The ‘Vladdy Show’ Rolls On: Why the Blue Jays Are Now ‘Without a Doubt’ ALCS Favorites
The tide has officially turned. After being down 0-2 and heading west, your Toronto Blue Jays have roared back to level the ALCS at 2-2, crushing the Seattle Mariners 13-4 and 8-2 in consecutive blowout victories.
With Game 5 looming tonight in Seattle, Toronto holds all the momentum. And according to ESPN’s veteran baseball writer Buster Olney, the Blue Jays are now the clear team to beat.
Blue Jays Hold All the Cards Heading into Game 5
Appearing on TSN1050’s First Up, Olney didn’t mince words about the state of the series: “The Blue Jays are the favorites, without a doubt.”
His confidence is built on a few undeniable factors:
- Explosive Offense: The Jays’ bats, led by the record-breaking power surge of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., have been scorching hot, combining for 21 runs and 29 hits in the last two games—a massive leap from their struggles in Games 1 and 2.
- Pitching Advantage: Toronto has their ace scheduled to pitch in the upcoming crucial game, setting them up perfectly to take a commanding series lead back to the familiar confines of the Rogers Centre.
The Legend of ‘Mad Max’
A huge part of the momentum shift was the performance of veteran starter Max Scherzer in Game 4. Despite being 41, having not pitched in nearly three weeks, and carrying a 9.00 ERA over his final six regular-season starts, the future Hall of Famer delivered a spectacular and theatrical performance.
Scherzer battled through 5.2 innings of two-run ball, showing his trademark intensity. The most talked-about moment? When he screamed at manager John Schneider during a mound visit, demanding to stay in the game.
“You had no idea what he was going to give you,” Olney said. “Then he’s screaming at his manager coming out to the mound… and I love the video of all the Blue Jays trying to imitate Scherzer and what he was yelling and they’re just laughing at his intensity.”
Schneider himself later called Scherzer a “psycho,” but the sentiment was pure admiration. This vintage performance, complete with a pick-off and a career-high-tying four strikeouts on his curveball, injected the entire team with an electric, winner’s confidence.
Mariners Manager Facing the Heat
While the Blue Jays are soaring, the Mariners are reeling, suffering from self-inflicted wounds. Olney pointed to base-running gaffes and questionable managerial decisions by Seattle’s Dan Wilson as major reasons for their collapse.
“They made a lot of mistakes in that game last night,” Olney said, citing an inexcusable out at third base and a pick-off.
But the biggest head-scratcher was the quick hook of veteran All-Star starter Luis Castillo after just 48 pitches. Castillo, who had a sterling 1.40 career playoff ERA before Thursday, was visibly confused and left the ballpark without addressing the media—a move that “spoke volumes” to Seattle reporters.
Wilson’s aggressive management in quickly turning to the bullpen, even burning the Mariners’ top relievers while already down four runs, has left their pitching staff exposed for the critical games ahead.
Can Seattle Strike Back?
Despite the clear advantage for the Jays, this unpredictable series has seen the road team win every game so far. For the Mariners to reclaim momentum, they need their star power to emerge.
“Tonight what I really think needs to happen is that the big boys in the Seattle lineup—[Cal] Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez, [Eugenio] Suarez—those guys have to do damage tonight,” Olney concluded. “I just don’t know if you can slow down the Toronto bats.”
With the series balanced and an energized Blue Jays team smelling blood, all of Canada will be watching to see if Toronto can convert their newfound momentum into a pivotal Game 5 win.
Do you agree with Buster Olney? Are the Blue Jays officially the favorites to win the ALCS and book their ticket to the World Series?