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The Toronto Blue Jays staved off elimination and forced a winner-take-all Game 7 in the 2025 ALCS with a 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners in Game 6 on Sunday night.
Toronto capitalized on back-to-back Seattle errors to start the scoring in the second, then got home runs from Addison Barger and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to extend the lead. After the Mariners got on the board with two runs in the sixth, Guerrero scored on a Cal Raleigh throwing error for a key insurance run.
Game 7 is set for 8:08 p.m. ET Monday in Toronto.
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Mariners-Blue Jays Game 6 takeaways: Toronto dominates, forces winner-take-all Game 7
This has been an epic ALCS. The Seattle Mariners, after winning a 15-inning Game 5 in the ALDS, took the first two games on the road in the ALCS.
But the Toronto Blue Jays, as they have been all year, showed their resilience. They took two of three on the road, bringing the series back to Toronto for Game 6. Facing elimination, the Blue Jays delivered a scintillating performance to force Game 7.
For the Blue Jays, they are trying to advance to their first World Series since 1993. For the Mariners, their first ever World Series appearance.
A lot on the line as players look to cement themselves into the annals of baseball lore. It promises to be a ton of fun. And we at The Athletic will bring you along for the ride.
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Jeff Hoffman threw 35 pitches, going two innings and recording four strikeouts. He hadn't pitched two innings since April 30.
💬: “Trying to lock myself in my own head. Focus on the task at hand.
“Pound the zone and try get outs as quick as possible.”
Miles E: What a rebound game. Go Jays.
Tony R: No one has left. They'll leave after Yesavage and Vladdy do. See y'all tomorrow. Go Bieber. Go Jays!!!
Christopher L: The dream is still alive.
Em M: The Mariners had their chances. The errors especially put them in a hole. The 3 double plays and the lackluster starting pitching was a killer. Well we’ve waited 48 years for a World Series… 24 hours more to go..
It was George Kirby who started the winner-take-all Game 5 of the ALDS, and it’s George Kirby starting the winner-take-all Game 7 of the ALCS. Kirby is a good starter. A former All-Star. A guy who got down-ballot Cy Young votes. A man with impeccable command. He hurled 10 innings across two starts against the Tigers, allowing just three runs while striking out 14.
But, uh, then came the Jays.
Kirby melted down in Game 3 of the ALCS. He struggled to find the zone. He missed spots. He served up three home runs. So, the Jays are not afraid of seeing Kirby come back in Game 7. They already rattled him once this series.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. praised Trey Yesavage's performance and credited the team for their resilient effort tonight to force Game 7. For a player who saw his Dad play in big games, Guerrero Jr. is excited for the opportunity to play in a do-or-die contest.
💬: “It’s a Game 7. Whatever happens.
“My dad always told me, ‘Game 7 — give it all you have.’”
Trey Yesavage was playing at A-ball ballparks a few months ago. Tonight, he played in one of the loudest ballparks in MLB.
💬: “This was the most electric, energized crowd I've ever played in front of before.”
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Below is the Blue Jays offense through 10 playoff games:
Shane Bieber will be the Game 7 starter for the Toronto Blue Jays tomorrow. He is relishing the opportunity to help the Blue Jays advance to the World Series.
💬: “It means everything. Very excited for the opportunity. Culmination of a lot of hard work to get to this point.
“It’s an opportunity for every single one of us to go out and get a win.”
Addison Barger, who went 2-for-3 tonight with a home run, spoke about the team's aggressive offense tonight in Game 6:
💬: “We just had a good gameplay going into it. We’re always with aggressive with the bats. We’re going to come out swinging.”
For the second consecutive series, the Seattle Mariners are going the distance. In Game 5 of the ALDS, the Mariners beat the Tigers 3-2 in 15 innings.
Will we get an extra-inning thriller again?
Of the three teams remaining in the postseason, only the Dodgers had to play in the Wild Card Series. Yet the Dodgers have only played 10 games total, while Monday night’s Game 7 will be the Blue Jays’ 11th game this postseason and the Mariners’ 12th. Los Angeles will be nicely rested and ready.
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We won’t waste your time: There is no history – until now.
Tomorrow will be the first Game 7 that the Seattle Mariners have ever played.
Tomorrow will be the second Game 7 in Toronto Blue Jays franchise history. Their first was the 1985 ALCS against the Kansas City Royals.
The Royals won 6-2 on the road at Exhibition Stadium. For Blue Jays fans, they hope for a different result tomorrow night.
The Game 7 starters are Shane Bieber for the Toronto Blue Jays and George Kirby for the Mariners. It is a repeat of Game 3, where the Blue Jays won 13-4 over the Mariners.
Bieber went six innings giving up two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts. Kirby was yanked after four innings giving up eight runs on eight hits.
That may be true, Stephen. But come next year, I'm feeling that White Sox-Rockies World Series Game 7 matchup that we have all been waiting for.
Reheating Tyler Kepner’s point from earlier: Come Monday night, the Seattle Mariners will no longer be among the MLB teams to never play a winner-take-all Game 7. That leaves only the …
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. spoke to Sportsnet's Hazel Mae after playing a big role in the Blue Jays forcing a Game 7 against the Mariners.
💬: “I just wake up today. I’m going to give all for the city.
“We tried to hit, we tried to run the bases, we tried to do it for all the city. One game at a time.
“Tomorrow we are trying to win. I’m born ready”
Trey Yesavage spoke to Sportsnet's Hazel Mae after the game about pitching in Game 6 and the team's defense behind him with the plethora of double plays.
💬: “I was fired up. It’s the playoffs.
“Huge. Three double plays. Back-to-back-to-back innings. Making plays in the outfield. They are awesome.”
Whatever plans you had to watch Bucs-Lions or Texans-Seahawks on Monday night? Scrap ’em. (Editor’s note: Or follow them on another screen with our live coverage here on The Athletic!) We’re in for one of the best nights of baseball in a long time. It’ll be Blue Jays vs. Mariners at 8:08 p.m. ET (5:08 p.m. PT), for all the marbles.
The Blue Jays haven’t won a pennant since 1993.
The Mariners have never won one.
Winner heads to the World Series to face the defending-champion Dodgers.
Loser heads home.
Neither team has announced a Game 7 starting pitcher. The last time the Mariners were facing elimination, they stuck all their Cy Young-caliber starters in the bullpen, and almost everyone pitched in a 15-inning marathon against the Tigers in the ALDS. These teams will be going all out to win Monday night. You won’t want to miss it.
