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ALCS takeaways: Best moments, Game 3 hero from Blue Jays’ dominant win

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ALCS takeaways: Best moments, Game 3 hero from Blue Jays’ dominant win


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

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

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

Vlad Jr. adds home run as Jays pile on

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

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

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

Josh Naylor rocking a vintage KD jersey ahead of Game 3





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Athletes Unlimited Softball League: Expansion and allocation draft

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Athletes Unlimited Softball League: Expansion and allocation draft


After wrapping up its inaugural season, the Athletes Unlimited Softball League is expanding from its original four teams to six. That expansion kicks off on Dec. 1, with an expansion draft for players already in the AUSL, followed by an allocation draft for new players.

The two new expansion teams — Cascade and Oklahoma City Spark — will pick from a pool of unprotected players from the other four teams. Each team will select five players to start. After that, there may be up to three additional rounds, and original teams can add a player to their protected lists before each round. Any unselected players will go back to their original teams.

The allocation draft will follow and will feature all six teams selecting players not currently on an AUSL roster.

The draft will be broadcast on ESPNU (7 p.m. ET) and on the AUSL streaming hub. Check out the picks and some highlights below.


Expansion draft picks

No. 1: Spark — Utility Maya Brady

No. 2: Cascade — Pitcher Sam Landry

No. 3: Cascade — Pitcher Carley Hoover

No. 4: Spark — Utility Sydney McKinney

No. 5: Spark — Sydney Romero

No. 6: Cascade — OF Sierra Sacco

No. 7: Cascade — P Payton Gottshall

No. 8: Spark — 3B Jessi Warren

No. 9: Spark — P Alana Vawter

No. 10: Cascade — OF Korbe Otis

No. 11: Cascade — INF Tori Vidales

No. 12: Spark — Utility Bubba Nickles-Camarena

No. 13: Spark — INF Delanie Wisz


Allocation draft picks

Round 1

No. 1: Cascade — P Kelly Maxwell

No. 2: Spark — C Kinzie Hansen

No. 3: Talons — OF Jayda Coleman

No. 4: Bandits — P Kat Sandercock

No. 5: Blaze — INF Alyssa Brito

No. 6: Volts — P Ally Carda

Round 2

No. 7: Spark — P Maddie Penta

No. 8: Cascade — C Mia Davidson

No. 9: Talons — OF Jadelyn Allchin

No. 10: Bandits — INF Jocelyn Alo

No. 11: Blaze — INF Jenna Laird

No. 12: Volts — P Alyssa Denham

Round 3

No. 13. Cascade — INF Sis Bates

No. 14. Spark — P Jailyn Ford

No. 15. Talons — INF Rachel Becker

No. 16. Bandits — OF Jessica Clements

No. 17. Blaze — P Jala Wright

No. 18. Volts — OF Rylie Boone

Round 4

No. 19. Spark — INF Billie Andrews

No. 20. Cascade — INF Paige Sinicki

No. 21. Talons — INF Maddie Moore

No. 22. Bandits — INF Sami Williams

No. 23. Blaze — Utility Valerie Cagle

No. 24. Volts — P Aliyah Binford

Round 5

No. 25. Cascade — Utility Ali Newland

No. 26. Spark — INF Sydney Sherrill

No. 27. Talons — OF Aliyah Andrews

No. 28. Bandits — P Emiley Kennedy

No. 29. Blaze — Pass

Round 6

No. 30. Spark — C Haley Lee

No. 31. Cascade — OF Kendra Falby

No. 32. Talons — Pass

No. 33. Bandits — Pass

Round 7

No. 34. Spark — Pass

No. 35. Cascade — Pass

Teams will fill their remaining roster spots at the AUSL College Draft this spring.





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The Commanders are coming up empty on this season’s ‘luck dashboard’

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After benefiting from good fortune in 2024, Washington is among the NFL’s unluckiest teams in 2025, according to metrics compiled by an NFL data scientist.



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How Nick Saban and ESPN tried to help Lane Kiffin coach two teams at once

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Kiffin wanted to stay at Mississippi through the College Football Playoff even after taking the job at LSU. That only made sense on television.



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