Blue Jays fans arrive in Seattle for ALCS Game 3 against the Mariners

SEATTLE — Lloyd Johnston and Shaun Funk arrived in Seattle from Vancouver by train today wearing rival baseball caps but the two friends say they’re only a “little conflicted.”

Johnston, with the Jays’ cap, and Funk, wearing the Mariners hat, say taking the train was easier than driving, finding it a relaxing journey that avoided vehicle traffic at the U.S. border on their way to Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

Johnston says he was surprised there weren’t more baseball fans on the train, with staff at the station in Vancouver saying they were expecting “non-stop Blue Jays fans,” but the deluge didn’t materialize.

Funk says he was last in Seattle for a game in 2023, while Johnston says he hadn’t crossed the border since U.S. President Donald Trump took office and hadn’t planned on it, but is making an exception for playoff baseball.

Johnston and Funk say they’re fans of both the Mariners and the Blue Jays, noting the Mariners have out-hit and out-pitched the Jays in the series so far.

Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays are taking planes, trains, boats and automobiles to Seattle to give their team some much-needed support against the winning Mariners as the Jays are down two games heading into T-Mobile Park.

Regular-season games in Seattle often have a home feel for the Jays, with fans in Western Canada making the trek across the border.

The Victoria Clipper has added a “Playoff Express” sailing between Victoria and Seattle for the three Seattle games.

A statement from the tourism group Visit Seattle says October is a “need period” for the city’s hotels, restaurants and shops, as the summer comes to an end, and baseball playoffs can provide a welcome boost.

But the playoffs come at a time when visits from Canadians are not guaranteed, with the organization saying it anticipates a year-over-year drop of 26 per cent from international visitors in 2025, the largest of major cities in the U.S., due to Seattle’s dependence on Canada.

The Mariners, who have never won the ALCS, defeated Toronto in the 2022 wild-card series, which was the only other time the two 1977 expansion teams have met in the post-season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2025.