MLB playoff predictions: Expert picks for ALCS between Mariners and Blue Jays
The best-of-seven series gets underway Sunday
By
Kate Feldman
•
2 min read
Two uncommon foes will face off in the next round of the 2025 MLB playoffs as the Seattle Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays go head-to-head in the ALCS, which gets underway Sunday. The Blue Jays got here by winning the AL East in a tight race over the New York Yankees, then beat those same Yankees in four games in the ALDS. They haven't been to the ALCS since 2016 and haven't been to the World Series since 1993. The Mariners, meanwhile, won the AL West, then took down the Detroit Tigers in a five-game ALDS that included a wild 15-inning Game 5. They haven't been to the ALCS since 2001 and have never won the AL pennant. In fact, they're the only MLB team to have never participated in the World Series.
Before Game 1 kicks off, your CBS Sports MLB experts are here to predict how the best-of-seven series will go.
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Below are picks from our MLB writers for the American League Championship Series, plus odds for each series from FanDuel.
Mariners vs. Blue Jays
(FanDuel odds: Mariners +134, Blue Jays -158)
Matt Snyder: I really had no idea what to do. This is an incredibly unpredictable series with two great offenses. The Blue Jays have worse pitching, generally, but the Mariners' pitching is in shambles for Game 1 following that epic ALDS Game 5 in Seattle. I'll say the Blue Jays win the first two games in Toronto, partially due to the ALDS Game 5 hangover, and the Mariners just don't have enough series to recover. Pick: Blue Jays in 7
R.J. Anderson: I agree with Snyder on everything he wrote. This is a coin flip. One wild card that I'll add to the equation: the possibility that Bryan Woo rejoins the Mariners pitching staff. If he can make it back and be effective -- no guarantees on either part -- he could be the deciding factor. Pick: Mariners in 7
Mike Axisa: I was leaning Blue Jays even before the Mariners vs. Tigers ALDS was over. The Mariners ripping through their pitching staff in Game 5, and potentially putting themselves in a bind in Games 1 of 2 of the ALCS, is enough to tip the scales toward Toronto for me. It's a really tough offense given their blend of contact and power, and they've had a few days to rest and set up their pitching staff. Trey Yesavage is a difference-maker already. If the Mariners can steal Game 1 and/or 2, then we'll have a series. I'm going with the Blue Jays because their offense can put up crooked numbers against a tired pitching staff quickly. Pick: Blue Jays in 6
Dayn Perry: These teams seem pretty evenly matched to me. I do see the Jays as a marginally better team overall -- they had a better record and better run differential during the regular season against a somewhat tougher schedule. I'll also consider the fatigue factor with the Jays having more rest than Seattle is coming into this series. Pick: Blue Jays in 7
