Mariners-Blue Jays 2022 Wild Card Collection Recreation 2 FAQ

October 8, 2022

TORONTO — The Mariners are one win away from the ALDS, they usually’ll ship a former Blue Jays ace to the mound to attempt to seal the set.

If the Mariners can preserve the momentum set by Luis Castillo and their offense, they are going to be in an excellent place to expedite a date with the Astros within the ALDS. Ray, who gained a Cy Younger Award with Toronto final 12 months, will play an enormous function in these plans.

“I deal with each recreation the identical,” he mentioned forward of Recreation 1. “I’m going on the market, and my objective is to place up zeros and provides my group an opportunity to win. Get as deep as I can into video games — whatever the scenario, that is my primary objective.”

The important thing for the Blue Jays shall be to re-ignite the offense, which struggled for only one extra-base hit and went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring place on Friday.

“You count on them to come back out with the identical power, the identical mentality, the identical focus,” mentioned Blue Jays interim supervisor John Schneider after Friday’s loss. “Flush it and transfer on. They will be able to go.”

When is the sport and the way can I watch it?

Recreation 2: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, ESPN (Sportsnet in Canada)
Recreation 3 (if vital): Sunday, 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, ABC (Sportsnet in Canada)

All collection can be found within the US on MLB.TV with authentication to a taking part Pay TV supplier. Video games aren’t accessible stay internationally (archives can be found roughly 90 minutes after the sport ends).

What are the beginning lineups?

Mariners: With one other righty going for Toronto, Seattle supervisor Scott Servais rolled out a considerably comparable lineup for Recreation 2, with Adam Frazier transferring as much as No. 6 and Carlos Santanta and Jarred Kelenic sliding down a spot. A day after crushing a two-run homer off starter Alek Manoah within the first inning, Cal Raleigh will hit cleanup for simply the third time this season.

Blue Jays: With Robbie Ray on the mound for the Mariners, the Blue Jays loaded up on right-handed bats by transferring Santiago Espinal into the lineup and sliding Whit Merrifield to the outfield, taking the place of Raimel Tapia.

In any other case, Toronto’s batting order is much like what you noticed in Recreation 1. Since Danny Jansen caught Gausman in every of his final two regular-season begins, he bought the nod behind the plate, with Alejandro Kirk beginning at DH. 

Who’re the beginning pitchers?

Mariners: Ray makes a much-anticipated return to Toronto to face the group that he gained the AL Cy Younger Award with final season, and in a venue the place he has a profession 2.49 ERA and 89 strikeouts over 65 innings throughout 10 begins. Making issues much more attention-grabbing is that he’ll be squaring off in opposition to Gausman, the pitcher the Blue Jays signed to switch him. Although he hasn’t replicated his top-shelf efficiency from final 12 months, Ray has been largely what the Mariners hoped for in his debut season in Seattle, with a 3.71 ERA and 212 strikeouts over 32 begins.

Blue Jays: Gausman left his ultimate begin of the season with a reduce on his proper center finger, however that’s not a difficulty and the right-hander is anticipated to pitch with none restrictions in Recreation 2. The veteran right-hander completed his season with a 3.35 ERA however was so usually the sufferer of poor luck with batted balls. With a strikeout fee of 10.6 Ok/9 and stroll fee of 1.6 BB/9, Gausman’s peripheral numbers have been glorious.

It’s all in regards to the splitter for Gausman, which the Mariners ought to see a gentle dose of in Recreation 2. The massive items of the Blue Jays’ bullpen must be recent, too, so Toronto is lined up very nicely from a pitching standpoint, even dealing with Ray.

“Dwelling-field benefit is large,” Gausman mentioned. “We’re going to depend on these Canadians to convey some power. … I like our lineup, I like our workers and our bullpen has been unbelievable all 12 months.”

How will the bullpens line up after the starters?

Mariners: Seattle solely deployed one reliever in Recreation 1, which units Servais up brilliantly for the potential collection clincher on Saturday. The reliever he used, nevertheless, was his highest-leverage reliever, Andrés Muñoz, who threw 22 high-stress pitches. If issues get dicey early, count on to see George Kirby put in in what could be his first reduction outing. The rookie righty was stellar this season, particularly within the second half, however the Mariners opted to make use of him out of the bullpen this spherical and begin Logan Gilbert in Recreation 3 after Kirby’s stuff diminished some in his ultimate regular-season outing.

Blue Jays: In Recreation 1, Toronto used 5 relievers in Tim Mayza, Yimi García, Zach Pop, Trevor Richards and Adam Cimber. All must be accessible for back-to-back days, however the excellent news is that Jordan Romano is recent. Romano has been utilized in a multi-innings function eight instances this season, and the Blue Jays gained’t draw back from using with their greatest arm.

Mariners: Rodríguez was hit by a pair of inside fastballs by Manoah, one on his proper wrist and the opposite his left hand. However due to the padding he wears, the star rookie was in a position to stay within the recreation and his standing isn’t a priority for Recreation 2. 

Blue Jays: Springer took a 97.9 mph fastball off his left wrist in Recreation 1, dropping to the bottom in a scary second. He stayed within the recreation, although, and postgame X-rays got here again unfavorable. He’s anticipated again within the lineup for Recreation 2, however that is nonetheless value monitoring forward of first pitch.

Who’s sizzling and who is just not?

Mariners: It’d be tough to discover a hotter hitter than Raleigh, who one week after sending Seattle to the postseason with a walk-off homer, crushed a decisive two-run blast in Recreation 1. Raleigh has 5 deep flies since sustaining a left thumb damage that has hampered him some when catching high-velocity and high-spin pitchers however hasn’t led to him commonly being out of the lineup.

Blue Jays: Friday’s offensive efficiency doesn’t go away any actual candidates for being “sizzling” offensively on this collection, as a lot of the Blue Jays’ base hits had been on weak contact, however they nonetheless have loads of candidates who’ve performed their greatest baseball down the stretch.

Bichette is recent off setting a Blue Jays report for essentially the most hits in a single month. Merrifield has rediscovered himself over the previous two weeks since stepping again into an on a regular basis function. Jansen was taking part in one of the best baseball of his profession in September and Springer’s success in October with the Astros is well-documented. Toronto wants at the least one to maintain rolling.

Guerrero Jr. remains to be who the Blue Jays are ready on, although. He had his moments in September however spent a lot of the month hitting too many floor balls, a difficulty that’s adopted him all season. Because the No. 3 hitter, he’ll have his alternative to vary the sport, and he must.

Anything I ought to know?

Mariners: MLB has solely a restricted historical past of three-game playoff collection, however the expanded postseason in 2020 did convey eight best-of-three Wild Card collection. Six of the eight groups that gained Recreation 1 in these collection superior. All six had been two-game sweeps. Nonetheless, the 2 groups that evened issues up in Recreation 2 (A’s vs. White Sox, Padres vs. Cardinals) went on to win Recreation 3. Both manner, the Mariners are in an excellent place however don’t need to take their foot off the gasoline.

Blue Jays: Alek Manoah could have tipped the Blue Jays’ pitching plans when he mentioned that Toronto has “Gausman going tomorrow and [Ross] Stripling after that…”, however no matter Recreation 3’s starter, each arm must be accessible for Recreation 2.

Avoiding a foul inning early is the important thing, although. An early deficit isn’t welcome, however the Mariners’ bullpen holds an edge over the Blue Jays. Toronto’s reduction group is deep, permitting Schneider to play the matchup recreation if issues are shut, however Seattle’s has true shutdown potential as we noticed in Recreation 1.

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