The 2025 World Series will continue in Los Angeles on October 27 with the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays tied, 1-1. Many analysts and experts foresaw the Dodgers cementing their status as MLB’s next superteam by taking a commanding lead over Toronto, but that hasn’t happened so far.
The Blue Jays won Game 1 of the Fall Classic in dramatic, high-scoring fashion. The Dodgers’ pitching fell apart behind Blake Snell — the starter loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning, then Emmett Sheehan came in and allowed three runs to break the 2-2 tie. LA pulled Sheehan after the three-batter minimum and Anthony Banda entered with the bases still juiced. Addison Barger remedied that quickly.
Barger cranked a grand slam to right center field to lift the game firmly out of the Dodgers’ reach. The Jays went on to win, 11-4, after Alejandro Kirk also cracked a two-run homer that inning. After the win, Barger was hailed a hero and given, in our opinion, a worthy prize for his work.
During his postgame interview with FOX Sports analysts, Barger received a t-shirt from Boston Red Sox legend, David Ortiz. The Hall of Famer has dished out shirts to playoff standouts, such as himself in his day, in the past — the shirt is emblazoned with a picture of Ortiz pointing to the sky after running the bases with the words “MY DAWG” beneath it.
Blue Jays’ Addison Barger refuses to don Red Sox shirt gifted to him by David Ortiz after World Series Game 1 grand slam
Later, in his postgame presser with reporters, someone asked Barger why he left the t-shirt at the analysts’ desk.
“No, I left it. I mean, it has ‘Red Sox’ on it. I’m not wearing that, are you kidding me?” Barger said through a smile. “…I’m not wearing a team that’s in our division’s shirt. It’s awesome, but no.”
Not wanting to wear a shirt bearing a division rival’s name is understandable, but maybe Barger should’ve taken the risk. When the Red Sox have made it to the World Series in the new millennium, they haven’t lost, and their latest championship came against the Dodgers. The Blue Jays haven’t appeared to need much help yet, but it’s still early in the series.
Ortiz made his support for Toronto clear during the ALCS. After the Blue Jays beat the Yankees, he and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. engaged in his classic “Da Yankees lose” celebration, to the chagrin of his co-analysts, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.
The next three games of the Fall Classic will be played at Dodger Stadium, and rowdy fans could give LA a fierce home field advantage. We’ll soon see if Barger and the Blue Jays should’ve accepted a potential good luck charm from a three-time World Series winner and World Series MVP.
