Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made good on his promise to deliver for the city as the Toronto Blue Jays powered past the Seattle Mariners 6–2 on Sunday night, forcing a thrilling Game 7 at Rogers Centre. The decisive matchup, set for Monday at 8:08 p.m., will determine who advances to the World Series — a stage Toronto hasn’t reached in decades.
“This city deserves it — I’m born ready and I want it all for them,” Guerrero told Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae moments after the final out. His fifth-inning home run electrified the crowd and cemented Toronto’s momentum in what became one of the team’s most complete performances of the postseason.
Rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage held steady under pressure, giving up six hits and two runs while striking out seven in six gritty innings. The Blue Jays’ defense turned three consecutive double plays between the third and fifth innings, stifling Seattle’s scoring chances and drawing roars from the home crowd.
On offense, the Jays struck early. Addison Barger drove in Daulton Varsho with a sharp single in the second inning, then followed with a two-run homer in the third after Ernie Clement’s triple. Guerrero’s solo shot in the fifth stretched Toronto’s lead and set the tone for the rest of the night.
Seattle’s Mississauga-born slugger Josh Naylor gave local fans mixed feelings when he homered in the sixth, but by then Toronto’s lead was too commanding to overcome.
The Blue Jays now face a historic opportunity — just the second Game 7 in franchise history, the last coming in the 1985 AL Championship Series. Shane Bieber will take the mound for Toronto, with the Mariners countering with George Kirby in what promises to be an unforgettable clash at Rogers Centre.