ALCS: Mariners shake up lineup for Game 7 vs. Blue Jays

by · The Seattle Times

TORONTO — Despite a sore right knee as the result of taking a 97 mph fastball off his knee, George Springer remained in the Blue Jays lineup for Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.

He wasn’t interested, though, in addressing the reaction of Seattle fans to the pitch from Bryan Woo that knocked him out of Game 5.

“Ultimately at the end of the day, I’m just concerned about my health, and that’s out of my control. So it’s just kind of one of those things where I was concerned about my knee in the moment and I’ll go from there,” Springer said before Game 7 on Monday night.

LiveMariners-Blue Jays ALCS Game 7: Live updates, score, how to watchThe Mariners face the Blue Jays in Game 7 of the ALCS in Toronto with their first World Series appearance at stake. Follow along for live updates.Seattle Times sports staff, 20 Oct 2025

Toronto manager John Schneider was highly critical after Game 5 of the reaction by Seattle fans who booed while Springer was on the ground in pain and cheered as he left the field when it was determined he couldn’t continue.

Springer was again leading off as the designated hitter for the Blue Jays as Toronto went with the same lineup for the fourth straight game. It was clear in Game 6 that Springer was still bothered by the sore knee after Woo’s tailing fastball directly hit Springer on his right kneecap.

Springer was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and a walk in Game 6.

“You just have to understand and kind of accept that nobody on the field is playing 100 percent. It’s not just you,” Springer said. “And at the end of the day, I don’t really think anybody cares. If you’re out there, you’re expected to play and you’re expected to perform to the best of who you are that day.”

AL championship series Mariners 3, Blue Jays 3

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The Mariners made a couple of small tweaks to their lineup for Game 7, including the return of Victor Robles in right field. The M’s opted to have Dominic Canzone in right field for Games 5 and 6, but Robles is the better defensive player and was back in the position for the finale of the series.

The M’s also bumped Josh Naylor to No. 3 in the batting order and moved Jorge Polanco to fourth.   

“Really Victor’s the only change and looking at how he has swung the bat and I think more or less the energy he brings to our club and the energy he brings to the lineup and some of the things he can do on the bases and whatnot,” M’s manager Dan Wilson said. “So a chance to get him in there today and kind of, again, make a little bit of an adjustment, change things up a little bit.”

Mariners

  1. Julio Rodríguez CF
  2. Cal Raleigh C
  3. Josh Naylor 1B
  4. Jorge Polanco DH
  5. Randy Arozarena LF
  6. Eugenio Suárez 3B
  7. J.P. Crawford SS
  8. Leo Rivas 2B
  9. Victor Robles RF

George Kirby, RHP

Blue Jays

  1. George Springer DH
  2. Nathan Lukes LF
  3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B
  4. Alejandro Kirk C
  5. Daulton Varsho CF
  6. Ernie Clement 3B
  7. Addison Barger RF
  8. Isiah Kiner-Falefa 2B
  9. Andrés Giménez SS

Shane Bieber, RHP