Mariners and Blue Jays ALCS proving the old adage that defence wins championships

"There is one game remaining in the 2025 ALCS and with Game 7 on tap for Monday evening, both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners will need to play their best game of the season. Throughout the series we have seen great pitching, mixed in with timely hitting and some spectacular defensive plays. One of the main reasons though, that Game 7 is now in play, is due to Game 6 boiling down to one team executing in the field in the most necessary situations while the other team couldn't do the same."

"In Game 4 it was the Blue Jays defence, and the Mariners poor baserunning decisions which led to some key outs en route to an 8-2 Blue Jays win to even the series at 2-2. After the Mariners came up with some big plays in Game 5, including a key 1-3 double play by Cal Raleigh, Seattle's defence was a let down in Game 6."

"The Mariners didn't exactly throw Game 6 away but they didn't help themselves with a couple of sloppy plays that directly led to Toronto adding runs on the board, and allowing them to once again even the series. It started in the bottom of the second when Daulton Varsho hit a single to centre field, which was misplayed by Julio Rodriguez, allowing Varsho to move up to second base."

"The very next batter, Ernie Clement smashed a ball at third baseman Eugenio Suárez who bobbled the ball and was late getting the throw to first, allowing Clement to reach on the error. Addison Barger then came to the plate and singled to drive in the games first run. Isiah Kiner-Falfea was the next batter and he hit a chopper to third that Suárez had to come in on, trying to bare hand the ball, but he couldn't come up with it."

Game 7 of the 2025 ALCS is scheduled for Monday evening, with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners needing top performances. The series has featured strong pitching, timely hitting, and notable defensive plays. Defensive execution determined Game 6, as the Blue Jays capitalized on Mariners' misplays. In Game 4, Blue Jays defense and Mariners' baserunning errors produced key outs in an 8-2 Toronto win. Seattle produced important defensive moments in Game 5, including a Cal Raleigh 1-3 double play, but defensive lapses in Game 6, including misplays by Julio Rodriguez and Eugenio Suárez, led directly to Blue Jays runs and an early lead for starter Trey Yesavage.

Read at Jays Journal