The stage is set for a powerhouse showdown as the Seattle Mariners head north to face the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series. The Mariners come into this fresh off an absolute fight in the ALDS against the Tigers. It was a series that tested every centimeter of their resilience. Seattle pulled through that 15-inning record-breaking thriller, but let’s be honest—their bats were quiet for most of the matchup.

They were hitting just .207 with a .634 OPS and scoring three runs or fewer in four of those five games. On the flip side, Toronto’s offense has been on fire. After they sent the Yankees home to watch the games from there, in just four games, they are rolling with a 7-1 record over their last eight games. So their lineup is scoring, and one thing is for sure: Rogers Center will be buzzing. The match will be a wild ALCS opener for sure, but the question is who has the upper hand.

​​How to Watch Mariners vs. Blue Jays Game 1

Date: Sunday, October 12, 2025
Time: 8:03 p.m. ET
Location: Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
TV: FOX
Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App, FOX One (try free for 7 days)

Starting Pitchers

Seattle Mariners–Bryce Miller 

Mariners pitcher Miller has had a season that has been up and down all game. His game, meanwhile, leans heavily on his fastball. But here is the thing—when he misses the spots, the hitters make him pay. In Game 1 of the ALCS setting, he is a live arm with a high ceiling if he keeps his pitch count low and pounds the zone.

Toronto Blue Jays—Kevin Gausman 

Gausman brings postseason experience, and this season, he has been consistent. He’s controlled damage all year, and he racks up strikeouts with complete ease. His strength is in changing tunnel and elevation and dominating when his fastball and splitter, or slider are all working together. The Jays will look to get length from him and let the rest of the bullpen take care of the rest late.

Injury Report

Blue Jays:
Jose Berrios – 15-Day IL
Ty France – 10-Day IL
Chris Bassitt – 15-Day IL
Bo Bichette – 10-Day IL
Robinson Pina – 60-Day IL
Nick Sandlin – 60-Day IL
Yimi Garcia – 60-Day IL
Bowden Francis – 60-Day IL
Ryan Burr – 60-Day IL
Angel Bastardo – 60-Day IL

Mariners:
Bryan Woo – day-to-day
Jackson Kowar – 15-Day IL
Trent Thornton – 60-Day IL
Gregory Santos – 60-Day IL
Ryan Bliss – 60-Day IL

Why the Blue Jays have the upper hand in the ALCS clash 

Right now, the stage is all set for the Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays to settle this battle in the ALCS. Game 1 is here, and while both teams have taken wildly different ways to get to this moment, one thing feels certain—the Toronto Blue Jays seem to have the upper hand.

Let’s start with the Mariners. They just came off a Game 5 win over Detroit that was taxing in every way, given it was fifteen innings of pure survival. This kind of game drains you every bit mentally and even physically. And now, after burning through three of their starters in that series, they have to face Kevin Gausman, one of the league’s nastiest strikeout pitchers. Making matters worse is that they have to face him on his home turf at Rogers Center—and that’s a huge ask.

Meanwhile, Seattle star catcher Cal Raleigh has been the Jays’ nightmare for years now. The guy simply loves hitting there. He has eleven homers and a 1.195 OPS in Rogers Centre. That is absolutely absurd. Plus, add a 60-homer season into the mix, and you have a power threat that can wreck a game just by himself. But the question is whether he can keep up with Gausman’s splitter, more so after such an emotional ALDS.

Toronto, meanwhile, is looking completely locked in. After they dismantled the Yankees in the ALDS, they are hot at the plate. And not to mention, they are even hotter at home. George Springer, Bo Bichette, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have found their footing, and when the trio clicks, the Jays don’t just win—they dominate. Plus, here is the stat that will blow your mind—the team has not lost at home in their last six. So the energy at Rogers Centre feels like 1993 all over again.

The Mariners for sure have the heart, but the Jays have the momentum. Also, Seattle has tired arms now after the brutal last game. And hence the matchup feels like it’s leading to the Toronto Blue Jays winning. If they win this series, they could be on the way to punching their way into the WS ticker in over three decades.