For the Seattle Mariners, it’s now or never; it’s do or die. After a season where they showed promise and resilience, now everything has come down to one game—Game 7 of the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. The weight of the franchise’s first-ever World Series rests on the shoulders of one key player—George Kirby! The cool and fiery 2023 All-Star is suddenly under the brightest spotlight.

Honestly, though, he has proven his mettle and how he can handle the postseason pressure. Before the ALCS, he had a 1.50 ERA across his first playoff outings. But in Game 3, he flipped the script and how. He rocked for eight earned runs in four innings as Toronto’s lineup turned his pinpoint command into a practice.

That loss simply gave new life to the Jays, and now Seattle is in this decider game. And now, even insiders are highlighting one player who can give the Mariners that edge—George Kirby.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield mentioned, “Kirby. Through six ALCS games, Bryce Miller is the only Mariners starter who has had a good game — and he was the worst of the group in the regular season. Even with two solid efforts from Miller, the rotation has a 7.33 ERA in this series, allowing a .310 average and .993 OPS. Kirby doesn’t have to go deep — and won’t be expected to — but Seattle needs four or five strong innings from him.

That is easier said than done, though, in Toronto’s environment. But MLB on FOX analyst and Hall of Famer John Smoltz still believes that Kirby is hard-wired for the moment. “I think Kirby’s going to bounce back…. You reset, you make the necessary adjustment, and this is where stars deliver.” His key advice? Get that first hitter out—quiet the crowd, control the pace, and stay ahead. Well, the Toronto Blue Jays led MLB in batting average this season, and they thrived on pressure. But Seattle’s bullpen and offense helped them. If Kirby can give them a few great innings, and the bats wake up just in time, then maybe, just maybe, they can rewrite history and punch their ticket into the World Series.

Seattle Mariners shouldn’t repeat disastrous Game 6 antics in Game 7!

The Seattle Mariners blew several opportunities on Sunday night. It honestly did feel like Game 6 was a reel of what not to do when it comes to October baseball. From fielding mistakes to missed swings—it was a self-inflicted collapse that now forced a Game 7, something that the Mariners didn’t need or want. And it started early, in the second inning itself, when Julio Rodriguez’s error turned a routine single into extra bases for Daulton Varsho.

Then Geno Suarez followed with another mistake. And then the Blue Jays suddenly got life and made Seattle pay back immediately with back-to-back RBI singles. While Suarez redeemed himself with a defensive gem to end the inning, the damage was done. And the kicker is that the Mariners had the chance to punch back. Bases loaded in the third, Cal Raleigh grounded into a double play. Two in the fourth. And when Rodriguez had a chance to turn the momentum in the fifth, he grounded into another double play.

Seattle became the first team since the 2009 Yankees to have three errors and three double plays in a single playoff game—not a good record to make. And then, by the seventh inning, the game was done. Toronto’s offense, led by Vladdy, just kept pounding away. But even for them, there is still hope, and they have one more shot. Game 7. 5:10 p.m. FOX. It’s all or nothing now.