TORONTO — As time runs out Toronto Blue JaysDuring the season, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked into the tunnel behind the third-base dugout, knelt down and prayed.
It was Game 7 of the ALCS and the Seattle Mariners were leading 3–1. With nine more strikeouts, they secured their first-ever World Series appearance and eliminated the Blue Jays, but Guerrero Jr. wasn't ready to call it a season.
When he asked for help from above, his teammates began to rally. Addison Barger walked, Isaiah Kiner-Falefa singled, and Andres Jimenez laid down a sacrifice bunt to put two runners on. George Springer.
Mindful of the baseball situation that had gotten the Blue Jays this far, Springer stepped in with the intention of hitting a sacrifice fly to cut Seattle's lead in half. But he hit Eduard Bazardo's sinker well, and as the ball sailed toward the left-center field wall, he knew he had a chance to make it home.
“I’m pretty sure I blacked out,” Springer recalled.
Guerrero Jr.'s prayers were answered. The Blue Jays now led 4–3.
“Very emotional,” Guerrero Jr. remembers.
“I was clenching my fists,” Miles Straw said. “I've got goosebumps. I've never seen a stadium like this. It's incredible. I'm getting goosebumps again just thinking about it. Joe Carter hit a crazy home run in the World Series, but other than that it has to be one of the best of all time.”
It's out of the question. Carter's 1993 hit remains the standard, and Jose Bautista's 2015 home run is iconic in its own right, but Springer's three-run shot now also belongs in the conversation about epic Blue Jays playoff moments. And like other transformational turns in Blue Jays history, the home run galvanized others in the organization as well as millions of fans.
“It's pretty surreal at that moment when you're witnessing a historic turn in the history of the organization,” manager John Schneider said.
Afterwards, in the hallway outside the Blue Jays' clubhouse, Springer stood to the side, a few feet from the chaotic center of the party he had just started. Nearby, his teammates doused each other with beer and champagne as the music played at full volume. The celebration had already begun, and Springer was now answering some questions.
Shirtless and with a beer in the pocket of his sweatpants, Springer stood on the sidelines of the celebration and struggled to remember the turnaround that clinched the Blue Jays' berth in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, starting Friday at Rogers Center. (8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+).
“I really love this team,” Springer said. “I was just trying to get a third-down guy like we preached all year and here we are.”
“I probably played with George longer than anyone here,” added Straw, his former Astros teammate. “And I've seen him do it every postseason. If there's anyone with the clutch gene, it's George.”
The moment was witnessed by Bautista, who was ecstatic as Springer put the Blue Jays ahead in Toronto's biggest turnaround since he flipped his bat. Bautista declined to comment immediately, insisting that Springer would have his moment, but the longtime Blue Jays slugger was clearly delighted with the hit and a friend of Bautista said he even predicted it.
From Springer's perspective, the fan reaction surpassed anything he had ever experienced in Toronto and immediately rose to the top of his list of favorite Blue Jays moments.
“Watching the Bautista moment over and over again, it seemed like it was very loud,” he said. “I wasn’t there, but it was incredible.”
As soon as Springer scored the goal, the energy in the stadium immediately changed as tension gave way to intense excitement. On the field, the players felt their nerves go up a notch.
“I wasn't nervous until George homer came on and then, yeah, I was shaking pretty damn good,” said Chris Bassitt, who pitched the eighth inning to set up closer Jeff Hoffman.
Like Bautista's homer, Springer's shot also has the potential to change the narrative around the Blue Jays. The loss could shift the focus to Schneider, whose decision to use Brandon Little in Game 5 backfired.
Instead, Schneider becomes the second manager in Blue Jays franchise history to appear in the World Series, joining Cito Gaston.
“Very cool,” Schneider said. “Pretty modest.”
There's also general manager Ross Atkins, who has drawn a lot of criticism over the years, most recently after a disappointing 88-loss 2024 season. But to give this front office some credit, they have averaged 88 wins per season over the last half-decade. Now, thanks in part to Springer's swing, they're going to the World Series.
“I don’t call him Boss Ross for nothing,” Straw said. “I'm so glad he got my ass here. I think Ross is the man. He built this team, him and Mark (Shapiro). What more do you want from your team at this particular moment? If you hate him, you need to go cheer for another sport because you've got the Blue Jays in the World Series, and what else can you do? You can't do better than where we're at right now.”
Of course, there's also Springer, whose Blue Jays legacy looked much different a year ago. Now, five years into his six-year, $150 million contract, his impact on this franchise is significant and will be long-lasting; one hit against Bazardo guaranteed that.
However, it is still appropriate for the 2025 Blue Jays that the franchise's biggest home run in recent memory would have to be a sac fly. Springer certainly cemented his personal legacy in Game 7, but he also helped those around him, from teammates to coaches to front office staff.
“That’s what we envisioned,” Springer said. “I love it. I'm so proud of this team. I'm so proud of everyone. It's just an incredible moment.”
