The Toronto Blue Jays are set to face off against the Seattle Mariners in the American League Championship Series following the Mariners’ 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of their Division Series that extended to 15 innings on Friday. This game marked the lengthiest winner-take-all contest in Major League Baseball postseason history.
Jorge Polanco’s decisive single off Tommy Kahnle, with a full count, brought J.P. Crawford home for the winning run, ending a scoring drought for both teams since the seventh inning when the score was tied at 2-2.
The American League Championship Series, a best-of-seven showdown between the top two seeds in the American League, will commence with Game 1 in Toronto on Sunday at 8:03 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays will host Game 2 on Monday before the series moves to Seattle for Game 3 on Wednesday.
Toronto, with a 94-68 record, clinched the AL East title and secured the top league position, while Seattle surged late to surpass Houston and claim the AL West’s top spot with a 90-72 record. Both teams had byes in the Wild Card round.
The Blue Jays had a 4-2 record against the Mariners this season, including a sweep in Seattle in May, while the Mariners won two out of three games at Rogers Centre in April.
Both teams entered the league in 1977, with the Blue Jays achieving postseason success earlier, reaching their first ALCS in 1985 and winning consecutive World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. In contrast, the Mariners made their first postseason appearance in 1995, coinciding with Major League Baseball’s expansion of the playoff format to include the Division Series round.
Although the Mariners have never made it to a World Series, they have swept the Blue Jays in a Wild Card Series in 2022, holding a bragging right in head-to-head postseason matchups.
Toronto’s recent 3-1 victory over New York in the ALDS showcased outstanding pitching performances from Kevin Gausman and Trey Yesavage, supported by a strong offensive showing led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s .529 batting average and nine RBIs.
In the upcoming ALCS, the Blue Jays anticipate the return of star shortstop Bo Bichette, who has been recovering from a knee injury, along with potential contributions from pitchers Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt. The Mariners, on the other hand, boast catcher Cal Raleigh, who led the majors with 60 home runs and 125 RBIs this season.
Additionally, the Mariners had three all-stars in 2025 – Randy Arozarena, Bryan Woo, and Cal Raleigh. Arozarena achieved a career-high of 27 home runs and 31 stolen bases, while Woo, with a 15-7 record and 2.94 ERA, missed the ALDS due to injury but might return for the ALCS.
Traditionally, the Pacific Northwest has been a familiar destination for Blue Jays fans from British Columbia, who often fill T-Mobile Park during Toronto’s visits to Seattle. However, with playoff tickets at higher prices and possible restrictions on online sales to out-of-region fans, the home advantage may lean towards the Mariners.
