Springer’s Clutch Homer Sends Blue Jays to Series/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ George Springer’s dramatic three-run homer in the seventh inning powered the Toronto Blue Jays to a 4–3 comeback win over the Seattle Mariners in Game 7 of the ALCS. The victory sends Toronto to its first World Series appearance since 1993. They’ll host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 on Friday.
TORONTO — October 21, 2025 — For the first time in 32 years, the World Series is headed back to Canada.
George Springerknown for his postseason heroics, delivered once again on baseball’s biggest stage, launching a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh inning to lift the Toronto Blue Jays to a 4–3 win over the Seattle Mariners in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.
The victory sends the Blue Jays to their first World Series since 1993where they’ll host Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 on Friday night.
Springer’s blast — his fourth of the postseason and 23rd of his playoff career — turned the game and the series on its head. With the Blue Jays trailing 3–1 in the seventh, Addison Barger walkedand Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled on an 0-2 count to set the stage.
After Andres Gimenez executed a sacrifice bunt to move the runners, Mariners reliever Eduard Bazardo took the mound. On his first pitch, Springer sent a 381-foot drive into the left field seats, igniting the sellout crowd of 44,770 at Rogers Centre.
It marked the first go-ahead home run in Game 7 history when a team trailed by multiple runs in the seventh inning or later.
Springer now trails only Manny Ramírez (29) and Jose Altuve (27) in postseason home runs, tied with Kyle Schwarber (23).
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.who hit .348 in the ALCS, was named Most Valuable Player of the series. The 26-year-old, born in Montreal, wore a Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews jersey to the ballpark, prompting manager Schneider to joke:
Guerrero will now play in the World Series for the first time — something his Hall of Fame father never achieved.
The Mariners, still seeking their first World Series appearanceheld a 3–1 lead in the seventh, thanks to home runs by Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh. It was Seattle’s first-ever Game 7 appearanceand they came just eight outs away from making history.
Rodríguez doubled and scored in the first, then homered in the third. Raleigh added a solo shot in the fifth, his 10th homer in just 15 games at Rogers Centreincluding three this postseason.
The Blue Jays’ bullpen locked in after Springer’s heroics:
Toronto overcame early struggles from starter Shane Bieber, who allowed 2 runs on 7 hits in 3 2/3 innings. Seattle starter George Kirby lasted four innings, allowing 1 run on four hits.
The Blue Jays became just the fourth team in MLB history to lose the first two games of a best-of-seven postseason series at home and still win the series. They join the:
The win was especially meaningful for bench coach Don Mattinglywho, after decades in the game, will appear in his first World Series. A former Yankees captain and Dodgers manager, Mattingly was one of MLB’s most respected players never to reach the Fall Classic — until now.
The Blue Jays will host Game 1 of the World Series on Friday, having earned home-field advantage with a 94–68 regular-season recordone win better than the NL-champion Dodgers (93–69).
Toronto’s only two prior World Series appearances — in 1992 and 1993 — both ended in championships.
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