Do you put the go-ahead run on base and walk a dangerous hitter to load the bases or do you pitch to him?

In game 7 of the 2025 ALCS, the Mariners with a two-run lead, faced a decision with 1 out, runners on 2nd and 3rd and George Springer at the plate. 

With 22 previous post-season home runs and 2 more during the 2025 ALCS, Springer a right handed hitter was facing Eduard Bazardo who had not lost a game for the Mariners all season,, yet Bazardo had thrown 15 pitches over 2 innings the day before.

With lefty Nathan Lukes on deck for Toronto, Bazardo would be disadvantaged facing Lukes had he intentionally walked Springer.

Because of the three batter minimum rule[1], a lefty reliever could not have been brought into face Lukes after Bazardo had entered the game.

Earlier in MLB history, a new pitcher could be inserted and face a single batter maximizing the lefty/lefty or righty/righty matchups, but since 2020, the three batter minimum requires relievers to stay in longer,

With that in mind, the decision to matchup righty/righty and not put the winning run on base over-rode the fear of facing the dangerous hitter.

In matchup between batter and pitcher, one will win, and in this case, the batter triumphed with George Springer hitting a go-ahead 3-run homer to give Toronto a lead they would not relinquish and the AL pennant. 

Would you have chosen differently?

[1] MLB's Three Batter Minimum Rule