The Blue Jays’ ALCS opener against the Mariners ended with a loss and debate. A vital sixth-inning pitching transformation by John Schneider left fans stunned. With the score tied 1-1, the manager opted to pull Kevin Gausman, despite the star having thrown just 76 pitches, in support of a 29-year-old reliever. That approach backfired quickly.

Moments after replacing Gausman, Brendon Little surrendered an RBI single to Jorge Polanco, cashing in Julio Rodriguez to second and providing the Mariners a 2-1 lead that the team would not give up. Nick Gosse, a Jays loyalist from Jays Digest did not stop asking questions in his postgame analysis.

“This was a decision that puzzled me,” he exclaimed.

“You’re going in against Jorge Polanco, and you had Louie Verland warmed and ready — who I trust way more. If you really felt the need to pull Kevin Gausman, who only had 76 pitches, you could’ve just left him in or gone with Verland instead of switching it up. Brendon Little has allowed 40% of inherited runners to score since late August. These are big decisions that need to be made carefully, especially in the ALCS. And John Schneider’s explanation didn’t help — saying he wanted to ‘turn Polanco around and chase more swing and miss’ makes little sense when Polanco’s OPS is actually 80 points higher from the right side. If you’re going to bring in a lefty, I’d probably trust Mason a lot more at this point. The call just didn’t add up,” Gosse added.

According to Sportsnet Stats, “Mason Fluharty has allowed 0% of inherited runners to score since July 28 (0-of-18).” So, makes sense why Gosse wanted Fluharty instead of Little!

However, John Schneider defended his approach, highlighting, “I just kind of read the situation after (walking Julio Rodríguez). You’re trying to read the situation — every game is different. We talk about everything before the game and try to read it in real time.”

Yet, the manager’s thought to “turn Polanco around in the sixth and chase more swing and miss” approach misfired. For fans, the manager’s narrative was not satisfactory.

Gosse argued the approach “made no sense,” specifically, given Polanco’s powerful data from the right side and Brandon Little’s uncertain track under pressure. As the team prepares for Game 2, such managerial gambles have become a flashpoint, and they can define the manager’s postseason narrative.

Meanwhile, after the loss, Gausman has taken all the responsibility.

Gausman takes responsibility for Game 1 loss

With John Schneider’s bullpen decision dominating the headlines, Kevin Gausman owned their 3-1 loss. Despite a power outing, enabling just two earned runs over 5.2 innings and retiring 15 consecutive batters at one point, the star remained humble.

“This one’s on me.” Gausman highlighted giving up a solo home run to Raleigh and walking Rodriguez, which established the stage for Little to enable the tiebreaking RBI single.

He also shared that he did everything possible to keep the Jays competitive. 

“Up to that point, I’d been throwing the ball really well and had the game right there,” Gausman added. While the debatable pitching transformation grabbed the attention, the star reminded fans that the team’s offense also faced issues, managing just five baserunners all game, with Springer’s first-pitch home run being the solo bright spot. 

The Jays’ Game 1 loss highlights how a single decision can change a game in October. Between Schneider’s risky move and Gausman’s unlucky outing, the Jays might have multiple issues to work on.