The Seattle Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays have reached a thrilling Game 7 of the 2025 American League Championship Series. This decisive showdown is taking place at the Rogers Centre in Toronto on Monday night. With everything on the line, both teams are expected to give their all for a chance to advance to the World Series, where Shohei Ohtani and the reigning MLB champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, are already waiting for their next challenger.
Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor exemplified the “whatever-it-takes” mentality in this do-or-die contest. Early in the game, at the top of the first inning, Naylor appeared to try breaking up an inning-ending double play by using his head—specifically, his helmet—in an aggressive move.
However, Naylor’s risky attempt ultimately backfired. The umpires later ruled the play as illegal interference. As noted by baseball analyst Ben Verlander, the MLB rule book states: “Any batter or runner who has just been put out, or any runner who has just scored, hinders or impedes any following play being made on a runner. Such runner shall be declared out for the interference of his teammate.”
Despite the setback, Naylor had already given the Mariners an early boost. His single in the first inning drove Julio Rodriguez home, putting Seattle ahead 1-0 and setting the tone for an intense Game 7 battle.
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