Going into game three of the ALCS, Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer was the wildcard. His opposite, Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo, was the known quantity. Castillo was making his third appearance and second start of the 2025 Postseason.
In his last outing, Castillo showed his versatility when he entered Game 5 of the ALDS as a relief pitcher, retired all four batters he faced, and earned the win. His last postseason start was a no-decision in Game 2 of the ALDS vs the Tigers. In that outing, Castillo pitched 4.2 innings, gave up one hit, zero runs, walked four batters, and struck out three. All signs pointed to a solid outing for Castillo.
Jays Sherzer was the wild card going into the game.
Scherzer, on the other hand, was making his first postseason appearance of the 2025 season. The outing was the first for the 40-year-old future Hall of Famer since September 24 versus the Boston Red Sox. Scherzer was left out of the Yankee series by Blue Jays Manager John Schneider.
“ I’m just really I’m proud of the way Max has handled everything, you know, from getting himself right physically, being left off the roster last series against the Yankees and handled on like a pro, and then coming out and performing like this. So that was big for everyone to go forward “,said Schneider after the game.
Both pitchers were determined and dialed in to start the game
Castillo was able to retire the Jays’ first three batters. Blue Jays lead off batter George Springer lined to left field, Nathan Lukes grounded to first, and the top half of the inning ended with Vladimir Guerrero Jr grounding out . It took Scherzer four batters and two walks to retire the Mariners’ first four batters in the bottom half of the inning. Rany Arozarena grounded out, and the Mariners looked like they were in business when Scherzer walked Carl Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez. Scherzer steadied himself and forced Jorge Polaco into a double play to end the inning.
Mariners gain temporary lead
Castillo looked like he was humming along when he allowed a single to Ernie Clement before shutting out the Blue Jays in the second inning. A Jos Naylor home run in the bottom of the second inning gave the Mariners their only lead of the game. Scherzer retired the next three batters.
Blue Jays’ bats come alive and take the lead for good
The Blue Jays took the lead for good in the top of the third on a Andres Gimenez home run that scored two runs. Gimenez’s HR brought in Kiner Falefa, who was on second after an inning-opening double. Singles to Lukes, Guerrero, and a walk to Kirk loaded the bases, and Castillo was replaced by George Speier, who gave up a bases-loaded walk for the 3-1 Blue Jays lead.
Pitching with a two-run lead gave life to Scherzer, who gave up a walk to Leo Rivas but gained an out when Arozarena lined out to left . Rivas was picked off at first, and Scherzer mesmerized Raleigh, who struck out swinging for the third out of the inning.
Blue Jays add more runs in the fourth.
A Kiner-Falefa single was followed up with a sacrifice bunt by Gimenze. George Springer’s double to left field scored Kiner-Falefa for the 4-1 lead. Luke’s grounded to third. Matt Brash entered the game for the Mariners and gifted the Blue Jays another run with a wild pitch. Guerrero ended the inning on a fly ball to right field, but the damage was already done as the Blue Jays extended their lead to 5-1
Scherzer turns back the hands of time
Scherzer showed why he is a future Hall of Fame first-ballot inductee with a masterful fourth inning. A Jorge Polanco flyout to right field followed a Julio Rodriguez strikeout. Scherzer’s only blemish of the inning was a single to Josh Naylor, which he cleaned up with a Eugenio Suarez strikeout. Dominic Canzone singled to center to start the bottom of the fifth inning, and J.P. Crawford flied out to center, and Rivas lined out to right field.
Scherzer stays in the game.
With two outs and a runner on a base, Blue Jays manager John Schneider visited the mound to check on Scherzer. A brief discussion in which Scherzer did most of the talking ended with the three-time Cy Young award winner staying in the game to face Arozarena.
“I’ve been waiting for that all year. for Max to Yelling, on the mountain. And I think at that point, you know, there’s numbers, there’s projections, there’s strategy and there’s people, “ Said Schneider after the game. “So I was trusting people, you know, and I think in that moment, you kind of relive every conversation I’ve had I’ve had with him over the course of the years”. Scherzer rewarded his manager’s trust by striking out Arozarena to end the inning.
Scherzer returned to face three batters in the bottom of the sixth before handing the ball over to Mason Fluharty. Scherzer’s pitching line was not a Hall-of-Fame number (5 ⅔ IP, 3 H, 2 ER), but it was good enough to help the Blue Jays even the ALCS at 2-2.
POST GAME NOTES
•After four games, the 2025 American League Championship Series between the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays is tied 2-2.
•
When a seven-game series is tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 has gone on to win the series 46 of 67 times (68.7%), including 15 of 21 times (71.4%)
in the LCS and six of eight times (75.0%) in the ALCS.
•The road team has won all four games in the series to begin the 2025 ALCS…Dating back to Game 3 of the 2022 ALCS, the road team has now won 15 of
the last 18 games in ALCS play.
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There have been just two seven-game Postseason series all-time to have the road team win all seven games: 2019 World Series (WSH vs. HOU)
and 2023 ALCS (TEX vs. HOU)…Current Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer was on the series winning team in both of those series.
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