The Toronto Blue Jays evened their American League Championship Series (ALCS) with the Seattle Mariners in Game 4, recording their second come-from-behind victory in as many nights.
The 8-2 win was punctuated by standout performances by pitcher Max Scherzer, shortstop fill-in Andres Gimenez, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.—who now has the most home runs in a single post-season in franchise history.
Toronto will look to keep the momentum going again Friday night when they play Game 5 in Seattle. The series shifts back to Toronto for Game 6 on Sunday, and possible Game 7 on Monday.
Here’s what some U.S. media are saying about last night’s game:
‘When the manager tried to take him out of the game…WOW!’
Scherzer, infamously known as “Mad Max,” hadn’t pitched a game in almost a month before Thursday’s start and was notably left off the roster for the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.
However, the rest appeared to be a blessing for the 41-year-old. David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox great and MLB on Fox panelist) commented on Scherzer’s body language before the game, noting how he meticulously prepared for maybe the biggest start of his career and was seen warming up without a ball at one point.
“His body language today was something else…you expected what he did tonight,” Ortiz said.
In what became one of the most dramatic points of the game, manager John Schneider jogged out to the mound for a visit with Scherzer in a two-out situation the middle of the fifth inning. While it’s unclear exactly what was said, Scherzer appeared to be yelling at Schneider to stay in the game.
“When the manager tried to take him out of the game…WOW!” Ortiz remarked.
Scherzer would throw for 5 2/3 innings, recorded five strikeouts and was charged with two runs Thursday night. It was his first playoff win in six years.
“When the manager tried to take him out of the game…. WOW!”
The crew talk about Max Scherzer’s gutsy performance in the Blue Jays 8-2 win in Seattle pic.twitter.com/sX4eple44B
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 17, 2025
Speaking directly to hall of famer Derek Jeter after the game on the MLB on Fox broadcast, Scherzer said he told Schneider: “I wanted the ball and I basically told him that in a little bit different language.”
“I wanted the ball and I basically told him that in a little bit different language” 😊
Max Scherzer talks about his conversation with John Schneider in the 5th inning 😆 pic.twitter.com/4lk7jtOoDd
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 17, 2025
For his part, Schneider said his interaction with Scherzer was “awesome.”
“I thought he was going to kill me. It was great,” Schneider said post-game.
‘Unbelievable’: MLB Network takes closer look at Scherzer’s stats
The MLB Network broke down Scherzer’s performance in Game 4, noting that the two-time World Series champion now has the fifth-most post-season strikeouts in MLB history.
“500th career start for Max Scherzer. Regular season, post-season. Might have been his last, let’s hope not. Over 50,000 pitches he’s thrown in the majors. Unbelievable,” said host Adnan Virk.
Seattle now ‘guaranteed return trip to Canada’
Ryan Divish, a staff reporter for the Seattle Times, wrote in Friday’s paper that the Mariners’ thought of clinching their first-ever berth in the World Series at home slipped away Thursday night.
“The now-questionable thinking they might end the American League Championship Series in five games or fewer has been replaced by the realization of a guaranteed return trip to Canada — something nobody associated with the Mariners wanted to happen,” he wrote.
The Mariners are the only MLB team that has never played in a World Series.
“All the feel-good stories about a moribund franchise finally getting it right and breaking through in the post-season might have been a little premature. After winning the first two games in Toronto, building the growing hype into hysteria, everything about their play since returning to Seattle has been the complete opposite.”
Guerrero is Jays’ ‘star of stars’
Former Blue Jay and current MLB Network analyst Mark DeRosa took a closer look at what’s made Guerrero Jr. such a heavy hitter in this series, and said it all comes down to his consistency.
“We know, on a daily basis, how great Vladimir Guerrero is. But when someone drops half a billion dollars on somebody, I need more than just offence,” DeRosa said, referring to the $500 million, 14-year contract extension the slugger signed in April.
“What I think he’s shown to the world that people didn’t realize is…he’s more than just offence…he’s carrying them (the roster). I know they’re having quality at bats, but it’s all starting with their star, being the star of stars, on the biggest stage. It’s every night.”
He noted that Guerrero Jr. has the fifth-highest single-season post-season OPS (on-base plus slugging) at 1.470 and is currently 15 for 33 in the post season with just one strikeout.
A-Rod predicts Game 4 winner will advance to World Series
Before Game 4 got underway, Yankees legend and MLB on Fox panelist Alex Rodriguez made a bold prediction about the outcome.
“I will say, big picture, I believe the winner of tonight’s game will advance to the World Series. Because I think it will be very difficult to win back in Canada if you’re Seattle,” he said.
The odds appeared to be in Seattle’s favour heading into Game 3, as teams that win the first two games in a best-of-seven post-season series have won 78 out of 93 times (84 per cent).
However, according to the MLB, in the history of best-of-seven post-season series, teams that win Game 3 when facing a 2-0 deficit go on to win the series 14 of 53 times (26 per cent).