How the Blue Jays punched their ticket to the World Series

As Seattle continued to mow through Toronto’s lineup, the bottom of the seventh didn’t look promising. The Mariners’ bullpen had been the better unit all series, and scoring against their airtight staff seemed nearly impossible. But then, Addison Barger drew a walk-off Woo to open the bottom of the frame. Following Barger’s walk, Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to put runners on first and third.

Something was brewing, and the city of Toronto held its breath as the Mariners brought in reliever Eduard Bazardo and George Springer stepped into the box. He could tie the game with one swing, and the weight of the moment was indescribable. Springer took the first pitch for a ball — and when the second pitch came, he didn’t hesitate for a second. He put his signature confident swing on it.

He didn’t just tie the game — he did one better. Springer launched a three-run home run to deep left field, flipping the score to 4–3 in favour of the Blue Jays.

That one swing didn’t just flip the narrative — it burned the entire playoff script and created a new one from the ashes, like a phoenix rising. But the Blue Jays still had six more outs to secure before thinking about destiny. Holding off Seattle’s powerful lineup would be one of their toughest challenges yet.

All hands were on deck. Before Springer’s blast changed the tone of the game, Toronto’s ace Kevin Gausman had thrown a clean inning in relief despite some traffic on the bases. The top of the eighth belonged to Chris Bassitt, who retired hitters efficiently with two groundouts and a strikeout.

Then came the final test. With the World Series on the line, closer Jeff Hoffman made it his personal mission to be the most dominant version of himself even after throwing 35 pitches the day before. The Rogers Centre crowd roared as Hoffman struck out Julio Rodríguez for the final out of the series.

The Toronto Blue Jays were heading to the World Series for the first time in over three decades.

The Comeback Story

For most of Game 7, this looked like the Mariners’ night. Their offense put together some solid contact against Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber and chased him early. The series had unfolded much the same way — Toronto dropped the first two games in Seattle, fought back to even the series, but again fell behind heading into Game 7.

Everything seemed to be going Seattle’s way. But that’s what Achilles looked like in the Trojan War — unbeatable until the fatal blow. The Blue Jays found Seattle’s heel and struck with multiple blows, even when things looked beyond bleak.

From the beginning of the season, the Blue Jays had been there for one another. When one player slumped, another picked him up. That team-first mindset brought the ALCS back to Toronto and gave them a shot at redemption. Rogers Centre wasn’t the Mariners’ stage to celebrate — it was Toronto’s, and they relished their own triumph.

From Doubt to Dominance

Toronto fought to be in this moment. Back in May, the Blue Jays hovered under .500 with playoff odds below 25%. Yet here they are — American League Champions, proving everyone wrong. They weren’t supposed to win the AL East, beat the Yankees in the ALDS, or conquer the Mariners in the ALCS.

But the 2025 Blue Jays are something special. This run has been powered by selflessness, teamwork, and a willingness to embrace the unconventional. They’ve played “weird baseball” at times — and it’s worked. As MLB’s Sarah Langs noted, Springer’s home run was the first go-ahead home run while trailing by multiple runs in the seventh inning or later in Game 7 history.

From Grapefruit League Champions in spring training to AL East Champions and now American League Champions, this team’s belief in one another has never wavered. Every player trusted the next man up — and that trust has carried them to the biggest stage in baseball.

A Moment to Savour

This is everything the Blue Jays dreamed of from day one. Every player in that clubhouse loves one another and is willing to go the extra mile. Manager John Schneider, now in his 24th year with the organization, has seen it all — but nothing quite like this.

Whatever happens next, take a moment to savour every second of it. The Toronto Blue Jays deserve this.