Blue Jays right-fielder Nathan Lukes leaves ALCS Game 1 after taking pitch off knee

TORONTO — Nathan Lukes was pulled from the Toronto Blue Jays’ 3-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Sunday in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series with a right-knee contusion.

Lukes went down in pain after his bat deflected a ball on to the top of his right knee in the first inning. He was replaced in right field by Myles Straw in the fourth inning.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said after the game that Lukes had an X-ray and a CT scan done and they came back negative for a fracture. Schneider also said that Lukes was not ruled out for Monday’s Game 2.

“His knee was pretty sore, obviously,” said Schneider in his post-game news conference. “Nate is one of those guys, he doesn’t want to come out of a game ever.

“I think if he’s medically good to play tomorrow, he’ll be in there.”

Lukes dropped to the turf after he fouled a Bryce Miller pitch off his bat and into his right knee. He was examined by the Blue Jays’ trainer and then continued his at bat, drawing a 12-pitch walk from Miller.

“There’s no fracture or anything, but that was a hell of an at-bat after — before and after fouling the ball off his knee, so we’ll see how he is tomorrow,” said Schneider.

The 31-year-old is hitting .308 this post-season with five runs batted in.

Lukes hit .255 in the regular season with 12 home runs, 65 runs batted in and a .323 on-base percentage. It was his first full season in the majors, having bounced back and forth between Toronto and the triple-A Buffalo Bisons in 2023 and 2024.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2025.