TORONTO — Blue Jays manager John Schneider made a couple of minor changes to his batting order for Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Addison Barger was expected to move up two spots to fifth in the deciding game at Rogers Center, while Daulton Varsho dropped two spots to seventh.
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Barger, who had two hits in a 3-1 loss in Game 6 on Friday, entered the game with a .357 postseason batting average with three homers and a 1.008 OPS.
“I'm just trying to understand what's going on right now, and I still trust both of them,” Schneider told the media in his office before the game. “But I think Barger is swinging.”
The rest of the order was the same as last night, with George Springer leading ahead of Nathan Lux, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette.
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Alejandro Kirk remained in sixth place, Ernie Clement batted eighth and Andres Jimenez ended up in ninth place.
“It's a good mix of nerves and excitement,” Clement said of his feelings heading into Game 7. “I mean, that’s the whole point. So at this point we are ready.”
Right-hander Max Scherzer has been named to start for the Blue Jays against two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who will also pitch for the defending champion Dodgers.
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Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts also made a couple of changes to his order.
Max Muncy moved up to fifth and Tommy Edman moved up one spot to seventh. Teoscar Hernandez dropped one position to sixth place, while Quique Hernandez dropped to eighth place.
For the second game of seven in a row, Guerrero arrived at the stadium Saturday afternoon wearing a hockey jersey.
The Montreal native wore a well-worn Team Canada hockey jersey with Marie-Philippe Poulin's No. 29 and her name on the back.
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Poulin and several other Professional Women's Hockey League players were in attendance for Friday's Game 6.
The captain of the national women's hockey team from Beauceville, Quebec, has scored numerous goals in important games for Canada.
“We love to see this,” her Montreal Victoria club team wrote on Instagram. “Tonight Vladdy will CLUTCH.”
Poulin wrote on her Instagram page: “Wow! Let's go, Blue Jays.”
Guerrero wore a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey with Auston Matthews' No. 34 on the back before the American League Championship Series clincher against the Seattle Mariners last month.
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The Blue Jays won the game 4–3 and advanced to the World Series for the first time in 32 years.
— With files from Canadian Press sports reporter Donna Spencer.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2025.
Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
