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Bottom of the order crucial to Blue Jays’ postseason success
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Photo credit: © John Froschauer-Imagn Images
Josh Goldberg
Oct 23, 2025, 15:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 23, 2025, 05:49 EDT
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Where would the Toronto Blue Jays be without the contributions from players at the bottom of the lineup?
The 2025 campaign was defined in a lot of ways by unsung heroes and players making unexpected contributions. Instead of disappearing in the postseason against tougher pitching, the bottom of the order has continued to give the Blue Jays big hits and plays in crucial spots.
The bottom of the seventh inning of Game 7 of the ALCS against Seattle is a perfect example. First, Addison Barger worked a lead-off walk. Then, Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with a single to put two on. Following that, Andrés Giménez put down a perfect sacrifice bunt to set the table for George Springer’s season-changing three-run blast to give the Blue Jays the lead.
That success is a direct contrast to what the Mariners got out of the bottom of the order in the ALCS.
In Game 7, Mariners manager Dan Wilson decided to have his No. 7 hitter, J.P. Crawford, bunt with two on and nobody out with the game tied at 1-1 in the top of the second inning. Leo Rivas and Victor Robles failed to cash in a run, and both finished the series with batting averages well below the Mendoza Line.
In a series as tight as the ALCS was, it’s that type of disparity that can end up making the difference. Barger finished the ALCS with a .958 OPS, Kiner-Falefa hit .333 with several clutch hits, while Giménez put a miserable regular season at the plate behind him with two crucial home runs in Games 3 and 4 in Seattle.
The No. 7 spot in the Blue Jays lineup slashed .280/.357/.560 (.917 OPS) against Seattle, the No. 8 spot hit .308, while the ninth spot in the order (Giménez) posted a .261 with an .842 OPS. It’s fair to say the Blue Jays wouldn’t be preparing for their first World Series appearance in over three decades without the contributions of the bottom of their order.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, didn’t get much production from the bottom of their order in the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers as both the No. 7 and No. 9 hitters hit below .200. This bodes well for Toronto in the upcoming World Series.
If the Blue Jays can get anything approaching that level of production in the World Series, it could end up being a development that tips the scales in their favour.

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