Ernie Clement and Addison Barger fuel Blue Jays push to force ALCS Game 7 at Rogers Centre

Toronto’s bats finally bit at home. Behind a relentless table-setting night from Ernie Clement and a thunderous swing from Addison Barger, the Blue Jays seized control of Game 6 on Sunday and moved within one win of a trip to the World Series. Recent updates indicate Toronto built an early multi-run cushion and kept the pressure on Seattle; details may evolve as the final outs are recorded. Either way, the series now points toward a decisive ALCS Game 7 in Toronto on Monday, Oct. 20.

ALCS Game 7: time, place, stakes

Everything funnels into a winner-take-all at Rogers Centre. The first pitch is slated for 8:08 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 20 (1:08 a.m. BST on Tuesday). Both clubs will have every reliever on high alert, and lineup cards could skew toward matchup chess rather than strict roles. Official starting pitchers were not confirmed at last check; expect both managers to keep options open until game day.

Game 7 quick facts (subject to change):

• Date: Monday, Oct. 20

• First pitch: 8:08 p.m. ET / 1:08 a.m. BST

• Venue: Rogers Centre, Toronto

• Format: Winner advances to face the National League champion

Ernie Clement’s steady heartbeat for the Blue Jays

Ernie Clement keeps finding ways to tilt innings Toronto’s way. In Game 6, his early baserunning sparked the opening breakthrough, and his contact skills forced Seattle’s defense to work under duress. The broader October pattern has been the same: short, efficient swings; line drives to all fields; clean infield work; and heads-up basepaths that turn station-to-station innings into scoring frames.

Toronto has leaned on Clement as a pressure valve—moving him around the diamond, sliding him up or down the order, and trusting his at-bat quality in leverage spots. That flexibility has real value in a seven-game series where matchups and fatigue pile up. When he’s creating traffic, the heart of the order sees more fastballs and more mistakes, which is exactly how momentum shifts in October.

Addison Barger’s breakout: power with timely bite

This stage has also introduced a broader audience to Addison Barger. The left-handed slugger delivered a statement in Game 6: an RBI knock to jump-start the scoring and a no-doubt two-run homer that blew the game open. Beyond the headline swings, Barger’s at-bats have featured deep counts and loud contact—traits that wear out opposing starters and force early bullpen decisions.

Toronto’s lineup looks different when Barger is barreling the ball. It lengthens protection for the middle, punishes mistakes up in the zone, and adds a left-handed look that complicates Seattle’s late-inning matchups. If Game 7 becomes a bullpen carousel, that platoon leverage could prove decisive.

How the ALCS got here—and what matters next

The series has swung like a pendulum: Seattle surged early, Toronto counterpunched, the Mariners regained the edge in Game 5, and the Blue Jays answered at home. That volatility underscores what usually decides a Game 7:

• First-inning tone: Both sides have thrived when scoring first. Expect aggressive approaches early, especially from hitters who’ve seen the opposing starter multiple times this series.

• Traffic management: Toronto’s best innings have started with contact and chaos rather than solo power. Keeping Clement and other table-setters off base will be Seattle’s priority.

• Defensive crispness: Extra outs have been costly for both teams. Clean plays on the infield—double-play turns, bunts, and slow rollers—often become the thin edge in low-scoring elimination games.

• Bullpen sequencing: With rest days scarce, the club that maps the fourth-through-seventh innings best typically wins. Look for quick hooks, pockets built for specific hitters, and high-leverage arms used earlier than usual.

• Stars vs. surprises: October legends are born in Game 7s. For Toronto, that could mean another imprint from Barger or a clutch turn from Clement as matchups tighten.

What to watch for from Toronto in Game 7

• Attack the zone early: When Blue Jays hitters have hunted strikes in the first two pitches, hard contact has followed.

• Control the running game: Preventing extra ninety feet neutralizes Seattle’s small-ball pressure.

• Infield positioning: Expect Toronto to tailor alignments batter-to-batter; their run prevention gains this series have come from smart pre-pitch scouting as much as raw stuff.

• Bench leverage: Late-inning pinch-hit and defensive swaps—where Clement often features—could swing a single at-bat or save a base.

The Blue Jays needed a jolt; Ernie Clement supplied the heartbeat and Addison Barger the thunder. With a seat-belt-tight ALCS Game 7 now on deck in Toronto, the margin shrinks to one game, one swing, one read off the bat. Schedule is set, roles are fluid, and the season will come down to nine taut innings under the dome.