Three nights after everyone was second-guessing Blue Jays manager John Schneider’s bullpen choices, the tables have turned… This time, it’s Mariners skipper Dan Wilson under the microscope. Why? Because while the Blue Jays pulled off a stunning comeback, erasing a 0–2 series deficit to win Game 7 of the ALCS, there’s plenty of talk about one managerial decision that might’ve swung the game’s momentum.

Reportedly, with the Mariners up 3–1 in the seventh inning of Game 7, Bryan Woo put two runners on to start the frame. That’s when Wilson turned to right-hander Eduard Bazardo to face George Springer.

And guess what, it backfired fast. Springer launched a three-run shot that not only flipped the game but ultimately sealed the series for Toronto.

Now, in the middle of the postgame chaos, Wilson has stepped up to explain his side of what happened. “Bazardo’s been doing it all season long and has been so consistent at it, and he’s done such a good job all year,” Wilson said after the game. “We felt really comfortable with him out there, the way he’s been throwing the ball, especially in this series, and it was a good spot for him.”

The Mariners manager’s reasoning wasn’t entirely off. Just check the regular season, nd you’ll know that Bazardo actually held right-handed hitters to a lower OPS this season than Andres Munoz. And yes, he’d been solid in the ALCS up to that point.

In fact, he’d pitched three times before Game 7, giving up just one run on three hits while striking out four. This includes two scoreless innings in Game 6 the night before.

The alternative would’ve been to have Munoz ready to step in as soon as Woo got into trouble, with the Mariners figuring out the final outs later. Instead, Wilson went with Bazardo to face one of the game’s most clutch hitters in its biggest moment, but it just didn’t work out.

Bazardo’s been reliable all year, so it’s hard to blame him or Wilson. “I mean, you make your decisions, and sometimes you have to live and die with it,” Wilson said.

The Mariners’ offense just fell a little short

The Mariners gave their fans a season to remember!!! A thrilling ride fueled by an offense that, led by guys like Cal Raleigh, could hang with even the league’s best. But when it mattered most, that same offense couldn’t quite push them over the top.

In Game 7, they struck first, with Julio Rodriguez ripping a leadoff double off Shane Bieber, who’d shut the Mariners down entirely his last time out. Josh Naylor brought Julio home with a single to make it 1–0 early. Later, both Julio and Cal went deep for solo shots, giving Seattle all three of its runs. But as the saying goes, solo homers usually don’t kill you, and that held tonight.

In the end, everything came down to one pitch. And we all know what happened next. A rare mistake from Eduard Bazardo, the reliever who’d come through for the Mariners so many times before.

Nevertheless, the Mariners were right there, just inches from history. Instead, it’s the Blue Jays who’ll be making history of their own. For the Mariners, it’s again a wait for another year to repeat the success.