Blue Jays center fielder George Springer is carted away after frightening collision with Bo Bichette

On the verge of evening their wildcard series with the Mariners on Saturday in Toronto, the Blue Jays instead suffered a devastating season-ending defeat after center fielder George Springer collided with shortstop Bo Bichette in the eighth inning, allowing Seattle to plate three runs and tie the game. 

Seattle would go on to win 10-9 after an Adam Frazier double in the ninth scored catcher Cal Raleigh. The Mariners had trailed by seven runs earlier in the game. 

With two out and the bases loaded, J.P. Crawford hit a blooper into shallow center field. Springer and Bichette went hard after the ball, but it landed as the two collided. All three runners scored on the double, tying it 9.

Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) and center fielder George Springer (4) collide while to trying to catch a three-RBI double off the bat of Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford

George Springer leaves the field on a cart after being injured in a collision with SS Bo Bichette

George Springer #4 of the Blue Jays is assisted to the cart after colliding with Bo Bichette

It looked as if Bichette’s right arm whacked Springer across the forehead. Bichette got up pretty quickly and stayed in the game after he was checked on by a trainer. A woozy Springer was helped to his feet as the cart was driven onto the field.

The 33-year-old Springer, a four-time All-Star, encouraged the cheering crowd as the cart left the field.

It was the biggest road comeback win in playoff history and baseball’s largest comeback victory to clinch a postseason series. Next up for resilient Seattle is Houston in the AL Division Series.

Making the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2001, Seattle trailed 8-1 through five innings, but it tied it at 9 with four runs in the eighth.

The Seattle Mariners celebrate after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in game two to win the American League Wild Card Series at Rogers Centre

Julio Rodriguez #44 and J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners celebrate Adam Frazier #26 RBI double to take the lead against the Toronto Blue Jays

Justin Verlander will start Game 1 of the American League Division Series for the Astros on Tuesday.

It was a forgone conclusion the AL Cy Young Award frontrunner will start that game, and manager Dusty Baker made it official Saturday.

The worked out at Minute Maid Park as they wait to play the winner of the wild-card series between Toronto and Seattle.

He said they hadn’t yet set their rotation past their opener because the opponent had not been determined at the time. 

‘We know it, but we don’t want to solidify it until we know,’ Baker said. ‘It could change depending on who we play.’

The 39-year-old Verlander led the AL with 18 wins, and his MLB-leading 1.75 ERA is the lowest for an AL qualified pitcher in a full season since Pedro Martinez’s 1.74 ERA in 2000.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner’s ERA also was the lowest of his career, besting his 2.40 ERA in 2011, when he won his first Cy Young and was also voted AL MVP while with Detroit.