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Blue Jays need to make home field count again in the ALCS

Originally posted on Bluejaysnation | By Veronica Chung | Last updated Oct 12, 2025 10:00 AM ET

It all comes down to this – the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners are replicating their 2022 playoff matchup in this 2025 ALCS, with a berth in the World Series on the line.

If 2022 serves as any bitter reminder, Toronto let Seattle celebrate their playoff victory after a surprising two-game sweep at Rogers Centre. For this series, the Blue Jays can’t give away their home-field advantage to the Mariners if they want any chance at continuing their revenge tour.

In 166 games so far this year, including the playoff run, the Blue Jays are 56-37 in Toronto, proving that they haven’t really let many rivals stomp on their grounds. The team continued the “this is our house” narrative in the ALDS as they won both games at Rogers Centre against the New York Yankees before heading to the East Coast to finish things off. The environment at Rogers Centre is also impeccable, with passionate fans showing up to support Canada’s team each game.

By and large, this Toronto team has a 2-4 record against Seattle this year, showcasing that they may be a better team this time around. This is a valuable record to build on because Toronto wasn’t always successful against its west-coast rival. Back in 2022, the Mariners had an upper hand with a 5-2 record, and in 2023, the record was evenly split at 3-3. The narrative sways in favour of Seattle, and with that, Toronto was pushed aside for years. Even for this playoff prediction in The Athletic, the Seattle Mariners had many writers’ votes for making it all the way, while the Blue Jays earned no mention.

WE'RE GOING TO THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES! #WANTITALL pic.twitter.com/8UkrKDVtng

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 9, 2025

However, the Blue Jays finally carved out their own spot in the playoffs by defeating the ever-powerful New York Yankees in the ALDS. Their playoff future became brighter because the team was able to win all games that took place at Rogers Centre. In that similar vein, Toronto can flip the script of the ALCS by winning all of its games on its home turf. This home-field advantage resonates even more because the Blue Jays have the home-field advantage again, giving them one more opportunity to avenge.

Luckily for Toronto, this won’t be a three-game series where losing two games will terminate their season. Rather, this is a long game that ultimately tests which team has the best endurance and mid-term strategy that can outsmart its opponent. The Mariners won’t get an easy way out this time, unlike in 2022, and will have to put their overall team strength to the test.

The Blue Jays have all the advantage they need now. With Seattle landing in Toronto after a gruelling ALDS series that saw them go 15 innings on Friday evening, Toronto can try to test this turnaround and play up its strength at Rogers Centre. Besides, the Blue Jays’ pitchers have a clear understanding of how the field and the stadium impact their abilities– this should also give the team some advantage in outduelling the Mariners’ lineup.

The phrase “strike while the iron is hot” was invented for this exact moment. Yes, the Mariners are still a good team that shouldn’t be underestimated, but they are also not in the best spot to be putting out their best game after a long battle of their own. What better time is there for Toronto to strike first and set the tone of the series?

The Blue Jays’ revenge tour simply can’t end with the Mariners’ supremacy. To have a successful playoff run, Toronto must conquer its nemesis, Seattle, on its way. Without that victory, this postseason may turn into the kind of memory that everyone wants to forget. Punching a World Series ticket lies in one thing now: win at home.

If the 2025 Blue Jays want any shot at making history, that’s the only path they have in front of them. It’s that simple.

This article first appeared on Bluejaysnation and was syndicated with permission.

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