The Toronto Blue Jays held on for a dramatic 4-3 win in Game 7, eliminating the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS and advancing to the World Series for the first time in 32 years.
Toronto overcame an early 0-2 hole in the series, winning four of the next five games, including the decisive Game 7 victory. The Blue Jays will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, which begins on October 24.
An elated John Schneider expressed his emotions freely during an on-field postgame interview with SportsNet. “This is f-king unbelievable for me. This is my 24th year with this organization and I f-king love it here. These fans, this country, you deserve all of this. It’s not about me, it’s about every single one that’s behind me,” Schneider said.
A former catcher, Schneider was selected by Toronto in the 13th round of the 2002 draft and spent six seasons in the team’s farm system. He served as the Blue Jays’ bench coach in 2022 but took over as interim manager midway through the season after Charlie Montoyo was fired. Schneider was named the full-time skipper in 2023.
### George Springer Sends Blue Jays to World Series with 3-Run HR
Toronto’s resilience was on full display throughout the intense seven-game Championship Series. The Mariners took an early lead, winning the first two games in Toronto. However, the Blue Jays bounced back with back-to-back blowout wins in Seattle to even the series.
Seattle stole momentum again with a 6-2 win in Game 5 before the series shifted back to Canada. The Blue Jays capitalized on Mariners’ missed opportunities with the bases loaded to secure a 6-2 victory, forcing a winner-take-all Game 7.
In the decisive game, Mariners pitchers George Kirby and Bryan Woo combined to give Seattle a quality start, allowing three runs over 6.1 innings. Trade deadline addition Shane Bieber went 3.2 innings for Toronto, allowing two runs before handing the ball over to the bullpen.
Cal Raleigh hit his 65th home run of the 2025 season in the fifth inning, giving Seattle a 3-1 lead. But after Raleigh’s big blast, Toronto’s relievers locked in, recording the next 15 outs without allowing a run or a hit.
ALCS MVP George Springer played the hero for the Blue Jays, delivering a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning that ultimately decided the game.
Toronto now moves on to the World Series, tasked with preventing the Dodgers from repeating as champions. The last time the Blue Jays appeared in the Fall Classic, they won the second of back-to-back titles on Joe Carter’s iconic walk-off home run.
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