MLB
Advertisement
live
Updated 21s ago
The Seattle Mariners can advance to their first World Series in franchise history while the Toronto Blue Jays aim to force a Game 7 at home as the 2025 ALCS heads back to Rogers Centre for Game 6.
Follow live for play-by-play updates and real-time expert analysis from The Athletic’s team of MLB writers through the final out and beyond.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a delight to watch in this series. He was clearly miffed at taking a Matt Brash pitch off his elbow. He jumped quickly on a dirt ball read from second base, dove into third base and then sprinted home and let out a big yell. He’s a game-breaker this October.
Advertisement
Cal Raleigh should have eaten that one. The running throw there looked dangerous to everyone watching that play out. The Mariners' have made a bunch of mental mistakes today, in the biggest game of their 49-year history. That was huge insurance.
▶️ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. cashes in the Blue Jays' sixth run thanks to a Cal Raleigh throwing error. A wild pitch that allowed the runners to advance and a throwing error from Raleigh to allow Guerrero Jr. to come home. Blue Jays add another run. | Bottom 7th Blue Jays 6, Mariners 2
A factor that gets increasingly important as series progress to six and seven games: When a starting pitcher is yanked early, as Logan Gilbert was tonight, it not only taxes the bullpen but further exposes the team’s best leverage arms. The Blue Jays have seen a bunch of Eduard Bazardo, Matt Brash and Gabe Speier. They have only faced Andrés Muñoz twice, but if this game stays close the Mariners may need to turn to their closer even in a (potentially) losing cause. A starter giving you six innings, rather than four, just does so much to help the pitching plan for the game — and the series.
▶️ Matt Brash's pitch catches Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the elbow. Boos ensue from the fans at Rogers Centre. Guerrero looks to be OK as he runs to first base. | Top 7th Blue Jays 5, Mariners 2
Louis Varland after coming to Toronto at the trade deadline from Minnesota. He had a 2.02 ERA with the Twins, but a 4.94 ERA with the Blue Jays, and worse in every area. He's stepped up as a reliable option in the postseason — just three earned runs over 9 2/3 innings in October.
Advertisement
George Springer is clearly in a lot of pain, dealing with his injured knee. He slipped out of the box in his last at-bat, and hobbled to first. Every time he returns to the dugout, medical staff descend. They’re gonna have to drag him out of Toronto’s lead-off spot, it seems.
Jeff Hoffman just got up in the Blue Jays bullpen. It seems they won’t look beyond him for the eighth inning today.
▶️ Huge inning for Louis Varland. He retires the side without putting a baserunner on. The Blue Jays are six outs away from forcing a Game 7. | Bottom 7th Blue Jays 5, Mariners 2
▶️ Louis Varland has thrown 12 pitchers thus far. He starts the seventh inning for the Blue Jays. Can he retire the Mariners' 8 and 9 hitters? | Top 7th Blue Jays 5, Mariners 2
Eduard Bazardo's ability to work efficiently will benefit Seattle. He'll be relied on tomorrow, if there is a game. But clearly Dan Wilson hasn't punted on this game, otherwise he wouldn't be pitching.
Advertisement
▶️ An ideal one-two-three inning for the Seattle Mariners. Eduard Bazardo retires the side without giving up a run. Nine outs away for the Blue Jays to force a Game 7. Is it too early for me to be counting outs? | Top 7th Blue Jays 5, Mariners 2
▶️ Louis Varland, coming in for Trey Yesavage, gives up a run but strikes out J.P. Crawford to limit the damage. The Blue Jays have a three run lead entering the bottom of the sixth. Can they add to their lead to take the burden off the bullpen? | Bottom 6th Blue Jays 5, Mariners 2
There's an opening here for Seattle. A blooper scores another run for the Mariners, who now are into Toronto's bullpen, and down just 5-2. They have to get 10 outs to send this series to a seventh game. The Blue Jays bullpen has been a weakness this October.
Trey Yesavage, in just his sixth MLB start, is the youngest pitcher to work at least 5 2/3 innings in a postseason elimination game since Jaret Wright went 6 1/3 IP for Cleveland in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series.
▶️ A bloop RBI single for Eugenio Suarez. Randy Arozarena runs through the stop sign to add another run for Seattle. The Mariners cut the deficit to three runs. This game is far from over. | Top 6th Blue Jays 5, Mariners 2
Advertisement
An All-Star in 2024, Josh Naylor was traded to the Diamondbacks in the offseason by the Guardians, where he put up an .807 OPS over 93 games (0.8 bWAR) before getting traded to the Mariners. In Seattle, his OPS climbed to .831, and he began stealing bases at a pretty ridiculous clip, putting up 2.2 bWAR over 54 games heading into the postseason.
Poised to be a free agent this winter, Naylor has completely rebuilt his value entering his age-29 season. Whatever team signs him is getting a bonafide base stealer and someone who has the clutch gene.
Batting average is what it is, but the Mariners have 6 guys in their lineup hitting below .200 this postseason. Josh Naylor is the lone hitter who is red hot. And he gives Seattle a glimmer of hope with a solo homer. If the Mariners are gonna come back, it will need to be the long ball.
One of the funnier home run celebrations this postseason. Josh Naylor smoked it, then spun, turning his back to the mound, and looked into his dugout as he nonchalantly flipped the bat. It was all very chill, very Josh Naylor.
