The Toronto Blue Jays have a second chance to win the championship after the Los Angeles Dodgers forced a winner-take-all World Series finale. Max Scherzer took the mound for Toronto on Saturday and the 41-year-old pitcher made history as the oldest Game 7 starter in World Series history.
But Scherzer isn't the Blue Jays player who set a record Saturday. Facing Shohei Ohtani in the first inning of Game 7, George Springer led off with a single to left. It was the 12th-year veteran's fourth career leadoff hit in a winner-take-all game, the most in postseason history, per MLB's Sarah Langs.
Springer's Game 7 base knock broke a tie with Mookie Betts, who has three leadoff hits in all-or-nothing postseason games. Betts is batting fourth for the Dodgers Saturday.
George Springer delivers in the clutch for Blue Jays
The fact that Springer is playing in the World Series finale is impressive in its own right. The four-time All-Star was forced to leave Game 3 with an injury. Springer strained his right oblique when fouling off a ball in the seventh inning of Monday's matchup. The Dodgers would go on to win Game 3 6-5 in 18 innings.
Despite the painful strain, Springer made a gusty return to the lineup in Game 6. The 2017 World Series MVP went 2-4 and drove in Toronto's only run in a 3-1 loss.
Springer has been clutch for the Blue Jays in the postseason. He hit a massive three-run go-ahead home run in Game 7 of the ALCS, helping Toronto beat the Seattle Mariners. Entering the 2025 World Series finale, he's slashing .338/.440/.746 in 18 career Fall Classic games.
And it seems that setting the record for leadoff hits in winner-take-all matchups inspired the 36-year-old veteran. After four innings, Springer is 3-3 with a run scored as the Blue Jays jumped out to a 3-1 lead.
The post George Springer passes Mookie Betts for MLB record in tense Game 7 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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