Before the ALCS game, everyone was gaga over the Toronto Blue Jays and how they would just stomp all over the Seattle Mariners. But baseball has a way to surprise everyone, and not the Jays but the Mariners walked away with a 3-1 victory in Game 1 of the ALCS. It was a night where Seattle once again showed their grit, Cal Raleigh’s power, and Miller’s poise to silence the Jays crowd.

George Springer gave the Jays life early on with a leadoff homer in the first inning. But that was about all the noise that Toronto’s offense could make. Miller, pitching on a short rest, locked in after that shaky start. He tossed six strong innings, while Seattle’s bullpen, from Gabe Speier, Matt Brash, and Andres Munoz, finished things off without allowing even a single baserunner.

The Mariners, who waited for 24 years to return to this time and place, didn’t just steal a win—they stole the spotlight from Toronto.

Ex-MLB president David Samson didn’t hold back when reacting to Toronto’s loss. On his podcast, he called out the narrative that Seattle was at a disadvantage due to fatigue from the record-breaking innings they played or travel. “Any analyst who tells you that that is a disadvantage to the Mariners has not been in the game,” Samson said. “You pull into a city at 5:00 a.m., you can play an afternoon game, and if you’ve got good pitching, you’re going to win. If you face good pitching, you’re going to lose.” Then came the sting—Samson hinted that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Jays simply did not deliver when it mattered the most to them.

And he is not wrong. Guerrero went 0 for 4, and that left fans frustrated as Seattle pitchers constantly were able to outsmart Toronto’s power bats. Plus, Raleigh’s game-tying home run in the sixth simply flipped that momentum, and Jorge Polanco’s clutch RBI single moments later put the Mariners ahead. For Seattle, it was the kind of win that is heartbreaking, because this is the franchise that has never been to the World Series.

For the Toronto Blue Jays, though, it is a reality check. Their offense, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the rest, was touted as the most dangerous one, and that suddenly doesn’t look as fearless now. The one that’s looking fearless is Mariner’s pitching staff—and the Jays should be worried about it.

Toronto Blue Jays’ Yesavage’ opens up about family abuse after postseason heroics

Toronto rookie Trey Yesavage has been a breakout star. And while the claps for him are loud, the target on his shoulder has been huge too—mainly the online abuse. “Living in this world where there are so many different opinions and feelings, which results in a lot of hate, it’s sad to see that people close to me are being attacked for my performances on the field,” Yesavage said before the ALCS opener against the Seattle Mariners.

“These people have done nothing to warrant negativity for my actions, whether that’s my parents, my brothers, my girlfriend, or my family. It’s just really sad. I know I have the platform to address it, so I am. I hope that people can realize that those individuals have nothing to do with what happens on the field. If you have a problem, I’m a man. I can take whatever opinions anybody has about me or my life. So I just wanted to get that out there.” He is now scheduled to start Game 2 on Monday, but he has declined to answer the follow-up questions after the abuse he went through after the Yankees’ win. What’s concerning is that Vladimir Guerrero Jr., too, had the hate coming to him.

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In fact, his family members were attacked after the Jays won against the Yankees. Now, in regard to Yesavaage, John Schneider said the player didn’t speak to him before making those comments, but praised him for coming through for his loved one.

The 22-year-old has seriously made a name for himself in the ALDS. He struck out 11 Yankees over 5 1/3 hitless innings in Game 2 and set the Blue Jays postseason record. Eight of those strikeouts came on his split-finger fastball. Mariners manager Dan Wilson, in fact, admitted the pitch was tough, and so was the danger that is Yesavage. He will be the starter for the Toronto Blue Jays, so Seattle can’t simply let its guard down.