Blue Jays to World Series after Springer's Game 7 blast

The Toronto Blue Jays clinched a spot in the World Series on Monday night, ending a 32‑year drought when George Springer, outfielder of Toronto Blue Jays launched a three‑run blast in the seventh inning of Game 7 of the 2025 American League Championship SeriesRogers Centre. The home run turned a 2‑1 deficit into a 4‑3 lead that held, sending Toronto’s fans into a raucous celebration that shook the stadium and spilled onto the streets of the city. Behind the drama, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the team’s power‑hitting first baseman, was later named the series’ Most Valuable Player, capping a postseason that saw the Jays rebound from a 0‑2 series hole.

Road to the ALCS

Toronto entered the postseason fresh off a 94‑win campaign that secured the American League East crown for the first time since 2022. The regular‑season grind had produced a balanced roster—young arms like Jeff Hoffman, a right‑handed reliever, and veteran batters such as Cavan Biggio—but no one could have predicted the roller‑coaster that awaited in October. After dropping the opening two games at home to the Seattle Mariners, the Jays forced a decisive Game 5 in Seattle, stealing two of the next three contests to level the series.

That comeback was fueled by a blend of timely hitting and clutch pitching. Starter Kevin Gausman delivered three solid outings, while the bullpen, anchored by Hoffman, kept the Mariners at bay long enough for the offense to spark. The narrative echoing from the 1993 championship run—where a young, hungry core toppled the dominant Atlanta Braves—re‑emerged, and fans began to whisper about a potential repeat.

Game 7 Showdown

The decisive game began with Seattle taking a 1‑0 lead in the first inning, courtesy of a solo homer by Ty France. The Jays answered back in the third, loading the bases before Leonard Miller drove in two runs with a single. By the sixth inning, the score sat at 2‑1 in favor of Seattle, and the momentum felt squarely with the home side.

Enter the seventh. Seattle’s starter Bryan Woo issued a walk, surrendered a hit, and allowed a sacrifice bunt, prompting manager Rob Thomson to summon reliever Eduard Bazardo. The move backfired spectacularly when Springer, staring down a sinker, erupted for a towering three‑run shot to left‑field, sending the crowd into a frenzy and flipping the scoreboard to 4‑2.

Mariners fought back, nudging a run in the eighth to make it 4‑3, but Toronto’s defense held. The final inning belongs to Jeff Hoffman, who became the first pitcher since Calvin Schiraldi in the 1986 ALCS to strike out all three hitters he faced in the closing frame of a Game 7. His last strikeout—a swinging fastball to the left‑hander—sealed the victory and sent the Jays into the Los Angeles Dodgers‑led World Series.

Key Performances & Stats

• Springer’s seventh‑inning home run was his 19th of the season and the decisive run in a 4‑3 win.
• Guerrero Jr. finished the series batting .380 with three homers and eight RBIs, earning the ALCS MVP.
• Hoffman recorded three strikeouts, zero walks, and a 0.00 ERA in the final inning.
• The Jays’ bullpen combined for a 2.85 ERA across the series, the best among AL teams.
• Seattle’s Mariners, despite a 3‑1 lead in the seventh, fell short after recording just one run in the final two innings.

Reactions and Celebration

Fans flooded the streets outside Rogers Centre within minutes of the final out. Taxi drivers handed out free rides, street vendors sold “We’re World Series‑bound” shirts, and the sound of chanting echoed from the CN Tower to the waterfront. In an interview on Sportsnet+, Rob Thomson, the Jays’ manager, said, “We knew we could do this. The kids grew up hearing about 1993, and they finally got to live it.”

Across the country, Canadian media lauded the win as a cultural moment. The game’s broadcast drew an estimated 3.2 million viewers on Sportsnet+, a record for a postseason baseball game in Canada. Social‑media platforms lit up with hashtags like #BlueJays2025 and #WorldSeriesBound, while former players such as Joe Carter posted nostalgic videos of his iconic 1993 walk‑off.

Looking Ahead to the World Series

The next challenge: a four‑game series against the heavily favored Los Angeles Dodgers, who boasted a league‑best 105‑57 record. Game 1 is slated for Friday, October 24, at Rogers Centre, giving Toronto home‑field advantage for the opening two contests. Analysts point to the Jays’ deep rotation—Gausman, Chris Bassitt, and rookie Nathan Eovaldi—as a key factor that could neutralize the Dodgers’ power‑heavy lineup.

What’s at stake goes beyond a championship. A World Series berth would deliver an estimated $120 million in franchise revenue, boost ticket sales for the next three seasons, and cement the current core as Toronto’s new legends. For a city that has waited three decades, the excitement feels palpable—like the buzz before a snowstorm in November.