George Springer’s 21st Postseason Homer Powers Blue Jays Past Yankees

When George Springer, the veteran center fielder for the Toronto Blue Jays, launched a solo shot on October 5, 2025, the baseball world stopped for a beat. The homer came in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees at the Rogers Centre, tying the legendary Derek Jeter at 20 career postseason home runs. It wasn’t just a stat‑pad moment; the blast expanded a 19‑run lead that had already left the Yankees reeling, and it set the tone for a series that Toronto would clinch in four games.

Game 2 ALDS: Springer’s Tie with Jeter

Earlier in the night, Yankees reliever Lucas Warren walked into a jam that had already seen the Blue Jays string together a seven‑inning, 19‑0 run. After a bases‑loaded walk to Anthony Rizzo and a strike‑out of DJ LeMahieu, the crowd sensed another explosion. Springer, who hadn’t recorded a hit in the 2025 postseason yet, swung at a 97‑mph fastball, and the ball sailed to left‑center, finding the upper deck. The Fox Sports broadcast quipped, “The Blue Jays now have more home runs than the Yankees have hits.”

Statistically, the shot was his 20th postseason home run, matching Jeter’s mark and placing Springer in a three‑decade‑old club that includes only the game‑changing hitters of the modern era. The home run also gave Toronto its fourth homer of the game—a franchise postseason record—while the Yankees were left with just one hit at that point.

ALCS Opener: Breaking the Tie

Fast‑forward seven days to October 12, 2025, the Seattle Mariners arrived in Toronto for the American League Championship Series opener. The first pitch was delivered by 27‑year‑old right‑hander Bryce Miller, and Springer met it with a 385‑foot rocket to right field. That leadoff homer wasn’t just a flash in the pan; it marked his 21st career postseason homer, vaulting him past Jeter and into sole possession of fifth place on MLB’s all‑time postseason home run list.

Now sitting behind only Manny Ramirez (29), José Altuve (27), Kyle Schwarber (23) and Bernie Williams (22), Springer’s feat highlighted a resurgence that many thought was unlikely at age 36. MLB.com called the blast “a no‑doubter to the opposite field,” and the Blue Jays took a 1‑0 lead that would prove crucial.

Season Resurgence and Contract Context

Springer’s 2025 season has been a textbook case of late‑career revitalization. After signing a six‑year, $150 million contract in December 2019—a deal that was, at the time, the biggest in Blue Jays history—he struggled to find consistency. That changed dramatically this year: a .309 batting average, 32 homers and a .959 OPS across 147 games. Those numbers sit comfortably beside the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., whose eight‑year, $360 million extension eclipsed Springer's deal in raw dollars but not in impact.

Beyond the numbers, Springer now boasts 63 career regular‑season leadoff homers, second only to Rickey Henderson’s 81. The combination of power and speed has made him a constant threat at the top of the order, forcing opponents to pitch around him and opening up the lineup for the rest of the club.

Implications for Toronto’s World Series Quest

With the ALDS victory already in the books, the Blue Jays have their sights set on a first World Series appearance since the 1993 triumph, when Joe Carter famously walked off against the Philadelphia Phillies. The organization—owned by Rogers Communications Inc., headquartered at Rogers Centre (1 Blue Jays Way, Toronto, Ontario M5V 1J3)—is led by President Mark Shapiro and field manager John Schneider. Both have emphasized that springer’s clutch performances are the kind of momentum that can tilt a series.

Opponents will now have to devise a game plan that neutralizes Springer’s power without exposing their own weaknesses. For the Yankees, the loss of a 19‑run lead and the sight of a Spring‑driven Blue Jays offense may force a re‑evaluation of their bullpen usage, especially after Warren’s earlier eight‑run outing in July 2025 at the same venue.

Meanwhile, the Mariners, who have a young, hungry core led by shortstop Julio Cortez and pitcher Logan Wagner, must decide whether to pitch around Springer or attack him early. The answer could dictate the flow of the ALCS, a series already brimming with historic moments.

Key Facts

• October 5, 2025 – Springer’s 20th postseason homer ties Derek Jeter’s record.
• October 12, 2025 – Springer’s 21st postseason homer puts him in sole possession of 5th‑all‑time.
• Springer’s 2025 line: .309 AVG, 32 HR, .959 OPS.
• Blue Jays lead series 3‑1; next game decides ALCS winner.
• Toronto’s first World Series run since 1993.