Why we like the Blue Jays' lineup better than their ALCS opponent, the Mariners

The Seattle Mariners went down to the wire with the Detroit Tigers in a thrilling 15-inning winner-take-all ALDS matchup. The Mariners now face the Blue Jays, with the winner heading to the World Series. Both teams are looking to end long World Series droughts: the Blue Jays haven't won the championship since 1993, and the Mariners have never won the title.

For the Mariners in the ALDS, runs came at a premium against the Tigers as they scored 39 runs combined. The Blue Jays nearly put up that many runs on their own against the New York Yankees (34 in one less game).

The Mariners' struggles in the ALDS can't solely be blamed on Detroit's pitching, as the Tigers ranked 16th in ERA during the regular season (3.95), with Tarik Skubal's 2.21 ERA skewing the numbers.

Unlike the Mariners, the Blue Jays excelled against top-tier pitching in their series, demonstrating their strong offensive edge in this matchup.

Why we like the Blue Jays' lineup better than the Seattle Mariners’

The Mariners face a significant challenge in containing a Blue Jays offense that was highly effective against the Yankees' top pitchers, Luis Gil, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodon. With Luis Castillo and Logan Gilbert having pitched in relief during Game 5 on Friday night, the Mariners' rotation now lacks certainty after Game 1 starter Bryce Miller, with Bryan Woo returning from injury and George Kirby expected to start Game 3 on four days' rest. This uncertainty in pitching depth is a critical matchup point.

Whoever is on the mound, it will be a challenge to hold down a Blue Jays offense that had six players who had more than 10 at-bats finish the series with above an 8.00 OPS (Addison Barger, Andrés Giménez, Anthony Santander, and George Springer were the only exceptions).

It's no surprise that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the leader in the team's OPS success (1.609). He went 9-17 with nine home runs and nine RBIs and proved to be a nuisance to Yankee pitchers. The Mariners had only one batter with an OPS over .710 in their ALDS matchup: Cal Raleigh.

Position by position, the Mariners hold slight advantages only at catcher, with Raleigh (.381/.480/.571 with a home run and four RBIs) slightly outperforming Alejandro Kirk (.222/.222/.611 with two home runs and three RBIs), and at shortstop, with J.P. Crawford (.263/.286/.421 with a home run and a RBI) over Giménez (.267/.313/.333 with two RBIs) unless Bo Bichette can return and play in the field.

Most other positions, especially in the infield and outfield, favor the Blue Jays' offense. While Julio Rodriguez (4 for 23), Randy Arozarena (4 for 23), and Eugenio Suarez (2 for 21) played key roles in the regular season, their recent struggles in the ALDS highlight a key edge for the Blue Jays' lineup.

The Blue Jays enter the series as clear favorites, given the uncertainty in the Mariners' rotation; however, if Woo provides a spark and the rest of Seattle's pitching staff cools off Toronto's bats, the series could reach a dramatic Game 7. However, if the Blue Jays continue to dominate offensively, they are poised to win decisively in four or five games.