The 3 dark horse Blue Jays and Mariners heroes who will decide Game 7 of the ALCS

The American League Championship Series has been everything that baseball fans could have asked for, outside of those hoping that the Seattle Mariners or Toronto Blue Jays would have ended the series earlier. But if that were the case, we wouldn’t be preparing for a Game 7 at the Rogers Centre on Monday night.

It’s long been said that “Game 7” is two of the greatest words in sports, and we don’t disagree. A Seattle victory gives the Mariners their first pennant and a date with the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. If the Blue Jays win, they’ll return to the Fall Classic for the first time since their thrilling six-game victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in 1993.

“You’ve got to enjoy it, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said after Sunday’s 6-2 Toronto victory. “This is what we sign up for. This is why we sacrifice everything.”

There’s seemingly always an unexpected hero in Game 7, whether it’s the light-hitting infielder who records a key hit or the veteran reliever who locks down the late innings. Rather than solely diverting your attention to the marquee names, here are some names worth paying attention to tonight.

Andrés Giménez, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

Playoff stats: 9-for-37 (.243) with two home runs, eight RBIs, and a .714 OPS in 40 plate appearances.

How he’ll impact Game 7: The Blue Jays acquired Giménez, a three-time Gold Glove winner with the Cleveland Guardians, primarily for his defense. However, he’s quietly put together a solid ALCS, crushing two homers with a .761 OPS over the last week. All eyes will rightfully be on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer when evaluating the Blue Jays’ lineup, but we won’t be surprised to see Giménez record a key hit when needed.

Then, there’s the defensive factor. Look, we understand full well that fans envision home runs and strikeouts when they think about what could make or break a playoff game, and we’re certainly not dismissing that reality. With that said, it helps when you have a reliable defender like Giménez manning shortstop, especially if any of Toronto’s pitchers find themselves in a jam. We’ve long been fans of Giménez, so maybe there’s some bias at play here, but we’re nonetheless looking forward to seeing what he does Monday night.

J.P. Crawford, SS, Seattle Mariners

Playoff stats: 7-for-37 (.189) with one home run, four RBIs, and a .526 OPS in 11 plate appearances.

How he’ll impact Game 7: Could Game 7 come down to a battle of the shortstops? Perhaps! Crawford enjoyed a terrific bounce-back regular season, hitting .265 with 12 homers, 58 RBIs, and a .722 OPS. His 3.7 bWAR tied for the second-highest of his career, and his 18.7% strikeout percentage marked his best since 2022.

Some will argue that regular-season numbers don’t matter in the postseason, as Yankees fans will likely attest to with Aaron Judge. However, despite batting under the Mendoza Line through 11 playoff games, Crawford has only struck out in 16.3% of his 43 plate appearances. The plate discipline he showed from March through September has carried over into October, and that alone should have Mariners fans feeling optimistic entering Game 7.

Wouldn’t it be funny, though, if both Giménez and Crawford managed home runs on Monday night? Stranger things have happened in baseball, especially when a Game 7 is involved.

Mason Fluharty, P, Toronto Blue Jays

Playoff stats: 0-0 with a 6.23 ERA and a 7-2 K-BB ratio in 4 1/3 innings over seven games.

How he’ll impact Game 7: Who? You’re forgiven if you’re still unfamiliar with Fluharty, a 2022 fifth-round pick who debuted this past April and has become a key member of the Blue Jays’ bullpen. Schneider clearly trusts Fluharty (FLEW-hardy), handing him the ball in seven of the Blue Jays’ 10 playoff games. That’s pretty impressive for a reliever who only turned 24 in August.

Although Fluharty has allowed only one run in 2 1/3 ALCS innings, he’s also given up four hits and a walk. We understandably expect Schneider to use Fluharty on Monday night, even if it’s just to get one out — and while that may sound easy, think about how much can change in a single at-bat. There’s an anxiety that comes with a Game 7, and Fluharty must keep a cool head if, or when, the Blue Jays need him to extend their season.

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