Mariners flip to Logan Gilbert, Jays to rookie Trey Yesavage in Game 2

TORONTO — After snatching home-field advantage from the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship Series, the Seattle Mariners will go for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven set on Monday.

The Mariners won the series opener Sunday night 3-1, showing no signs of fatigue from their 3-2, 15-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night in the deciding fifth game of their American League Division Series.

The series then goes to Seattle for the middle three games as needed.

Mariners manager Dan Wilson said after the series opener that right-hander Logan Gilbert (1-0, 1.13 ERA in the postseason) will start Game 2.

Gilbert pitched two innings of relief on Friday but, when asked, said that he would be ready to pitch in Game 2.

“We talked about it (on Sunday), and they basically just asked me if I was good to go,” Gilbert, 28, said after the game on Sunday. “Of course, I said yeah right away. They wanted me to see how I felt in catch play, if my arm felt normal, and it did. It was kind of unusual circumstances a few days ago, but I don’t know, I treat it as a bullpen or very high-intensity bullpen and, hopefully, just be feeling good, ready to go.”

Wilson said he was basing his decision on how Gilbert is feeling.

“I think the outing the other night in the 15-inning game was really a good side day for him,” the manager said. “The way we’re looking at it is he took a side session in the game with 40,000-plus people there. He’s ready to go. He’s excited. He wants the ball. So, it’ll be Logan tomorrow.”

Gilbert is 0-2, 5.24, in six career starts against the Blue Jays. He is 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA against them in one start this season, an April 19 road game which Seattle won 8-4 in 12 innings.

He will have a tough act to follow in righty Bryce Miller, who allowed one run and two hits in six innings in Game 1 while pitching on three days’ rest. It helped save a pitching staff that was taxed on Friday.

“That’s huge on short rest, for sure,” Gilbert said. “I think he’s peaking at the right time. His stuff looks great. Recently he’s pitched really well … and the team kind of needed it, especially playing that extra-inning game. And (the Blue Jays) got a few days off there, so it kind of helped us out, set us kind of equal, I guess, after the rest.”

The Blue Jays have tabbed rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage (1-0, 0.00) to start Game 2. In his fourth major league start, he struck out 11 in 5 1/3 innings in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.

“I’m just looking to … not put too much pressure on myself, just go out there and be who I am and be the pitcher I’ve always been and trust my defense, trust my catchers, trust my offense,” Yesavage, 22, said on Sunday.

Toronto manager John Schneider said it was not a hard decision to start Yesavage even with the addition of veteran starters Max Scherzer, 41, and Chris Bassitt, 36, to the ALCS roster. The right-handers were not on the ALDS roster.

“I think watching how unique his stuff can be, especially against teams that haven’t seen him, and his demeanor has been really damn good,” Schneider said on Sunday. “So, it was a pretty easy choice just by watching how he’s conducted himself and watching what he’s doing on the mound.”

–Larry Millson, Field Level Media