Blue Jays gifted the Mariners a huge break by not taking advantage of depleted pitching staff

When the Toronto Blue Jays watched the Seattle Mariners go 15 innings in their do-or-die Game 5 against the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS, they were likely licking their chops at the outcome. That was because the Mariners practically had to exhaust their pitching staff to get the job done, utilizing a total of seven pitchers, including elite starters Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo in the process.

As a result, the Blue Jays were looking to take full advantage of the situation as Seattle had to resort to their back end of the rotation starter in Bryce Miller to start Game 1 of the ALCS. However, Toronto gifted the Mariners a huge break by not capitalizing on a tired, depleted pitching staff.

Blue Jays gifted the Mariners a huge break by not taking advantage of depleted pitching staff

Miller entered the game carrying a dismal 5.68 ERA and 1.41 WHIP from the 2025 regular season while pitching on three days rest. He started in Game 4 of the ALDS against Detroit, and the Blue Jays somehow managed to make him look like a Cy Young candidate when all was said and done. The 27-year-old right-hander would give up a leadoff home run to George Springer to start the game, but Miller would hold the prolific Jays playoff offense to just one more hit the rest of the way in his surprising six effective innings of work. 

Then the Mariners would bring in Gabe Speier, Matt Brash, and Andrés Munõz, who all pitched in the 15-inning marathon on Friday, to finish off the game. For both Brash and Munõz, they had even gone more than an inning in their last outing. The set the Blue Jays down in order without a threat in the final three innings to let the Mariners off the hook.

Overall on paper, it sure looked like a pure mismatch between the two contenders in Game 1 of the ALCS. The Blue Jays were well-rested, had been the best offensive team in the playoffs to date, and had their ace Kevin Gausman on the mound. The Mariners had their tired pitching staff, a struggling starter to toe the rubber, along with only a booming Cal Raleigh carrying an offensively-challenged Seattle playoff team to date. However, it was the Mariners who got the last laugh and earned the upper hand in the series after one game.

The Blue Jays will look to bounce back with their young phenom in Trey Yesavage for Game 2. But all of a sudden, the Mariners now have the bulk of their pitching staff refreshed with the necessary rest after using just three relievers in Game 1. As a result, look for the now-confident Seattle team to give Toronto a run for the money the rest of the way as the series just got that much tougher for the Blue Jays.