The Toronto Blue Jays arrive at T-Mobile Park for their May 9, 2025 matchup against the Seattle Mariners in need of a course correction after a lackluster start to the season. Sitting at 16–19, the Blue Jays are in the bottom half of the American League and have struggled to establish any consistency, particularly on offense, where they rank 28th in runs scored. Their recent 4–9 ATS record over the past 13 games illustrates a team that has not only been losing more often than not but also failing to meet expectations from both a betting and performance standpoint. A major issue for Toronto has been its inability to produce with runners in scoring position and string together innings; what should be a dangerous lineup led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette has underperformed significantly. Guerrero has lacked the consistent power output that defined his All-Star campaigns, while Bichette’s batting average and on-base percentage have dipped, leaving Toronto without a dependable offensive engine.

Despite these struggles, the Blue Jays will turn to Kevin Gausman on the mound, and he offers them their best shot at slowing down Seattle’s red-hot bats. Gausman leads the league with a 0.71 WHIP, demonstrating elite control and an ability to limit base runners, though his individual brilliance has often been undermined by a lack of run support. Toronto’s pitching staff overall owns a 4.36 ERA, which is middling, but Gausman gives them a clear ace to anchor the rotation. To have any chance at stealing a win in Seattle, the Blue Jays will need to play to their strengths: get six or seven strong innings from Gausman, support him with clean defense, and scrape together runs through aggressive baserunning and timely hits. With Seattle hitting the over in eight of their last ten games, it’s clear Toronto’s pitching—and particularly its bullpen—will face pressure to hold leads and not allow late-game surges. Defensively, Toronto has held up reasonably well, but they’ve been prone to miscues in high-leverage spots, and those mistakes have proven costly in multiple losses. Manager John Schneider will need to spark urgency in his club and possibly shake up the lineup to ignite the offense. A win against the AL West-leading Mariners could provide a much-needed jolt and potentially trigger a turnaround, but the margin for error is thin. For a team with postseason aspirations, this stretch on the road presents an opportunity to test their resilience, and if they’re going to make a move, it has to begin with disciplined, focused play in games like this one. The Blue Jays have the talent to hang with Seattle, but talent alone won’t cut it against one of the league’s most in-form clubs—they’ll need execution, grit, and a sense of urgency they’ve yet to fully show in 2025.