The Seattle Mariners have never seen a bigger ALCS Game 5 than the one they’ll play on Friday afternoon at T-Mobile Park.
Three parallels stand out from Mariners’ ALCS losses to Blue Jays
Despite coming home from Toronto with a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series, the Blue Jays have responded with two wins of their own in the Mariners’ ballpark. And their wins haven’t been particularly close, including an 8-2 final score in Game 4 on Thursday night.
Mariners manager Dan Wilson was quick to go to his bullpen Thursday, pulling starter Luis Castillo with the bases loaded in the third inning and Toronto looking to build on a 2-1 lead. Seattle would go to Gabe Speier, Matt Brash, Carlos Vargas, Eduard Bazardo and Emerson Hancock, but the M’s couldn’t keep the Blue Jays’ bats from adding on.
MLB Network insider Jon Morosi‘s read on that?
“I think overall, the way Dan Wilson managed his bullpen in Game 4 told me that tomorrow is all about three people: Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo and Andrés Muñoz,” Morosi said. “That’s the plan for Game 5.”
Miller was a star in Game 1 of the series on Sunday, holding the Blue Jays to just one run on two hits and three walks over six innings, and is set to start Game 5. Woo was an All-Star starting pitcher this season, but the M’s are planning to deploy him at some point out of the bullpen as he aims to make his first appearance in a game since pectoral inflammation ended his last outing prematurely in mid-September. And Muñoz, Seattle’s All-Star closer, is well rested having last pitched on Sunday.
“Now the Mariners of course know that, no matter what happens, this series is going back to Toronto, but they really want to make sure they go there with a 3-2 series lead,” Morosi added.
What else do they need in Game 5? Their best hitters to have an impact like they did in Toronto.
“The M’s also need to get more from the top part of their lineup,” Morosi said. “… The Blue Jays did a very good job, especially with Max Scherzer early on, with some good breaking balls away (in Game 4). They really worked away successfully to Julio Rodríguez, so maybe an adjustment from Julio now in Game 5. It was a quiet night for the top of the Mariner lineup overall. That’s going to have to change now looking at Game 5.”
The stage is set with Miller matched up again against Kevin Gausman, Toronto’s best starter who Seattle bested in Game 1.
“The Mariners have to respond with so much on the line in this American League Championship Series,” Morosi said.
Game 5 of the ALCS is scheduled for 3:08 p.m. Friday at T-Mobile Park. Radio coverage on Seattle Sports will begin at noon with an extended pregame show. The TV broadcast will be on FS1.
More Seattle Mariners ALCS coverage
• Stacy Rost: Where Mariners stand with ALCS vs Blue Jays tied 2-2
• Seattle Mariners name Bryce Miller their Game 5 starter
• Blue Jays drop slugger from roster for rest of ALCS vs Mariners
• Three hitters can make the difference for Mariners in rest of ALCS
• Drayer: Why Seattle Mariners are readying Bryan Woo for the bullpen
