TORONTO – There were many offensive stars for the Toronto Blue Jays in their four-game series sweep of the Athletics, but Addison Barger stood larger with his flair for the dramatic.
Barger blasted a homer for the third consecutive game, igniting a six-run eighth inning with a three-run shot to give the Toronto Blue Jays an 8-4 comeback win on Sunday.
Barger’s heroics extended the Blue Jays win streak at home to seven games. In this stretch, the Blue Jays outscored the San Diego Padres and Athletics 63-24, touching home an average of nine times per game.
They have a .337 team batting average with 85 hits, including 32 extra-base hits during this run.
The 25-year-old Barger, of Bellevue, Wash., has contributed in each game during this streak. But his good vibrations stretch back to early May.
In his last 24 games, Barger has hit .321 with eight doubles, five homers and 15 RBIs.
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Toronto manager John Schneider credits his hot slugger with being more athletic when at the plate.
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“I think he got away from that a little bit last year in the batter’s box,” Schneider said.
“He’s a pretty dynamic player. So I think it’s just go, do your thing.”
Barger’s blast to right centre off Athletics reliever Justin Sterner travelled 412 feet after smacking a 428-foot drive into the seats on Saturday and 406 feet shot on Friday.
“He’s confident as ever,” Schneider said. “It’s cool to watch it unfold. You know he’s talented, and then when it starts to click like this you get sucked into every at-bat, thinking he’s going to do something.”
Strange Springer
Schneider reported George Springer was jumping up and down on third base when he was tagged out because he tweaked his ankle running from first to third base to end the fifth inning.
Initially called safe, a video replay caught Springer off the bag.
“I saw the whole thing unfold,” Schneider said. “He wasn’t dancing. He wasn’t doing anything crazy. He was testing his ankle out.
“It’s the blessing and the curse of replay.”
Swanson returns
Reliever Erik Swanson (right forearm) returned after a 60-day stint on the injured list. He pitched a shaky eighth inning but registered the win in his first appearance.
In the meantime, outfielder Daulton Varsho was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain he suffered running from second to third base on Saturday. Davis Schneider was recalled from triple-A Buffalo.
Easton Lucas was optioned to Buffalo with the return of Swanson.
Phillies next
While the Athletics left town as the second-worst team in the American League, a much better challenge arrives in the Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game set, beginning on Tuesday.
The Phillies have won 17 road games, tied for the most in the National League with the Chicago Cubs.
“I think we’ve played good teams really well all year,” Schneider said. “It’ll be fun.
“I think we’ve always kind of played them tough.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press