"On a 2-1 count, Barger sent a grand slam off Anthony Banda's third pitch of the game to the seats extending the Blue Jays lead to 9-2. What made it even more special was that he did it off the bench, marking the first pinch hit grand slam in World Series history. The ball scorched off Barger's bat at 106.2 mph, and travelled 413 feet. As he often does, he made it look like the bat was as light as a toothpick."
"July saw him slash .284/.327/.568 with six home runs and 24 RBI for example, quickly becoming one of the most exciting storylines of 2025, in a season full of them. However, as much as Barger can get hot, the narrative can switch in seconds. Headed into the postseason, he slashed .197/.293./394. with a .687 OPS in the month of September, showing that the highs can be extremely promising and the lows can be quite substantial. In Game 1 of the World Series though, his prolonged slumps meant absolutely nothing. Those regular season numbers are thrown in the trash. He is clearly getting hot at the right time."
Addison Barger delivered a historic pinch-hit grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series, capping a nine-run sixth inning and extending the Blue Jays lead to 9-2. The home run came on a 2-1 count off Anthony Banda's third pitch and left the bat at 106.2 mph, traveling 413 feet. Barger had alternating hot and cold stretches during the season, including a strong July and a weak September, but his postseason performance erased those regular-season concerns. The slam was the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history and came with key contributions from Andrés Giménez, Ernie Clement, Daulton Varsho, and Alejandro Kirk.
Read at Jays Journal
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