Until the rejoicing George SpringerThe Game 7 home run will continue in Toronto and could last as long in Seattle.
But perhaps no one will take the Mariners' loss harder than Seattle president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto.
“There's not a lot of talk,” Dipoto said Thursday when asked how he felt about the end of the Mariners' season. “They mostly ignore a lot of communication and just try to lie low. I think that's probably true for our staff and our players. Just trying to switch off for a minute.”
Seeking the first World Series appearance in franchise history, Seattle entered the seventh inning of Game 7 with a 3–1 lead.
But you're probably already familiar with how things turned out.
Addison Barger worked a walk, Isaiah Kiner-Falefa grounded a single to center and Andres Jimenez struck out two, forcing Mariners manager Dan Wilson to pull Brian Wu and call up right-handed pitcher Eduard Bazardo.
Springer then welcomed Bazardo into the game with a three-run shot that already has its place in Toronto sports history.
“Some friends who do what I do for a living suggested that maybe it would be smart to take a week or so and not think about baseball,” Dipoto continued. “But it’s probably not in our nature. We'll come back to it next week and start working on it.”
“For now we are mostly replaying, like everyone else – our fans, a variety of events in our heads.”
Wilson was criticized after the loss for turning to Bazardo rather than star Andres Munoz to face Springer.
Bazardo is already a two-time World Series MVP in 2017, and Munoz hasn't faced Springer at all in 2025.
Even before his homer defined his legacy in Toronto, Springer was a certified postseason superstar and a killer for the Mariners.
After spending most of his career with the Houston Astros in the AL West, Springer put together a nice resume in the regular season against Seattle. In 125 games with the Mariners, the 36-year-old has 26 hits against Seattle with an OPS of .815.
It's a sign that now runs even deeper for Dipoto after Springer's heroics in the ALCS.
“I will see George Springer on the ceiling of my dreams for years to come. He tormented us for many years.”
