The Seattle Mariners made it to the doorstep of the World Series, a destination the franchise has never advanced to in its 49-year history, but fell just short, dropping a 4-3 heartbreaker to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday.
One decision made by manager Dan Wilson may be second-guessed by fans and pundits for years to come. With runners on second and third, one out and the Mariners clinging to a two-run lead, Wilson opted to bring in righthander Eduard Bazardo, one of the best relievers in Seattle's bullpen, rather than All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz, to face the heart of the Blue Jays' batting order with the game potentially in the balance.
Unfortunately for Wilson and the Mariners, the decision backfired, as Blue Jays designated hitter and postseason dynamo George Springer authored a Toronto sports moment for the ages, sending a three-run homer over the left-field fence to give the Blue Jays the lead, electrifying the Rogers Centre in the process.
Given the stakes of the moment, the fact that Bazardo had pitched two innings on Sunday and that the well-rested Muñoz was available in the bullpen, it was expected that Wilson would be questioned for his decision to go to Bazardo.
"You make your decisions, and sometimes you have to live and die with it," Wilson said.
Bazardo, was clearly one of Wilson's most trusted bullpen arms. After handling a career-high 78 2/3 innings in the regular season, he worked another 11 playoff frames before entering the game in the bottom of the seventh inning on Monday night. Even with that workload, Wilson trusted the righthander, given it was a similar situation to those he had appeared in for much of the season.
"Bazardo has been the guy that’s gotten us through those situations, those tight ones, especially in the pivot role, and that’s where we were going at that point," Wilson said.
Muñoz entered the game in the bottom of the eighth inning and allowed back-to-back singles before getting a lineout at first for a double play, followed by a groundout to end the frame.
Unfortunately for Seattle, the seventh inning proved to be the turning point in the game—and the club's season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mariners Manager Defends Eduard Bazardo Decision That Led to George Springer Homer.