The Toronto Blue Jays needed to bounce back — and that they did.

Toronto stormed back Wednesday night in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series with a barrage of home runs that led to a dominant 13-4 victory over the Mariners, cutting Seattle’s series lead to 2-1 after the Blue Jays dropped the first two games at home.

How did Toronto win its first game of the ALCS? We’ve got you covered with the top moments, takeaways and a look at where the series goes from here.

Key links: How Vlad Jr., Jays bet on each other | LCS update | Bracket

Takeaways

Seattle leads series 2-1

It was over when … Even after the Blue Jays’ five-run outburst off George Kirby in the third inning, there was at least hope for a Seattle comeback. Then, George Springer delivered a two-out exclamation point in the fourth inning with a 431-foot home run to center field and followed by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. delivering a second exclamation point in the fifth inning with another blast to center. The Jays’ bats are back. — David Schoenfield

Game 3 star: After surrendering a two-run homer to Julio Rodriguez in the first inning, Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber simplified his pitch mix and leaned into his slider, shutting out the Mariners in the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, as Toronto went on to build an insurmountable lead. — Buster Olney

The stat that defined Game 3: The Blue Jays are the third team in MLB history in a single postseason to score 10-plus runs in three games before the World Series, per ESPN Research.

What it means going for the rest of the series: When Rodriguez blistered his 112.2 mph home run in the first inning, it seemed like the Jays were on the verge of being wiped out in this series. But now they are back in the fight, with 41-year-old Max Scherzer lined up to make his 31st postseason appearance to face the Mariners’ Luis Castillo.

Top moments

Toronto gets much-needed Game 3 win behind home run barrage

The local boy – Addison Barger – homers in front of his family and friends! #WANTITALL pic.twitter.com/qiPWbGiquA

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 16, 2025

Seattle goes back-to-back in the 8th for first runs since 1st inning

Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh go back-to-back!

(MLB x @CitizenWatchUS) pic.twitter.com/sOzVyH0Cvo

— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025

It’s raining homers! Alejandro Kirk‘s 3-run mash makes it 12-2

KIRK’S TURN! #WANTITALL pic.twitter.com/wv6UXOcHrU

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 16, 2025

Vlad Jr. adds home run as Jays pile on

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR. WITH A BLAST OF HIS OWN! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/cSLgLywe1V

— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025

Daulton Varsho‘s 2-RBI double caps off 5-run inning for Toronto

Daulton Varsho makes it a 5-run inning for the @BlueJays! pic.twitter.com/lbrDBbr4ei

— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025

Blue Jays answer with their own blast — and now we’re tied

Andrés Giménez ties the game! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/drtdQh8gQ1

— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025

J-Rod hits 2-run home run to give M’s early lead

JULIO RODRÍGUEZ 2-RUN BLAST! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/olXcF7mzh4

— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025

Josh Naylor rocking a vintage KD jersey ahead of Game 3

Good luck @Mariners…good throwback Josh https://t.co/26FrDN4UNO

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) October 15, 2025

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As he looked ahead to next season on Wednesday, Oklahoma coach Porter Moser reflected on the life of one of his favorite people: Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, who died last week at the age of 106.

Moser said he’ll miss his friend.

“My heart is sad,” said Moser, who planned to fly to Chicago after SEC media day for Sister Jean’s funeral mass Thursday. “It’s also joy and gratitude that she was in my life. I vibe with energetic, positive people. I’ll never meet someone who had such a positive attitude and poured that attitude into other people more than Sister Jean. And I was blessed to be her friend.”

Sister Jean became a national icon as she supported Moser and his Loyola-Chicago squad during their run to the Final Four in 2018. While her basketball passion made her famous and drew the attention of celebrities and politicians, including former President Joe Biden, who once sent her flowers, she endeared herself to the campus community that loved her.

Moser said he was always stunned by Sister Jean’s independence. Although she was in a wheelchair during packed news conferences and nationally televised interviews during her favorite team’s miraculous NCAA tournament run seven years ago, Moser remembers her moving around Loyola-Chicago’s campus in her favorite sneakers.

“She was always running around in her Nike shoes,” Porter said. “On the back of them, one said ‘Sister’ and the back of the other shoe said ‘Jean.'”

Sister Jean lived at the dorms with the students at 98 years old, he said. And one night, Moser was walking out of a parking garage after late-night recruiting calls when he saw her walking toward the dorms at 8:30 p.m. on a cold Chicago night. He offered her a ride, but she refused.

“She lived in the dorms by herself,” he said. “Self-sufficient. Now think about that. She’s 98, by herself, living in the dorm for the students. I said, ‘Sister Jean, jump in. I’ll take you across the street to the dorm.’ She’s like, ‘No, no. This is great for me.’ It had to be 10 degrees.”

Those who knew Sister Jean also understood that her passion for basketball was real, he said. She didn’t like to be bothered when she was watching games and would hush anyone who disrupted her viewing experience.

“I remember her being such a basketball fan,” Moser said. “She loved my kids, but I remember she sat behind my kids at a game, and she shushed my kids. They were making noise and she’s like, ‘Sshhh, I’m trying to watch the game.'”

But her warmth, humility and kindness toward others, Porter said, will be his lasting memory of her. Sister Jean, who had been with Loyola-Chicago basketball since 1991, would pray for the Ramblers and their opponents. She would also cheer for Moser’s players and give them pregame pep talks.

Moser said he and Sister Jean stayed in touch even after he left for Oklahoma in 2021.

He attended her 105th and 106th birthday celebrations in Chicago, too.

As he prepared to fly to Chicago for Thursday’s ceremony, he said he’s confident about one thing: There will never be another person like Sister Jean.

“She meant everything to all of us before she became, in her words, the international star — not just a national star,” Moser said.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala — The Florida Gators, the reigning National Champions, will start former five-star recruit Boogie Fland at point guard, coach Todd Golden said Wednesday at SEC Media Day ahead of the 2025-26 season.

The decision clears up uncertainty about the way Golden will use both Fland, who spent last season at Arkansas, and fellow transfer Xaivian Lee, an all-Ivy League point guard at Princeton in each of the last two seasons, as the Gators attempt to win back-to-back national titles for the second time in school history.

Despite Golden’s announcement, Lee will remain a key contributor and handle point guard duties when Fland is off the floor for a Florida squad ranked third in the Associated Press preseason top-25 poll.

“[Fland] is going to start at the point for us, but Xavian will be a second-side playmaker and then he’ll play point when [Fland] is out of the game,” Golden said. “And I think they’re both going to have really good seasons. They’ve really kind of come into their own over the last couple weeks. I feel like they’re getting really comfortable with the way we play, and obviously we throw to our big guys a lot and let them be the playmakers and the hubs in the middle of the floor.”

Last season, Golden relied on Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin – who were all drafted by NBA teams – to win the national title. Both Lee (5.5 APG last season) and Fland (5.1 APG last season) are both capable ballhandlers for a team with national title aspirations.

According to their teammates, however, Florida’s practices have featured both players as point guards, which has not adversely impacted the flow of the offense.

“Both of them can play point pretty easily,” said Florida star Alex Condon. “If I’m inbounding, I’ll pass it to either one of them. They can both bring the ball up the court super easily, and they’re really good facilitators. So yeah, I think it’s basically the same thing when they’re bringing the ball up the court.”

Fland got off to a spectacular start during his freshmen season with the Razorbacks, averaging 15.1 points, 5.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds over the first 18 games before suffering a hand injury against Florida in mid-January that forced him to miss the second half of the regular season and SEC conference tournament play. He managed to return during the NCAA tournament in a reserve role, playing an average of 17.7 minutes against Kansas State, St. John’s and Texas Tech before the Razorbacks were eliminated.

Fland considered turning pro before withdrawing from NBA draft consideration in mid-May. He officially transferred to Florida a week later.

Lee averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists last season at Princeton, while shooting over 36% from 3-point range. He announced his move to the Gators in mid-April.