AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: MARINERS VS BLUE JAYS

October 18, 2025

Logan Gilbert

Rogers Centre

Seattle Mariners

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. What's it mean to you to start a potential clinching game and have the opportunity to send your team to the World Series?

LOGAN GILBERT: Yeah, it's huge. It's been such a long year. Just to get to this point is amazing. But to be the one to have the ball, you grow up dreaming of moments like this, and you don't know how many you'll get over the course of your career. Some guys never get this. So it's a really big deal and hopefully just contribute to the team.

Q. How much do you think it helped you getting back in your regular routine now after pitching in the 15-inning game?

LOGAN GILBERT: Yeah, it's nice. A lot of us, it's the first time doing different things, Woo the other day, Bryce on short rest. So that's the playoffs and that's kind of the fun of it too. But we're kind of creatures of habit too, so it's nice being back in the normal routine and -- even pitching here last time and now coming back here, so just a little familiarity.

Q. How tough was it to bounce back from that?

LOGAN GILBERT: Like, arm -- like, health and all that? It was fine. It wasn't too bad. I think there's so much adrenaline now, so the day after, you kind of pay the price a little bit because it's masked or whatever from the adrenaline, but it's also a good thing that anytime you're out there, you usually feel pretty good. So, honestly, it really wasn't too bad.

Q. As you've looked at the Blue Jays lineup again over this week, what is the identity when you look at them compared to an average lineup? Like, what's their thing that you really have to attack?

LOGAN GILBERT: Well, I mean, identity-wise, I think they're the lowest in strikeouts in the league, I'm pretty sure, so that sticks out, for sure. Most of their lineup's fairly aggressive. I mean, things to attack, I can't really say too much (laughing). I think it's nice to know the other team, it's nice to know maybe strengths or weaknesses, but I think as a pitcher, you always have to know what we do really well, what our identity is too, and any small adjustments to make to the other team, it's worth considering. But for the most part, we kind of do what we do to make us successful.

Q. On that, your rotation attacks the zone a lot. They're very aggressive, make a lot of contact. What is the cat-and-mouse game of kind of staying in the zone and balancing your aggression with their aggression?

LOGAN GILBERT: Yeah, that's a good point. We have seen that a lot this series. It's somewhere in the middle. I think you know the situation of the game too. We never want to shy away from what we do, and getting good counts is huge, but also knowing there's some freedom to go to our spots when we have those situations. There's been some discussions about that, just from other starters or guys that have gotten in the game, what they have seen too.

So it's not one or the other, it's somewhere in the middle, but I think it's kind of situational too.

Q. What is kind of the emotions after last night's win, the flight coming here today? When does yesterday's game kind of get put in the rear view? How does it kind of linger into today for you?

LOGAN GILBERT: Yeah, that's a good point. I mean, it's so much excitement. That's an all-time game. Like, we'll be talking about that decades from now. And just to be a part of it, like, be there to watch as a fan, almost, is crazy.

We're still a long ways away. Like, we're nine long innings away from where we want to be, and I think everybody gets that. There was no panic after losing one or two at home, and I don't think there was, like, this unbelievable high that we can't get past either. I think this team's been really good, especially in the playoffs, of being just present, like, today, this game, that's all there is. I think that's hopefully going to continue.

Q. You guys intentionally walked Vlady twice yesterday. I was wondering as a pitcher, how disappointing is it when you get those marching orders rather than wanting to attack him coming in with your best stuff?

LOGAN GILBERT: I mean, he's a good hitter. Like I said earlier, a lot of stuff is situational, but it's fun too in the moment. Like, this is stuff you dream of. If there's guys on base and Vlad's up to bat, he's one of the best hitters in the league. It's not probably the ideal situation, but in a moment like this, it's kind of just everybody out there is the ultra competitor and wants situations where everything is on the line. Sometimes it goes great. Sometimes it doesn't.

But it's fun having amazing hitters up in the box or facing really good lineups because it's, like, this is the kind of stuff you dream of. It's where you really get to find out about yourself. With that said, it's not the worst pitching around him sometimes too to get to the next guy.

Q. It seems like there's a lot of mutual respect between the Mariners and the Blue Jays. How has that shaped the dynamic of this series compared to maybe a more heated series?

LOGAN GILBERT: Yeah, I mean, there's just the history going back the last few years, at least when I've been here, and the Wild Card series, and we always have really competitive games during the season. Their fans travel really well to Seattle, unfortunately, so there's a lot of that too.

I think we both know that we both seem to play really complete brands of baseball, I would say, from pitching, defense, hitting. Like, it's not just one or two players going out there. So I think we kind of see a little bit of each other in ourselves, maybe. I can't speak for everyone, but that's just kind of the opinion I have.

So I know that they're in a really tough division too, and they have put themselves on the map, especially this year with what they're doing, so there's definitely some respect there.

Q. You mentioned adrenaline. Is that something that can be managed or even leveraged in your favor when you have a night like last night? And what's that balance like between trying to do that with staying on task with the nine innings ahead of you guys?

LOGAN GILBERT: Yeah, I mean, in the moment it's a huge balance. The playoffs is so much momentum-based that I think you have to ride with the momentum, and moments like Geno's home run, Cal's home run, that stuff's huge. But actually in the moment, the adrenaline's great for your body, your sharpness in your mind, that kind of stuff, but you don't ever want to try too hard in the moment. I know that sounds kind of weird, but you have to know that even in the biggest moment in the playoffs, you have to do the exact same thing the same way that you've been doing the whole season. And I think we have seen that with a lot of our guys and the way they treat big situations. Geno's probably the best example of he knows exactly what makes him successful, not trying to overdo it, he said that in his post game presser I think, and just keeping it simple, and that's what helps us out in the moment.

Q. How did that plane ride rate on the scale of everyone sleeping versus everybody still kind of amped up?

LOGAN GILBERT: On the flight? I don't think there was much sleeping. After a game like that it's tough. But like I said, you got to ride the momentum when it's there.

Q. Not sure whether you saw Dave Roberts kind of lean in a little last night after the win about the ruining of baseball that his team has been accused of. He said, Let's get four more wins and really ruin baseball. I'm just wondering, do you feel like that, is there any truth in that statement? What do you think of the accusations that the Dodgers are ruining baseball?

LOGAN GILBERT: I didn't see that one. That's a question I want to be maybe careful about what I say, but -- honestly, I don't have anything bad to say, I think it's just a very loaded issue right now. I think it's great when really good players get paid a lot of money. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. And it's fun for the people in it, at least. I don't know what fans think, really, but if we're fortunate enough to win one more game I think it's exactly what you dream of. And in the hundreds of years of baseball, like this could be the best team ever in the Dodgers that we could get to go against. Like that's the opportunity you dream of. So personally I think it's great, but I don't know what other people think.

Q. Along those lines, what are your thoughts on what Shohei Ohtani did last night as a pitcher and a hitter?

LOGAN GILBERT: Unbelievable. I mean, I think he's by far the best player that's ever played the game. I know other people have different opinions too. But in the moment too, like that's a clinching game in the NLCS, against a really good team, a first place team, and he can go and do things like that where he just kinds of sets himself up above the rest of the competition, even elite players on the same stage. So it is really fun to watch. I don't love watching home run highlights, but, I mean, it is fun to see what he's doing.