In Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, the Toronto Blue Jays came back from a seventh-inning deficit to defeat the Seattle Mariners 4-3, winning their first AL pennant since 1993.
Here are the key takeaways from Monday’s game:
George Springer’s 23rd postseason home run flips Game 7
Trailing 3–1 in the bottom of the seventh, the Mariners made a pitching change, bringing in Eduard Bazardo in relief of Bryan Woo to face George Springer.
On Bazardo’s second pitch, Springer crushed a three-run home run to flip the score and give the Blue Jays a 4–3 lead. It marked his 23rd career postseason home run — the third-most in MLB postseason history.
GEORGE SPRINGER
THREE-RUN SHOT
BLUE JAYS LEAD pic.twitter.com/Qh7qwqYpRx— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2025
Jeff Hofmann strikes out the side in the ninth
Three outs from the pennant, Hofmann slammed the door shut. Entering with a one-run lead in the ninth, he struck out all three Mariners he faced — capping it off by fanning Julio Rodríguez, who was one of Seattle’s best bats in the series, slashing .240/.367/.640 with three home runs.
Jeff Hoffman was drafted by the @BlueJays in 2014 and traded away in 2015.
He returned to the organization 10 years later and just sent Toronto to the World Series! pic.twitter.com/cEzirpvXcQ
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2025
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wins ALCS MVP
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was named ALCS MVP after continuing his dominant postseason stretch into the seven-game series against Seattle. He slashed .385/.484/.846 with three home runs, consistently delivering in high-leverage moments.
In Game 7, Guerrero sparked the first inning scoring with a single that moved Springer to second. Springer later scored on Daulton Varsho’s RBI single to tie the game.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is your ALCS MVP pic.twitter.com/UNa0691GUA
— MLB (@MLB) October 21, 2025
Mariners offense falls silent again
After scoring just two runs in Game 6, Seattle’s offense fell flat once more. Despite early solo home run from Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh, the Mariners failed to score after Raleigh’s fifth-inning blast — their third and final run of the game.
Blue Jays win first pennant in 32 years
The Blue Jays became AL champions for the first time since 1993. Toronto overcame a 0–2 deficit in the ALCS, becoming just the fourth team in MLB to do so, and now advance to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.
This marks a historic turnaround for Toronto, who finished last in the AL East the previous season — making them the first team since the 2013 Red Sox to reach the World Series one year after a last-place division finish.
Taylor Bretl writes about Major League Baseball with a focus on the Milwaukee Brewers. He is founder of Around the Globe Baseball.
