The Toronto Blue Jays are in trouble. After dropping both games at Rogers Centre to open the American League Championship Series, the Jays now trail the Seattle Mariners 2–0 and face a steep uphill battle as the series shifts to the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle followed a tight win in Sunday’s opener with a convincing 10–3 victory in Game 2, powered by home runs from Julio Rodríguez, Jorge Polanco, and Canadian Josh Naylor. The difference through two games has been clear: Seattle has executed in key moments, while Toronto has not.
The Mariners have outperformed the Blue Jays in nearly every facet. Their starting pitching has kept Toronto’s bats quiet, their bullpen has shut the door late, and their lineup has made the most of every mistake. Meanwhile, the Jays have struggled to find rhythm at the plate and haven’t been able to generate the timely hits needed to stay in games.
Defensively and on the mound, Toronto hasn’t looked as sharp as it did earlier in the postseason. Missed spots, fielding errors, and an inability to hold early leads have all contributed to the deficit. Against a confident and opportunistic Mariners team, those lapses have been costly.
Still, this series is far from over. The Blue Jays have the talent to respond — they simply need to rediscover their identity. That means attacking early in counts, stringing together quality at-bats, and playing clean, focused baseball. The pitching staff will need to set the tone in Game 3, limiting Seattle’s chances and giving the offense time to settle in.
Toronto has been here before — facing pressure and doubt — and responded. Now, they’ll need that same resilience on the road to keep their season alive.
Game 3 will be the true test of whether the Blue Jays can adjust, compete, and prove they still belong on baseball’s biggest stage.
