TORONTO – John Schneider isn’t backing down from how he managed the Toronto Blue Jays’ bullpen in a devastating 6-2 loss to Seattle within the American League Championship Series on Friday.
Schneider decided to go along with inconsistent relief pitcher Brendon Little against Mariners MVP candidate Cal Raleigh with Toronto holding a narrow 2-1 lead in Game 5 of the best-of-seven playoff series.
Raleigh homered to tie the sport, then Little issued two walks. Seranthony Dominguez got here out of the Blue Jays’ bullpen next and he hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch to load the bases then served up a grand slam to Eugenio Suarez to blow the sport wide open for Seattle.
The Mariners hold a 3-2 lead within the best-of-seven series, a win away from reaching the World Series for the primary time.
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After the sport Schneider said he trusts Little and Dominguez and he doubled down on that position Saturday.
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“We’ve gotten to the purpose where we’ve gotten to due to each guy on our team,” said Schneider in a news conference during optional workouts at Rogers Centre. “I can sit here and say it’s not a mistake, and also you guys will all write that I said it’s not a mistake, and I’ll get crushed on social media for saying that. I get it.”
He continued on to elucidate his pondering of bringing on Little against as tough an out as Raleigh relatively than bring on a reliever used to more high leverage situations.
“I trust my players. I trust my players,” said Schneider. “In hindsight, I had a pair other options to do. That’s what I made a decision to do. So, again, I even have all the knowledge that I want, and I don’t think I made a mistake.
“Players should go perform. There’s all the time risk while you put a player in a situation that he won’t get the job done. That’s a part of the sport.”
When asked if closer Jeff Hoffman was available to play on Friday, Schneider gave a terse “He’s on the roster, yeah.”
Schneider said that having to disregard past what-if scenarios is a component of the job as a manager in Major League Baseball.
“Every decision you make that doesn’t work out, I regret. You understand what I mean?” said Schneider. “Regardless of who it’s. Whether it’s a hitter, a pinch-hitter, a pitcher, a starting pitcher, it’s a part of the job, you already know.
“There’s what-ifs all the time. You understand what I mean? There’s what-ifs all the time on this game. I feel that you just learn from ’em. You trust your people around you if you end up making decisions. You make ’em and you progress on. That’s where I’m at with it.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press