After taking the first two games of the American League Championship Series in Toronto, the Seattle Mariners suffered a 13-4 loss to the Blue Jays in Game 3 Wednesday night at T-Mobile Park.
Mariners’ resiliency to be tested once more in ALCS Game 4
What stands out after the Blue Jays climbed right back into the series in resounding fashion?
Here are four takeaways that MLB Network’s Jon Morosi shared in his postgame reaction video for Seattle Sports. The full video can be viewed at the top of this post.
• Playoff series can flip in an instant
The Mariners entered the night in firm control of the series. They had stolen a 3-1 win in Game 1, despite playing on a quick turnaround from their 15-inning ALDS marathon less than 48 hours prior. They had cruised to a 10-3 win in Game 2. They were taking a 2-0 series lead back to Seattle, where they were 25-7 since July 31.
But with a 13-run outburst, the Blue Jays are right back in the thick of this best-of-seven series.
“It’s very illustrative of the way that postseason series can go,” Morosi said. “As (Blue Jays pitcher and future Hall of Famer) Max Scherzer told me after Game 2, he said, listen, this series is not just gonna flip because it flips. It’s gonna flip if we start playing better baseball. And the Jays really did that.”
• The Blue Jays’ lineup has its mojo back
After piling up 34 runs in four ALDS games against the New York Yankees, Toronto’s high-powered lineup mustered just four runs combined in the first two games of the ALCS against Seattle. But the Blue Jays’ bats kicked into gear Wednesday night, clubbing five home runs and 18 hits in their 13-run barrage.
Moreover, nearly every player in Toronto’s lineup got in on the action. Five different players homered. Six different players had multi-hit games. Seven different players had at least one extra-base hit.
“I thought it was really important from Toronto’s perspective, basically everybody got in on the act,” Morosi said. “And now, entering Game 4, pretty much everybody with the Jays is feeling good about themselves from an offensive perspective.”
• Both bullpens should be fresh for Game 4
While the Blue Jays’ bats got the headlines on Wednesday night, Toronto starter Shane Bieber also delivered a strong outing, tossing six innings of two-run ball. And by the time Bieber handed the baton to the bullpen, the Blue Jays were up 12-2. That allowed Toronto manager John Schneider to save his high-leverage relievers for Game 4.
Of course, with the game out of hand, Mariners manager Dan Wilson was also able to save all of his high-leverage arms. That means both bullpens should be well-rested heading into Thursday night.
“It was an excellent start for Bieber,” Morosi said. “He gave them six innings. He was also able to avoid having the Jays utilize their highest-leverage relivers. For that matter, the Mariners did too. Kirby at least got them through four, which allowed Dan Wilson to manage the rest of the game in such a way that his highest-leverage bullpen arms are all available to chase a Game 4 win potentially.”
• Scherzer will be a ‘wild card’ in Game 4
Game 4 will be a matchup of veteran aces, with Luis Castillo getting the start for Seattle and Max Scherzer getting the ball for Toronto.
As Morosi said, Scherzer is a “wild card.” On one hand, Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young Award winner, an eight-time All-Star and a surefire Hall of Famer. But at age 41, he’s also coming off the worst season of his career. After missing nearly the entire first three months of the season due to thumb inflammation, Scherzer posted a career-worst 5.19 ERA over 17 starts and was left off the Blue Jays’ ALDS roster.
Thursday night will be Scherzer’s first outing since Sept. 24 – the final week of the regular season.
“Scherzer is a bit of a wild card,” Morosi said. “We know he’s going to the Hall of Fame in the end, (but) he has not pitched for a long time. So the quality of the M’s at-bats early will tell me a lot. I think we saw early today the Mariners working pretty thorough at-bats in the first inning. That dissipated a little bit. They have to get that ethic back about how they’re gonna pursue now Game 4.
“It really is anybody’s game now. … I cannot wait to see what’s gonna happen.”
Game 4 is Thursday night at 5:33 p.m. Radio coverage on Seattle Sports will begin at 2 p.m. with an extended pregame show. The TV broadcast will be on FS1.
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• Stacy Rost: 2 important reminders come out of Mariners’ Game 3 loss
• Blue Jays ride big 3rd inning to Game 3 rout of Seattle Mariners
• The latest on Mariners RHP Bryan Woo’s status for the ALCS
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