Game 7 — Overview & Final Line
- Date / Time / Venue: October 20, 2025, at Rogers Centre, Toronto
- Final Score: Blue Jays 4, Mariners 3
- Duration / Attendance: 2:50, 44,770 spectators
Game Flow & Key Moments
Early Innings: Back-and-Forth
- Top 1st: Julio Rodríguez doubled on the second pitch of the game. He scored on a one-out single by Josh Naylor, giving Seattle a quick 1–0 lead.
- Bottom 1st: The Blue Jays responded immediately. George Springer scored on an RBI single by Daulton Varsho, tying the game 1–1.
- Top 3rd: Rodríguez went deep — a solo home run off Shane Bieber — putting Seattle ahead 2–1.
- Top 5th: Cal Raleigh launched a solo homer to right, extending Seattle’s lead to 3–1.
So after five innings, Seattle seemed in control, up two runs.
Turning Point: 7th Inning Drama
- Heading into the bottom of the 7th, the score remained 3–1 in favor of Seattle.
- Toronto’s rally:
- Addison Barger drew a leadoff walk.
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with a single to move the runner.
- Andrés Giménez executed a sacrifice bunt, pushing runners to second and third.
- Pitching change / at-bat: Seattle removed starter Bryan Woo and brought in Eduard Bazardo to face George Springer.
- On Bazardo’s second pitch, Springer launched a three-run, go-ahead home run to left-center. That blast put Toronto ahead 4–3 — and it would be the decisive swing.
This homer by Springer has historical significance: it was the first time in MLB postseason history that a team trailing by multiple runs in the 7th inning or later hit a go-ahead home run in a Game 7
Final Innings: Closing It Out
- In the eighth, Chris Bassitt came in and threw a scoreless inning for Toronto, preserving the lead.
- In the ninth, closer Jeff Hoffman took over and struck out Julio Rodríguez on a foul tip to seal the 4–3 win and the pennant.
ignificance & Storylines
- Blue Jays’ first AL pennant since 1993 — they return to the World Series for the first time in 32 years.
- Mariners heartbreak: Seattle came within eight outs of their first-ever World Series berth but fell just short.
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — ALCS MVP: He hit .385 (10-for-26) in the series, with three solo home runs and three doubles.
- Resilience: Toronto lost the first two games at home, but became the first team to win a League Championship Series after losing its first two home games (in a non-neutral-site scenario).
- Pitching and bullpen performance: Gausman, Bassitt, and Hoffman delivered in high-leverage spots to help Toronto close it out.
