The one factor that is exposing the Blue Jays in the ALCS

Aaron Raley

The one factor that is exposing the Blue Jays in the ALCS image

The Toronto Blue Jays have gone over three decades without hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy, not since Joe Carter's historic walk-off homer in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series to give the Jays their second straight title, and if the team can't gather their bearings in the at least two chances they have left at T-Mobile Park in Seattle against the Mariners in the 2025 American League Championship Series, they will have to add at least another year to that drought. 

The first two games in the Rogers Centre in Toronto have been all Seattle, with the M's taking Game 1 by a 3-1 score thanks to a home run by Cal Raleigh (because of course) as well as two runs batted in during the later stages by Jorge Polanco, and Game 2 again saw the AL West champions run away with the game in the latter innings, this time in a 10-3 victory. 

It's clear that with all of these late issues that there is one issue plaguing the Toronto Blue Jays: their bullpen. 

Bullpen Brutality in Toronto

In Game 1 of the ALCS, the Blue Jays threw ace Kevin Gausman, and through 5.2 innings, minus the home run surrendered to Raleigh, and walking the go-ahead run aboard in Julio Rodriguez, he did just fine. 

Brendon Little was then brought on, and after running a full count on Polanco, gave up the go-ahead run as J-Rod came around to score, and the Jays would later use up four additional arms out of the pen in the 3-1 loss, Toronto's only run support coming in the form of a George Springer solo homer in the bottom of the first. 

Game 2 wasn't entirely the bullpen's fault, as starting pitcher Trey Yesavage allowed five earned runs to cross the plate during his four-inning outing, and then the four arms used in relief each gave up at least one earned run, forcing Blue Jays manager John Schneider to throw starting pitchers Chris Bassitt and Eric Lauer to get them through the rest of the game. 

The Seattle Mariners are one of four teams in major league history to have never won a World Series championship. In fact, they've never even represented the American League in the Fall Classic, but with the way their play has been in the American League Championship Series against this faulty Blue Jays bullpen, their first trip could be a cake walk. 

Aaron Raley

Aaron Raley is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He recently graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism studies. Born and raised in Northeast Texas, Aaron has a passion for sports, including baseball, football, NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1 and UFC.