Manoah gets the start as Blue Jays welcome Mariners in wild-card series opener

TORONTO — Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah will get the start for Game 1 of Toronto's wild-card series against the Seattle Mariners this afternoon.

A sellout crowd is expected at Rogers Centre for the Blue Jays' first home playoff game since 2016.

The Mariners will send Luis Castillo to the mound.

Toronto secured the top wild-card seed earlier this week to secure home-field advantage for all games in the best-of-three series.

The series winner will advance to the American League Division Series starting Tuesday in Houston.

The Blue Jays last reached the AL Championship Series in 2016 and last won the World Series in 1993. Seattle, a franchise that entered Major League Baseball with the expansion Blue Jays in 1977, hasn't played a playoff game since losing the ALCS in 2001.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2022.