Blue Jays manager rips Mariners fans for booing injured George Springer

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider tore Seattle Mariners fans apart after they loudly booed when four-time All-Star George Springer went down in the seventh inning after being hit in the knee by a ball.

Conversation with journalists after permission Sailors To take a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series, Schneider criticized Seattle fans for what he called poor sportsmanship.

“I know it's a great atmosphere to play in,” he said. “And it's really great to play here and I think the fans who booed him should look in the mirror and realize what kind of player he is.”

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“I'll stop there because when a guy gets hit in the knee and he's in obvious pain and you have 40,000 people cheering, that's not the right thing to do.”

Springer was hit in the right kneecap by right-hander Brian Wu with the Blue Jays leading 2–1 late in the game. Springer fell to the ground in pain and was eventually helped off the field limping.

George Springer of the Toronto Blue Jays falls after being hit by a pitch against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Abby Parr)

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And then there was laughter.

“I don't know how you can boo someone who's hurt on the ground,” Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement said. “I don't understand this. I have a lot of respect for all the Mariners fans, especially the ones I kind of talked to throughout the series. They were amazing. But this is a difficult moment. It's pretty classless.”

Teammates and staff help Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer (center) off the field after he was hit on the knee by a pitch from Seattle Mariners pitcher Brian Wu during the seventh inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series in Seattle on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Springer played a dominant role in the Blue Jays' attempts to reach World Series for the first time since 1993. His run-scoring double in the fifth gave him six straight games with an extra-base hit. The 36-year-old is hitting .256 with three home runs and five doubles this postseason.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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