starter, well-rested after days off, looked sharp early and kept the Mariners’ bats quiet through five innings. But baseball is a game of moments, and in the sixth, Cal Raleigh delivered one that will be replayed in Seattle highlight reels for years to come. With two outs and the count 2-2, Raleigh—affectionately known as ‘Big Dumper’—launched a 420-foot solo home run to right field, tying the game and silencing the raucous Toronto crowd. As Raleigh rounded the bases, you could almost hear the collective exhale from Mariners fans everywhere.
But the drama didn’t end there. Julio Rodriguez, ever the sparkplug, worked a two-out walk to chase Gausman from the game. After advancing to second on a wild pitch by reliever Brendon Little, Rodriguez raced home on Jorge Polanco’s clutch RBI single to left, giving Seattle its first lead of the night. Polanco wasn’t done, either. In the eighth, after Randy Arozarena drew a leadoff walk and stole both second and third, Polanco delivered again—another RBI single that padded the Mariners’ lead to 3-1.
Seattle’s bullpen, stretched thin after their marathon ALDS win, needed a hero to slam the door. Enter Andres Munoz. The closer faced the heart of Toronto’s order in the ninth and delivered a perfect, 1-2-3 inning to secure the victory. For the Mariners, it was a team win forged in resilience, grit, and timely hitting—qualities that have defined their postseason run so far.
With the win, the Mariners are now three victories away from their first-ever American League pennant and a coveted World Series berth. It’s a tantalizing prospect for a franchise and a fanbase that has waited decades for this moment. Yet, there’s little time to celebrate. Less than 48 hours after their exhausting ALDS triumph, the Mariners had to travel nearly 2,500 miles and face the AL’s top seed on their home turf. Fatigue? Maybe. But you couldn’t tell by the way they played.
On the other side, the Blue Jays are determined to bounce back. Game 2, set for Monday, October 13, 2025, at 5:03 p.m. ET, will again take place at Rogers Centre, with Toronto holding home field advantage. The game will be broadcast on FS1 and streamed across DirecTV, fuboTV, Sling, and Hulu + Live TV, giving fans plenty of ways to catch the action live.
Toronto is pinning its hopes on rookie sensation Trey Yesavage, who’s scheduled to start Game 2. Yesavage has been a revelation this postseason, setting a Blue Jays record with 11 strikeouts in 5 1/3 hitless innings against the New York Yankees during the ALDS. His devastating split-finger fastball has baffled hitters, and he’s quickly become a fan favorite—though not without controversy. Yesavage revealed before Game 1 that his family has faced online abuse following his standout playoff debut. “Living in this world where there’s so many different opinions and feelings which results in a lot of hate, it’s sad to see that people close to me are being attacked for my performances on the field,” Yesavage said. “These people have done nothing to warrant negativity for my actions, whether that’s my parents, my brothers, my girlfriend, family. It’s just really sad. I know I have the platform to address it, so I am. I hope that people can realize that those individuals have nothing to do with what happens on the field. If you have a problem, I’m a man. I can take whatever opinions anybody has about me or my life. So I just wanted to get that out there.”
Blue Jays manager John Schneider voiced his support, stating, “It’s unfortunate that that’s a reality. I commend him for saying what he said and for backing up the people that love and support him.” The incident has cast a spotlight on the pressures facing young athletes, especially in the digital age, but Yesavage’s focus remains on the mound.
Mariners manager Dan Wilson is well aware of the challenge Yesavage presents. “He’s definitely something that we’re going to have to figure out,” Wilson said. “The big split, they’re tough pitches, obviously.” The Mariners, who burned through three starting pitchers in their 15-inning ALDS clincher, have yet to announce their Game 2 starter, opting to see how the staff recovers before making a decision.
As the series shifts to Game 2, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The Mariners are riding high after a gutsy win, but the Blue Jays are eager to even the score on home soil. With Yesavage’s electric arm set to face a battle-tested Seattle lineup, fans can expect more fireworks north of the border.
It’s all to play for in Toronto, and with every pitch, every swing, and every out, the path to the World Series becomes a little clearer. One thing’s for sure—the ALCS is just heating up, and baseball fans everywhere won’t want to miss a second.
