Mariners vs Blue Jays Home Run Picks & Best Bets for ALCS Game 1

Although Julio Rodriguez struggled in the ALDS, the Seattle Mariners superstar should break out with a blast in Toronto.

Kenny Ducey - Contributor at Covers
Kenny Ducey • Betting Analyst
Oct 11, 2025 • 17:48 ET • 4 min read
Julio Rodriguez Seattle Mariners MLB
Photo By - Imagn Images. Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run.

The Seattle Mariners will continue their dramatic postseason on Sunday when they begin the ALCS on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays.

My MLB player props and home run analysis are highlighted by Julio Rodriguez and Daulton Varsho going yard.

Find out more in my MLB picks for Sunday, October 12.

Mariners vs Blue Jays Game 1 home run props

Mariners home run pick

Julio Rodriguez (+400 at BetMGM) 

Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez has hit 23 of his 32 homers away from home this season, batting .296 with a .571 slugging percentage in that split.

Meanwhile, the upcoming matchup against Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman is enticing. In his lone postseason start, Gausman threw 37 four-seamers and 34 splitters, mixing in just four sliders.

Against those two main offerings, Rodriguez has been a menace — owning a .530 xSLG versus the split-finger and a .537 xSLG against four-seamers, ranking first and third on the team, respectively.

While he’s just 4-for-17 against Gausman in his career, one of those hits was a homer, and his .295 xBA and .476 xSLG provide plenty of reason for optimism.

Blue Jays home run pick

Daulton Varsho (+425 at BetMGM)

Daulton Varsho has been red-hot down the stretch, hitting .438 this postseason with a .617 expected slugging to rank third on the team.

He homered twice in Game 2 of the ALDS, and Varsho will now face a favorable matchup against Bryce Miller.

The biggest issue for the slugger has been whiffing on fastballs from righties, but Miller’s four-seamer carries a weak 23% whiff rate, which means we should see the lefty’s 22.6% barrel rate against this pitch play up.

Varsho owns a 50.9% hard-hit rate against four-seamers from right-handers and has hit seven homers on the pitch this year.

How to watch Mariners vs Blue Jays and Game 1 info

Location Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Date Sunday, October 12, 2025
First pitch 8:03 p.m. ET
TV FOX

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

Pages related to this topic

Kenny Ducey - Covers
Betting Analyst

Kenny Ducey has worked in sports media for more than 10 years and began his journey as a credentialed reporter with Fordham University's WFUV Sports before moving on to Sports Illustrated. There, he wrote about baseball, basketball, and tennis - twice covering the NBA Finals.

He's been in the betting space for seven years, and has established himself as a top expert in MLB and tennis handicapping with brands like Tennis Channel, NBC Sports, and DraftKings. He's also been a frequent guest on betting shows such as MLB's Bettor's Eye and Tennis Bets Live.

Kenny has a knack for identifying underappreciated pitchers and tennis players as moneyline underdogs and credits his unique data analysis and hours of watching sports as the biggest reasons for success through the years. His best advice to bettors? Watch the games, trust your eye, and always question the public narrative.

Popular Content

Covers is verified safe by: Evalon Logo GPWA Logo GDPR Logo GeoTrust Logo Evalon Logo