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2 Canadians return home to take on the Blue Jays in the ALCS
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Photo credit: © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Nick Prasad
Oct 12, 2025, 16:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 12, 2025, 14:16 EDT
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The American League Championship Series is set; game one kicks off tonight with the Toronto Blue Jays taking on the Seattle Mariners. Two very familiar Canadian X-factors for the Mariners return to the city to compete against their hometown. 
Mariners slugger Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) and pitcher Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) are key pieces for a synergetic Mariners club, providing the talent and depth to bring the club this far. Naylor and Brash have both played on the Rogers Center field before, both as professionals and amateurs. 
Naylor, from Mississauga, Ontario, attended St. Joan of Arc SS. Naylor participated in Tournament 12, now referred to as the Canadian Futures Showcase, to get a taste of the Rogers Centre. He was later drafted in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins. The right-handed pitcher, Brash, was also a participant in the event back in 2017. He was later drafted in 2019 by the San Diego Padres out of Niagara University. 
Both players had the opportunity to compete on the Rogers Centre turf, at first base, on the mound, and in the batter’s box. Their familiarity is nostalgic as they return in a postseason capacity. 

Naylor and Brash provide depth on both ends of Mariners baseball

In August 2020, Naylor was traded from the San Diego Padres to the Cleveland Guardians. In December 2024, he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks after spending four seasons in Cleveland in multiple postseason runs. 
On July 24th, 2025, Naylor was traded at the deadline to the Mariners. He’s played 54 games with the Mariners in the regular season, hitting nine home runs, driving in 33 runs, and slashing a .299/.341/.490. He’s recorded 20 home runs, 92 RBIs, and 160 hits total in 2025. 
Brash is in his third Major League season with the Mariners. His onboarding in the big leagues had him as a starter in 2022, but he moved to the bullpen in quick succession, finishing with a 4.44 ERA in 50 and 2/3 innings. In 2023, he led the league in appearances (78), posting a 9-4 record and a 3.06 ERA across 70 and 2/3 innings. He returned to the Mariners bullpen this year after missing all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. 
Both Brash and Naylor are back to compete against the team they grew up watching. 

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