When the Toronto Blue Jays play in Seattle, it almost feels like a neutral field.
Thousands of western Canadians generally flock to T-Mobile Park to see their country’s lone major league team.
While economic and political factors might stop some Canadians this year, a robust following for the Blue Jays still is expected when the team opens a three-game series against the Mariners on Friday night.
It also happens to be a rematch of last year’s American League Championship Series, which the Blue Jays won in seven games.
“I think it will be good for us,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “It brings you back to that heightened sense of awareness and competitiveness. It brings you back to a really, really emotional time last year. I think it will be good to be back there. They’re a damn good team. We like playing there, and we enjoy the atmosphere there. I think it will be good for the guys, honestly.”
The underperforming Blue Jays, who had a day off Thursday, lost six games in a row before taking two of three from the visiting New York Mets this week. Sean Keys and Myles Straw each hit a three-run homer in Wednesday’s 9-3 Toronto victory.
It was the first career home run for Keys, who was playing in just his third MLB game.
“That was unbelievable,” he said. “Vlad (Guerrero Jr.) brought up the (home-run) jacket. I was seeing it before the game, but I didn’t know if it would be a reality to be able to wear that. … It was awesome to be able to celebrate with them.”
Despite their 41-46 record, the Blue Jays are only 3 1/2 games behind Seattle (45-43) in the race for the AL’s third and final wild-card berth.
The Mariners are coming off a three-game sweep of the visiting Los Angeles Angels. Seattle won 1-0 Thursday as Bryce Miller took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and batterymate Cal Raleigh brought home the game’s lone run on a bases-loaded walk in the sixth.
The Mariners snapped a franchise-record-tying streak of 13 games with three runs or less last weekend against Cleveland before managing just two hits Thursday.
“To say runs were a premium (Thursday) would be an understatement,” Seattle manager Dan Wilson said.
The Mariners, who have dealt with health concerns for much of the season, will be without All-Star center fielder Julio Rodriguez after he was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list on Friday.
Rodriguez was hit in the back of the helmet by an errant throw from Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel while running the bases in the first inning on Thursday.
In a corresponding move, the Mariners selected the contract of utility man Miles Mastrobuoni from Triple-A Tacoma.
The series opener between the 1977 expansion brethren is set to feature a pair of right-handers in the Blue Jays’ Dylan Cease (4-4, 3.02 ERA) and the Mariners’ Luis Castillo (3-6, 4.93).
Cease took a 7-4 loss Saturday against visiting Texas, giving up four runs over 4 2/3 innings. He allowed just four hits but walked five in addition to his 10 strikeouts. Cease is 0-0 with a 4.82 ERA in two career starts against Seattle.
Castillo is coming off a 3-1 victory last Friday in Cleveland. He allowed one run on four hits in six innings, with one walk and four strikeouts. Castillo is 2-3 with a 4.68 ERA in six previous starts against Toronto.
–Field Level Media
