TORONTO – George Springer says he paid no mind to Seattle Mariners cheering when he was hit by a pitch.
Springer spoke to media Monday evening ahead of Game 7 of the American League Championship Series between his Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle.
The 36-year-old veteran was hit on the right kneecap by a 95.6 m.p.h. pitch from Bryan Woo in the seventh inning of Toronto’s 6-2 loss on Friday in Game 5. Mariners fans had booed him during every plate appearance in the game and then celebrated when he was removed from the game after getting plunked by Woo.
“Ultimately, at the end of the day, I’m just concerned about my health, and that’s out of my control,” said Springer. “So it’s just kind of one of those things where I was concerned about my knee in the moment and I’ll go from there.”
Springer was batting leadoff for Toronto in Monday’s must-win Game 7. He was also brushed back from the plate in the Blue Jays’ 6-2 victory in Game 6.
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“It just kind of is what it is, honestly,” said Springer on having to grind out at bats. “I’m going to do my best to go out there and play to the best of my ability. I don’t really think it’s a secret. I got hit in the kneecap (in Game 5).
“It’s not ideal. So it’s not necessarily the best thing, but at this point I’m going to play.”
Springer had a resurgent regular season, hitting .309 with 32 home runs, 84 runs-batted in, 18 stolen bases and a .399 on-base percentage. He is hitting .233 so far this post-season with three home runs and six runs batted in.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider praised Springer’s leadership in setting a gritty example for his teammates.
“I think that he’s doing a very deliberate job of not complaining,” said Schneider. “Again, that’s another way to set a standard. Everyone’s feeling it right now.
“We always joke, everyone’s feeling it, but no one cares. No one cares. You got to go out and you got to get it done.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press