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Instant Reaction: Bullpen sinks Blue Jays in 10-3 loss in Game 2 of ALCS
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Photo credit: © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Oct 13, 2025, 20:30 EDTUpdated: Oct 13, 2025, 20:34 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays are in rough shape.
On Monday evening, the Blue Jays took on the Seattle Mariners for Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, falling 10-3 to go down two games in the series. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one.
Things started poorly for the Blue Jays, as the opposing team scored the first run of the game for the first time this postseason. After Trey Yesavage hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch and walked Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez got the Mariners’ offence going with a three-run home run.
The Jays showed some fight their first time up. George Springer hit a lead-off double and was cashed in thanks to a single + error from Nathan Lukes. Alejandro Kirk stepped up to the plate and cashed in Lukes to cut the Mariners’ lead to one.
In the bottom of the second, Ernie Clement led off with a single and was moved to third thanks to back-to-back groundouts from Davis Schneider and Andrés Giménez. Springer drew a “walk”, and Lukes drove in Clement to tie the game at three.
It went downhill from there for the Blue Jays, as Yesavage began the fifth inning and gave up an infield single + error to Arozarena. With an open base, Raleigh was intentionally walked, with the Jays turning to Louis Varland. He got the first out, but allowed a three-run shot to Jorge Polanco to make it 6-3 for the Mariners.
The Mariners added a run in the top of the sixth and three runs in the top of the seventh, capped off by a Josh Naylor two-run home run.

Takeaways…

You’d expect a higher quality of umpiring in the American League Championship Series, but that wasn’t the case for Doug Eddings on Monday. Just before Yesavage hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch that would’ve been ball four, Yesavage clipped the outside corner of the strike zone on the 1-2 count. A home run eventually made it 3-0.
That said, it went both ways. Shortly before Nathan Lukes hit an RBI single to tie the game at three, George Springer earned a walk despite pitches #6 and #8 clearly being in the zone. Major League Baseball needs to set a standard, especially in crucial playoff games.
Although Eddings struggled behind the plate, it’s not why the Blue Jays lost. In the first, Daulton Varsho lined out to end the inning with Alejandro Kirk on first. After the Blue Jays tied the game at three, they had runners on the corners, just for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to ground out. The Jays’ next base runner came in the bottom of the fifth, but Lukes was stranded at second base.
After dominating the American League Divisional Series, it has been a tough start to the ALCS for Guerrero Jr. With a runner on second in the first, he grounded out and moved the runner to third. As noted in the last paragraph, Guerrero Jr. grounded out with the runners on the corners to end the inning. Guerrero Jr. then grounded out in the bottom of the fifth to move Lukes to second base. He walked to lead off the bottom of the eighth.
Lukes had a strong game after leaving Game 1 with a knee bruise. He went 3 for 4, hitting three singles, scoring a run and driving in another run.
Trey Yesavage had a tough start, giving up a total of five earned runs in 4+ innings of work. Three of the five runs got on base thanks to a walk or a hit by pitch, but the fifth and final run was an intentional walk. Still, not great.
Louis Varland gave up a home run, but was only tagged for one run despite it being the game-winning hit. Mason Fluharty allowed an earned run in his third of an inning of work. Braydon Fisher didn’t have a great outing either, finishing with two earned runs allowed and a strikeout.
Replacing Fisher was Yariel Rodríguez, who walked the bases loaded and was pulled for Chris Bassitt. Rodríguez was tagged with one earned run via sacrifice fly. Chris Bassitt made his 2025 postseason debut, striking out two and allowing an inherited runner to score in his inning and two-thirds. Eric Lauer got the final three outs.
The way this series has begun has reminded me of the 2016 American League Championship Series. In that series, the Blue Jays couldn’t generate any offence off a strong Cleveland Guardians pitching staff, as the Guardians went on to win in five games, before losing in the World Series.
With the loss, it’s settled that the Blue Jays have to win at least two games on the road in Seattle to return to Toronto. Game 3 is on Wednesday with an 8:08 PM ET start time. Shane Bieber is expected to start for the Jays, while George Kirby is the Mariners’ expected starter.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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