AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: MARINERS VS BLUE JAYS

October 12, 2025

John Schneider

Rogers Centre

Toronto Blue Jays

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Mariners 3, Blue Jays 1

Q. What did you make of how Gausman looked there through his five and two-thirds?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I thought he was good. Good stretch there, retiring a few -- more than a few in a row.

You're kind of getting into game state, inning state. I wish there was a little bit more swing-and-miss. You've got a fully rested bullpen and wanted him to get Julio. It's kind of pick your poison there. I was kind of reading the situation after the walk. You try to squash it. You're not expecting a wild pitch and things like that.

But I thought Kev threw the ball really well. Kind of did what we expected him to do.

Q. Was that swing-and-miss and chasing the strikeout the main idea behind that move to Little there?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, you're trying to read the situation, and every game is different. Yeah, kind of wanted to turn Polanco around. I think in hindsight, you try to make him chase one more time with Naylor sitting there on deck, and those are things you learn from going into tomorrow.

But we talk about everything before the game, and you try to just read it in real time, not ignoring what Kev did and not ignoring what you think is going to happen when you bring a guy in.

Q. What was it that you liked about turning Polanco around in that situation?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I think it's -- I know Kev had retired him twice. Get it, totally get it.

I think it's a good thing that turn switch hitters around at times, and I think it depends on who you're bringing in and what they're going to be featuring, too, so that's what made sense in the moment.

Q. As far as the offense, it felt like you kind of had Miller on the ropes there in that first inning and then there was a seven-pitch inning, a few eight-pitch innings. It seemed like you let him off the look. What did you see?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, obviously, Georgie gets it going first pitch and he was good. He adjusted, threw a lot more splitters, sliders. I thought we took some good swings, hit some balls at people a little bit, didn't have a whole lot of batted ball luck, if you want to call it that, but he did a good job. This pitching staff has good stuff. He's definitely one of them, and I think he did a good job of kind of flipping the script.

There's a fine line of trying to wait them out knowing they're depleted. I get it. They used a lot of guys in their last game for sure, but you want guys to kind of stay aggressive to what they're going up there to do, so you give them credit for making an adjustment and pitching really well.

Q. Did you consider walking Raleigh?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: I think every time he comes to the plate I'm considering it, to be honest with you, you know, watching the at-bat before. I think if it comes down to -- great hitters and hitters in general, I think they capitalize on mistakes, and that split from Kev kind of just leaked back over the middle a little bit.

But I think Julio Rodriguez is a really good hitter, too, so in real time, you're trying to -- if Kev executes, I think he gets him out like he did the at-bat before, so we wanted to let him try to do it again.

Q. Just wondering how Nathan Lucas is doing after exiting the game?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: He's doing all right. He had X-rays. He had a CT scan. Negative for a fracture. His knee was pretty sore, obviously. Nate is one of those guys, he doesn't want to come out of a game ever. I think if he's medically good to play tomorrow, he'll be in there. There's no fracture or anything, but that was a hell of an at-bat after -- before and after fouling the ball off his knee, so we'll see how he is tomorrow.

Q. With the 27 pitches in the first inning, and Mike alluded to basically 27 pitches to get through the next three innings, the Jays did have good approaches and were hitting line drives. What do you think about the approach of the Jays' hitters in this game when you've got a guy on the ropes there and it's such a close game?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, man, it's a fine line always; know what I mean? I think we've done a really good job of not taking the bat out of guys' hands. You don't want to get passive. You don't want to deviate from what you're doing. Sometimes major league pitchers make good pitches; know what I mean? And the ball doesn't go where you plan on it going.

It's a double-edged sword. I don't think anyone on their staff over there is worth trying to wait him out and go on to the next guy. They're going to bring another guy that's going to be really good, too. So I thought our approach was fine. I think our approach shows over the course of the year and into the postseason that we're a really good offense. Today it just didn't work out.

Q. Quickly on George in the first there. Were you expecting him to go up and try to blitz Miller like that, and what was your view of that at-bat?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, Georgie has a good plan. He's been doing this for a while. That moment was cool. He always knows what he's going to do before the game starts. My view, it's an impressive swing to basically hit a no-doubter the other way.

Yeah, Georgie has got a lot of lead-off homers.

Q. Does the result tonight put more pressure on Yesavage tomorrow?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: No, I don't think so. This is going to be a hard-fought series, man. These guys will be ready for it. I've said it a million times. They're going to be ready to play tomorrow. It does not put any extra pressure on Trey. It's another game. We're trying to figure out a way to win four, and I think Trey will be up for it tomorrow. I think our guys will be up for the challenge to kind of show what we've been doing all year offensively tomorrow, as well.