George Springer propels Blue Jays to the World Series
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Staff Reports, Staff reports
- October 21, 2025
George Springer hits 3-run bomb to win Game 7
With the Seattle Mariners clinging to a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning Monday night, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sought divine intervention before George Springer propelled the Toronto Blue Jays to the World Series.
Guerrero went into the tunnel leading to the home dugout at Rogers Centre and got on his knees. A few minutes later, Springer sent a charge through the sellout crowd with a three-run home run.
Springer’s blast helped the Blue Jays beat the Mariners 4-3 in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series to return to the Fall Classic for the first time in 32 years.
“Yeah, I mean, this is what you play for as a player,” Springer, the 2017 World Series MVP with the Astros, said before Game 7. “This is what you want. I don’t think there’s anybody across the league that if you said in spring training, ‘Hey, you’re going to be in Game 7 of the ALCS,’ that you’re going to say, ‘Oh, man, no.’ I think everyone’s excited, so I’ll look forward to it.”
Defending champion Dodgers await
Toronto will face the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, beginning Friday night at Toronto’s Rogers Centre.
“I mean, it was very emotional when I saw George hit the homer,” Guerrero said. “But the greater thing that I did is right before that inning. I went down to the tunnel, got down on my knees, and I asked God for the win, to bless us.
“And he did, and then George hit the homer. So it was great.”
After losing the first two games of the best-of-seven ALCS at home, the Blue Jays rallied to win four of the next five, including Games 6 and 7 at home. They staved off elimination in Game 6 on Sunday to force a winner-take-all Game 7.
Julio Rodriguez and the Seattle Mariners were looking for the franchise’s first trip to the World Series. The Mariners were nine outs away from the Fall Classic until the Blue Jays mounted their three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh.
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With Seattle ahead 3-1, Barger led off the seventh with a walk off right-hander Bryan Woo. Kiner-Falefa followed with a single. After Andres Gimenez dropped a sacrifice bunt, Mariners manager Dan Wilson turned to right-hander Eduard Bazardo.
Many Seattle fans will wonder why Wilson didn’t turn to his All-Star closer Andres Munoz.
“Bazardo’s been doing it all season long and has been so consistent at it and he’s done such a good job all year,” Wilson said. “We felt really comfortable with him out there, the way he’s been throwing the ball, especially in this series, and it was a good spot for him.”
Seattle’s World Series wait continues
Whatever the case, Springer greeted Bazardo with a three-run home run to left. Seattle never recovered. The Blue Jays and Mariners were expansion twins in 1977. Toronto has won two World Series in franchise history, 1992 and 1993. The Mariners, however, have yet to reach the Fall Classic.
Each team scored a run in the first inning. Rodriguez gave the Mariners a 2-1 lead with a home run to left in the third inning. Cal Raleigh, who led the majors with 60 home runs this season, gave Seattle a 3-1 lead with a home run in the fifth.
Unfortunately for the Mariners, the Blue Jays rallied back.
Guerrero, who hit three home runs and scored six runs in the ALCS, was named the ALCS MVP. After hitting 23 home runs in the regular season, the All-Star first baseman has hit a team-leading six home runs over 11 games this postseason.
“Super,” Guerrero said of the ALCS MVP award. “I mean, I feel great, very proud of this, even more that I’m going to the World Series.”
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