TORONTO — With a chance to clinch their first World Series title in 32 years, the Toronto Blue Jays got a crucial member of their lineup back for Friday’s Game 6, reinserting George Springer into the leadoff spot.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, facing elimination for the first time in these playoffs, made more changes.
Mookie Betts, who batted third for the first time in four years in Game 5, was moved back to cleanup, a spot he has not occupied since 2017, for Game 6. Miguel Rojas, meanwhile, started at second base and in the No. 9 spot, with Tommy Edman taking over in center field — where the Dodgers were previously hesitant to play him because of his tender right ankle.
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The Dodgers are slashing just .214/.306/.360 in 13 postseason games, during which they’ve produced a .544 OPS with runners in scoring position. They’re averaging only 3.6 runs per game in this series. Betts has gone 3-for-23 and admitted after Game 5 that he has been “terrible.”
But the Dodgers’ biggest issues have come at the No. 9 spot, which has been mostly occupied by Andy Pages, who is 4-for-50 in the postseason.
“I just really wanted Miggy in there,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Rojas. “He’s been a real glue guy for our club this year. Having him in the lineup infuses some extra intensity, energy, into the lineup. On the defensive side, too. I wanted him to be in the lineup. And nothing against anybody else.”
Springer started at designated hitter for the Blue Jays, prompting Bo Bichette to make another start at second base against Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Springer missed the last two games after tweaking his right side on a swing in the seventh inning of Game 3, but Blue Jays manager John Schneider said he was “pretty close” to being in the lineup for Game 5.
“I think having the extra day and a half helped,” Schneider said. “I think just the feedback we got from him in the last couple days helped. And watching him swing. Maybe a different story if the season has the potential to just be another two weeks, maybe a little bit different — but he’s ready to go.”
Springer, 36, has enjoyed a resurgent season in 2025, slashing .309/.399/.560 with 32 home runs and 18 stolen bases. He has absorbed his share of blows in these playoffs — the fastball to his kneecap in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, another to the hand in Game 2 of the World Series, then the right side discomfort that manifested two nights later — but has nonetheless provided an .884 OPS, living up to his reputation as one of the sport’s best October performers.
“He means so much to us,” Bichette said. “I mean, the experience in these moments, what he’s already done for this team during the playoffs has been just so big for us. I think having him in the lineup probably calms us all down a little bit.”
