Toronto – The Toronto Blue Jays opened the American League Championship Series (ALCS) with a disappointing 3–1 loss to the Seattle Mariners at home on Sunday night, and U.S. media outlets wasted no time in reacting with a mix of analysis, banter, and pointed critique of the Jays’ performance. The best-of-seven series got off to a rocky start for Toronto, which managed just two hits on the night, while the Mariners, fresh off an exhausting 15-inning ALDS win, showed no signs of fatigue.
The Seattle Times ran the headline “No rest, so what?”, celebrating the team’s resilience just 30 hours after their marathon postseason game against the Detroit Tigers. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh tied the game with a solo homer in the sixth inning, prompting Seattle podcast host Gary Hill Jr. to quip, “Swung on, blasted, right field, this is going to go, it is gone. Cal Raleigh, Oh Cal-nada… Cal has invaded Canada again and he has done it. It’s a brand-new ballgame.”
On Fox’s postgame panel, former Red Sox star David “Big Papi” Ortiz pointed to the Jays’ three-day layoff between series as a factor in their sluggish bats. “When I was swinging the bat hot, I don’t want a day off… It seems like the Blue Jays tonight, those three days off kind of affected them,” he said. Meanwhile, Alex Rodriguez praised Seattle’s flawless execution, saying, “Pitched well, they played solid defence… the little things made the difference.”
Yonder Alonso singled out switch hitter Jorge Polanco, who delivered two RBI singles, calling him “the shortest one to the baseball” and praising his ability to hit any pitch from either side of the plate.
Toronto’s decision to pull starter Kevin Gausman after just 76 pitches also drew scrutiny. Derek Jeter questioned the move, noting that giving up a home run to Raleigh was hardly reason to end a dominant outing. “He had 76 pitches, he gave up a home run, everybody gives up a home run at Cal Raleigh… who cares? When you’re in the opposing dugout and you have a starter that is absolutely dealing, if they go to the bullpen, you’re excited,” Jeter said. Rodriguez agreed, adding that the Mariners likely felt energized once Gausman exited. “The reason the Blue Jays did not win was not because of Gausman — it was because they didn’t hit anything,” he said.
As the game concluded, play-by-play announcer Joe Davis summed up the Mariners’ dominance: “Popped off, the Seattle Mariners retired 23 of the last 24, and in 100 pitches, shut down the Blue Jays in Game 1. 3–1 in Seattle.”
The win marks the Mariners’ first ALCS victory since 2001, giving them an early edge in the series while leaving Toronto searching for answers before Game 2.