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“I was born ready”: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wants to make it to the World Series

Last night, the Blue Jays beat the Mariners. The result? The two teams will face off tonight in Game #7… with the right to face the Dodgers on baseball’s biggest stage at stake.

It’s going to be quite a show.

We know that Shane Bieber will be on the mound and that all the pitchers (except Trey Yesavage) will be available. We also know that George Kirby will start the game for the Mariners and that Bryan Woo will also be used in the game.

Once again, everyone (except perhaps Logan Gilbert) will be available.

But of course, all eyes will be on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He’s the undisputed leader of this club, and it’ll be up to him to rise to the occasion and qualify for the World Series.

Asked after yesterday’s game if he’d be ready, he was clear: I’m born ready.

And clearly, we believe him. After all, whoever scored twice yesterday, has two sure shots and has a point produced is simply unstoppable in the 2025 series.

The proof?

He has the best OPS of the series at 1.532. He has six home runs, a 2025 Series record. Only Aaron Judge and Gavin Lux (in seven and two games) have a better average than Junior at .462. He leads the league with his 12 playoff points.

And did we mention his only two strikeouts or 18 hits?

In the absence of Bo Bichette and Anthony Santander, and with George Springer’s recent knee injury, the pressure falls on his shoulders.

It remains to be seen how he’ll respond on the sidelines of the very first #7 match of his career.

PMLB
  • This club’s defense is incredible.

  • George Springer is ready for tonight.

  • Trey Yesavage did his job last night.

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Blue Jays stay alive: game #7 tomorrow

The Blue Jays were trying to avoid elimination tonight against the Seattle Mariners. The visitors were leading 3-2 going into the game.

Early in the game, it became clear that Trey Yesavage was in fine form. He needed barely twenty shots to get through the first two innings of the game.

Meanwhile, Toronto’s forwards did their job. Aided by the Mariners’ ugly defense, the Blue Jays brought traffic to the paths, which paid off.

Addison Barger and Isiah Kiner-Falefa both produced a run, which gave a two-run cushion to Yesavage, whose slider had the makings of a veteran – not a guy making his sixth career MLB start.

Clearly, the defense made the difference early in the game. The Mariners fell victim to good defensive plays by Daulton Varsho and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the third, so despite bases loaded and Cal Raleigh at bat, no runs were scored.

The Blue Jays didn’t need to bring in a left-hander to make Big Ass hit from his bad side, hehe.

At the end of the third, no one wanted to be thrown gum by Kevin Gausman: everyone was on their feet in the stands. But the Blue Jays were giving their fans reason to believe.

Ernie Clement hit a triple – which came close to a home run – and Addison Barger produced his second and third runs of the game via a home run. Yes, the Barger of the early season showed up at the stadium tonight.

Yesavage kept getting hit, but he always managed to get away. He was greatly helped by his defense. In the fourth, as in the third, a double play got the Blue Jays out of a bases-loaded situation.

And in the fifth, even though the bases were not loaded, Yesavage was STILL helped by his defense.

Despite the 4-0 score and his tendency to get his starters out quickly, Dan Wilson left Logan Gilbert in the game. And in the fifth, Vladdy made the Mariners pay by making it 5-0.

It was his sixth home run of the playoffs. Six career home runs in the playoffs is a franchise record along with Joe Carter and Jose Bautista for the $500 million man. And Vladdy did it in just one playoff run…

In the sixth, Yesavage allowed a home run to Josh Naylor and got Randy Arozarena on base. This resulted in the pitcher exiting after 5.2 innings.

But he’d done his job, fetching 17 of the game’s 27 outs while giving up just two runs – if you count Arozarena’s run, scored after the Blue Jays starter had left.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added another in the seventh. While in scoring position, he spun to third base following a shot by the opposing pitcher that went unchecked by Cal Raleigh. A bad throw to third allowed Junior to score.

It was a third error for the Mariners tonight, and it shows that Vladdy is really on form for the 2025 series.

It should be noted that, afterwards, it was Jeff Hoffman who came into the game in the eighth inning to face the heart of the Seattle Marinerreurs lineup. The manager learned from game #5.

And it worked: we were treated to a 1-2-3 inning in the eighth.

Hoffman came back in the ninth inning and confirmed his team’s 6-2 victory. This means that tomorrow night in Toronto, the two teams will face off in game #7.

Shane Bieber will surely pitch for the Blue Jays. Will George Kirby pitch for the Mariners? In fact, many pitchers will be available on both sides.

PMLB
  • What a powerful pitch.

  • George Springer’s knee is not 100%.

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Tarik Skubal: if he’s available, the Mets can’t miss out

Over the next few weeks, the Detroit Tigers will have a huge decision to make regarding Tarik Skubal. The starter, who is possibly the best starter in the Majors, is a year away from full autonomy… and there’s over $200M separating the two camps over a contract extension.

The club therefore has three options: give him the money it wants, keep him for 2026 without a long-term contract and risk losing him for a simple compensatory pick… or trade him this winter.

And of course, the latter option is the talk of the town. If a pitcher of Skubal’s stature were to become available, a ton of teams would want to get their hands on his services.

That said, there’s one team that stands out from the crowd: the New York Mets, who really, really need reinforcements on the mound.

And should Skubal become available this winter, the club can’t afford to pass him up.

We know that in 2025, the club was criticized for neglecting its pitching staff. The Mets were forced to turn to several youngsters late in the season to try to salvage their season, and while the kids didn’t do badly, it was peculiar to see them placed in that situation in the first place.

Steve Cohen has money and he’s not afraid to spend it: that’s not a combination that usually leads to needing your prospects to save your season.

Given that the Mets have just such youngsters (who might interest the Tigers) and have the money to pay Skubal, the fit seems natural enough should the Tigers decide to trade the left-hander.

More importantly, it would allow the Mets to appease their fans, who feel the club is turning corners in its rotation.

If Skubal ends up in New York, he could also decide to sign long-term this winter, rather than risk waiting until next winter, when a labor dispute is expected.

And since we’re talking about the potential introduction of a salary cap, guys who reach full autonomy in the next few years would be well advised to sign before the cap becomes a factor.

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MLB in brief: George Springer will play | Kevin Gausman will throw you his rubber

George Springer in the line-up

He’ll be able to play tonight.

Kevin Gausman will throw his gum at you

If he sees a fan sitting at the Rogers Centre tonight, he’s going to throw his eraser at them.

Trey Yesavage is ready, anyway.

What’s the Phillies’ plan?

Do they want to crank Bryce Harper by publicly questioning whether he can return to the elite?

The Dodgers’ insanely historic rotation

Taking players out on strikes, it’s part of the guys’ DNA.

Selling Shohei Ohtani’s third home run ball

Whoever caught it wants to send their kids to college.

What will the Rangers do?

Should Adley Rutschman be a target?

Jesus Montero has passed away

Sad news for former Yankees prospect.

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Frontier League in Montreal: two clues that make the project more concrete than ever

As you know, between the branches, the idea of the Frontier League being established in Montreal has been around.

But the more time passes, the more likely it is that the project will come to fruition, bringing a fourth Frontier League team north of the border.

Quebec City, Trois-Rivières and Ottawa currently have teams. There are 15 other teams in the United States.

In fact, there are two recent indications that, more than ever, the project to bring a team to the Montreal area is becoming more and more concrete.

1. In an article in Le Soleil this week, journalist Jean Carrier spoke with Charles Demers, President of the Capitales de Québec. And in the text, it’s clear that Montreal is at the top of the Frontier League’s shopping list.

Here’s a big hint.

An expansion is planned for 2027, and the Canadian market is targeted. No one is hiding the fact that Montreal would be ideal to receive a franchise, and the file is moving forward.

It’s a priority for the league. – Charles Demers

2. Of course, the question is: in which stadium would a club play? And on that subject, Maxime Truman (of DansLesCoulisses.com) has brought some information to the table.

As he tweeted, a baseball stadium is lined up for construction in Mirabel, on the edge of Highway 15 on the Outlets grounds.

According to his information, an agreement is indeed imminent, but we’ll have to wait until after the municipal elections to see how the governing party reacts to all this.

Michel Laplante is also said to be (discreetly) involved in the project. He is no longer president of the Capitales.

So when you put it all together, you realize that yes, the chances of pro baseball landing in Montreal in the medium term are better than ever.

Will you be going to see this club, Montrealers?

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Kyle Tucker: the Dodgers will be on his case this winter

The Dodgers were the talk of the town recently when they easily beat the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series. Then, they made quite a bit of noise when Dave Roberts, the club’s manager, said they were going to ruin baseball by winning the World Series.

I’ve said it before: I think he put a target on his players’ backs before the World Series. But hey.

Everyone knows why he said that: it’s because his club is being criticized in connection with the money spent to lure the best players to town to buy a championship.

But now, in a similar vein, Jon Heyman has been quoted as saying that this winter, the Dodgers will be on the case of the best free agent of their crop: outfielder Kyle Tucker.

I’m not surprised to hear this. After all, the club wanted Juan Soto last winter. And even if the Dodgers’ offer was lower than the Mets’, Tucker won’t cost as much as Soto.

When there’s a star (Japanese or not) available, the Dodgers are on the case.

The Dodgers don’t have many holes in their lineup, but the outfield hasn’t been great in 2025. And I sincerely wonder how much Teoscar Hernandez’s defensive mistakes (and his base-running ways) won’t push the club to potentially want to trade him.

In short, the Dodgers like stars and Tucker is one. I also wouldn’t rule out the Dodgers adding a shortstop (Bo Bichette?) to send Mookie Betts back to the outfield, but Tucker is a strong possibility.

You’d think the outfielder, who spent the 2025 season with the Cubs after a few years in Houston, would see the Cubs on his case. But will Chicago put enough money on the table? The last few months have brought prices down, but how much?

The Giants, Phillies, Yankees, Red Sox (although I don’t see the club putting that much money on an outfielder with the youngsters growing up), Blue Jays and Rays (who have an owner who wants to make a big splash) are also ones to watch, up to a point.

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Blue Jays: Bo Bichette makes progress

The Toronto Blue Jays begin Game Six of the American League Championship Series tonight (Sunday) with their season on the line.

And of course, this attempt to reach the World Series for the first time since 1993 will have to be done without the services of Bo Bichette, who hasn’t improved enough since spraining his left knee to return to the lineup.

However, according to Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling, manager John Schneider has provided an encouraging update on his colt, saying that little Bichette is making progress in his rehabilitation. The shortstop will have another opportunity to test his mobility on the trails, while noting that Bichette’s swing has improved.

So Toronto continues to hope that the shortstop can return to the line-up if the team reaches the World Series, perhaps in a limited role as designated hitter. But before that happens, the Blue Jays need to focus on winning two games against the tough Mariners.

Bichette’s injury came at a very bad time for the representatives of the Ontario metropolis, as he was one of the most productive players in the entire MLB before visiting the infirmary.

In his last 46 regular-season games, Bichette posted a .370 batting average, .423 on-base percentage, .989 OPS, six home runs and 41 runs batted in.

The 27-year-old may therefore have played his last game in a Jays uniform, as he will be testing the free agent market this winter for the first time in his career. Although there seems to be mutual interest in a possible reunion, nothing is guaranteed.

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MLB in brief: Freddy Peralta traded | Optimism for George Springer

Freddy Peralta traded?

The Brewers will consider it. The pitcher is one year away from autonomy.

Optimism for George Springer

He’s feeling better than yesterday and could well play tomorrow.

Tomorrow, many pitchers will be available, including Max Scherzer.

Christian Yelich on the move

Since the end of the 2018 playoffs, he has no points produced in the playoffs.

Ernie Clement: where you want to be

The Blue Jays aren’t afraid of adversity.

John Schneider is also confident.

Martin Maldonado retires

He had a great career.

The Bronx War

Do you think Derek Jeter or Brian Cashman is right?

Logan Gilbert to pitch tomorrow

No surprise here.

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Giants likely to hire manager from NCAA: Tony Vitello

The Giants are among the Major League Baseball organizations looking for a manager. The Braves, Rockies, Padres, Nationals, Orioles, Angels and Twins are the others.

But now the Giants are lining up to make a choice.

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Andrew Baggarly and Brittany Ghiroli, Buster Posey has decided to step outside the box and trust a manager who comes from the college circuit.

Tony Vitello, whose name had been circulating in California, is really lining up to be the manager. Jon Heyman also said it was moving in that direction.

Vitello is a 47-year-old manager with no pro experience in the coaching world . He turned around the University of Tennessee program recently.

Vitello is said to have a strong personality and the Giants were looking for someone who can take up space (in a positive way, so being a leader) when he enters a locker room.

Unlike in other sports, such news is unusual. And it’s not as if the Giants are rebuilding: they’re looking to win a lot of games in 2026.

Vitello, who is not part of baseball’s inner circle of managers, will be under pressure. But if Posey trusts him, there must be reasons behind it.

The Giants have drafted from this university in the past.

Finally, the Giants’ new manager should pocket a good sum, as he was paid more in college than many current managers in Major League Baseball. And since he had good job security, he won’t be leaving the NCAA for peanuts.

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For over a month, Dodgers starters have been better than Paul Skenes

In four games against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Dodgers have given up just four runs.

Remember, the Dodgers don’t put too much faith in their group of relievers. This means that the starting pitchers got the job done in the middle innings.

Those who saw the series know: the Dodgers were excellent on the mound and the four starters gave nothing away.

In fact, a tiny 0.63 ERA in 28.2 innings of work is an all-time team record for a championship series rotation.

But there’s more. If we go back to the Dodgers’ last 32 games, we notice that the trend is still very heavy. The starters have thrown 180.1 innings and have a 1.45 ERA. They also have 232 strikeouts.

If you compare that to Paul Skenes’ 32 games (who I think will win the Cy Young) this season, you can see that the Dodgers’ gunners’ stats are better than Skenes’.

In other words? If Skenes had a rubber arm and could throw 32 straight starts, he’d be better off taking the Dodgers’ rotation than taking what the best pitcher in the Nationals did in 2025.

It just goes to show that lately, the Dodgers have been on fire. It also shows that the plan was to be playoff-ready in 2025.

No word yet on whether the Los Angeles Dodgers (who will be rested for the World Series) will face the Blue Jays or the Mariners for the big fall dance.

But I do know that in our text to set the table for the World Series, we’ll give the Dodgers the edge in the rotation. Even if the Mariners’ rotation isn’t bad.

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