Seattle Mariners probable pitchers & starting lineups vs. Toronto Blue Jays, April 20

There are numerous reasons why people love sports. One is redemption, with Rowdy Tellez representing Exhibit A on Saturday afternoon in Toronto. Redemption against the team which drafted but eventually traded him, and redemption following his horrific start to this season with the Seattle Mariners.

Heck, the redemption extended to earlier in Saturday's game versus the Blue Jays, when Tellez hit into a double play during the 10th inning, with the go-ahead run on third base. And that redemption was resounding, as he hit a grand slam in the 12th inning — the fifth of his Major League career — to help the Mariners finally win 8-4 and tie the three-game series against their Canadian rivals.

Talking about his home run with the media postgame, Tellez said: "Having some tough at-bats against (Jacob Barnes) allowed me to put a pretty good swing on it and he gave me a pitch to hit and I'm grateful to come through the second time with the bases loaded."

Here's a look at the probable pitchers and starting lineups for Sunday's game, with first pitch scheduled for 10:37 a.m. PT at Rogers Centre.

Starting pitchers

For the Mariners: Luis Castillo, RHP (1-2, 4.22 ERA)

Toronto and the Rogers Centre holds happy memories for Luis Castillo, with it representing the scene in 2022 for the best of his three postseason starts to date. He went 7.1 shutout innings versus the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the Mariners' wild card round matchup and allowed just six hits and no walks, while also striking out five in what was ultimately a 4-0 win for the visitors.

Castillo must have been hankering back to those days somewhat, after struggling through last season — by his high standards — and ending up being the least effective starter in the Mariners' preferred rotation. He seemed to be getting back on track in 2025 before his tough outing against his former team the Reds, when he gave up seven hits, four walks and six earned runs in just 4.1 innings, and was tagged with the "L" in a 8-4 loss.

As we covered last Monday, the three-time All-Star has been showing some signs of decline in his velocity, whiff, and strikeout numbers, not helped probably by now being 32 years old. He does still rely mostly on his four-seamer but offers a good mix of his sinker and slider, while using his changeup less compared to previous seasons.

For the Blue Jays: Easton Lucas, LHP (2-1, 4.70 ERA)

In theory, Easton Lucas isn't even meant to be here after a poor spring training saw him begin the season in Triple-A Buffalo. However, he was called up by the Blue Jays after Max Scherzer went on the Injured List and made the first start of his Major League career, against the Washington Nationals.

Lucas rose to the challenge and excelled in 5.0 shutout innings versus the Nationals, allowing a solitary hit and two walks in what turned out to be a 4-2 win for the Blue Jays. The good times continued to roll in his second start against the Boston Red Sox, allowing just three hits and a walk in 5.1 innings, while striking out eight and giving up no runs in a 6-1 victory on the road.

Unfortunately for the 28-year-old, he fell apart in his most recent outing against the Atlanta Braves, with six hits and four walks on the way to giving up a career-high eight earned runs in a 8-4 loss. He will continue to lean heavily on his four-seam fastball as he aims to bounce back against the Mariners, while he has converted from the cutter to the changeup as his second-most used pitch.

Mariners Starting Lineup vs. Lucas

SS Dylan Moore (R)
CF Julio Rodríguez (R)
DH Cal Raleigh (S)
LF Randy Arozarena (R)
C Mitch Garver (R)
1B Donovan Solano (R)
RF Luke Raley (L)
3B Ben Williamson (R)
2B Leo Rivas (S)

Blue Jays Starting Lineup vs. Castillo

SS Bo Bichette (R)
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R)
DH Anthony Santander (S)
2B Andrés Giménez (L)
CF George Springer (R)
RF Addison Barger (L)
3B Will Wagner (L)
C Tyler Heineman (S)
LF Nathan Lukes (L)

How can I watch the Mariners today?

Regional Coverage

Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska: The game will be televised on ROOT Sports Northwest.
Available nationwide in Canada: The game will be televised on Sportsnet One.

Satellite Coverage

Nationwide: Available via DirectTV.

Radio Broadcast

Seattle Region: Tune in to Seattle Sports 710 AM or stream the audio live at seattlesports.com.
Toronto Region: Fans can listen to the game via Sportsnet 590 The FAN (AM 590).

Streaming Options

ROOT Sports Streaming App: Fans in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska can stream the game live through the ROOT Sports streaming service
FuboTV: Subscribers in the aforementioned regions can also stream the game live via FuboTV, which carries ROOT Sports Northwest.
MLB.TV: Out-of-market viewers can watch the game live with an MLB.TV (subscription required).

What's at Stake?

For a start, pride in a matchup which has a natural rivalry by way of both teams coming into the league in the same year, in 1977. This rivalry has only grown over the years, helped — or should that be aggravated? — by the legions of Blue Jays fans who annually travel over the border to attend the series between the two teams at T-Mobile Park.

Secondly, the Mariners are aiming to break a three-year run of losing their regular season series in Toronto, with the Blue Jays winning each three-game set 2-1. There's also the historical significance, with the Mariners holding an all-time losing road record of 100-121 against the Blue Jays. (102-121 when including the aforementioned wild card series.)

Finally, and really most important of all, it's about the Mariners grinding out a second road series win and showing they're not to be messed with after José Berríos accused Cal Raleigh of relaying pitches during Saturday's game. A victory would in turn see them draw level with the Blue Jays in the AL standings at 12-10 and go towards a potential tie-breaker come playoff time.

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