Blue Jays manager Schneider moves Barger up two spots to bat fifth for Game 7

TORONTO — Blue Jays manager John Schneider made a couple minor changes to his batting order for Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Addison Barger was set to move up two spots to bat fifth for the deciding game at Rogers Centre while Daulton Varsho dropped two spots to seventh.

Barger, who had two hits in a 3-1 loss in Game 6 on Friday, entered play with a .357 batting average in the post-season with three homers and a 1.008 OPS.

“I’m just trying to just feel out what’s going on right now and I’m still trusting both,” Schneider said in a pre-game media availability in his office. “But I think Barger is swinging it.”

The rest of the order was the same as a night earlier with George Springer in the leadoff spot ahead of Nathan Lukes, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette.

Alejandro Kirk stayed in the sixth spot, Ernie Clement batted eighth and Andres Gimenez was in the nine spot.

“It’s a good mix of nerves and excitement,” Clement said of his pre-Game 7 feelings. “I mean this is what it’s all about. So we’re ready for the moment.”

Right-hander Max Scherzer was tabbed to start for the Blue Jays against two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who will also bat leadoff for the defending champion Dodgers.

Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts also made a couple tweaks to his order.

Max Muncy moved up a spot to fifth and Tommy Edman rose one spot to seventh. Teoscar Hernandez was down one spot to No. 6 and Kike Hernandez dropped a spot to eighth.

For the second straight Game 7, Guerrero sported a hockey jersey when he arrived at the stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Montreal native wore a game-worn Team Canada hockey jersey with Marie-Philip Poulin’s No. 29 and her name on the back.

Poulin and several other players from the Professional Women’s Hockey League attended Friday’s Game 6.

The captain of the national women’s hockey team, who is from Beauceville, Que., has scored clutch goals in big games for Canada.

“We love to see it,” her Montreal Victoire club team posted on Instagram. “Vladdy is gonna be CLUTCH tonight.”

Poulin posted on her Instagram page: “Wow. Let’s go Blue Jays.”

Hockey Canada later posted a photo of Poulin wearing Guerrero’s jersey while watching the game.

Guerrero wore a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey with Auston Matthews’ No. 34 on the back ahead of the deciding game of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners last month.

The Blue Jays won the game 4-3 to reach the World Series for the first time in 32 years.

— With files from Canadian Press sports reporter Donna Spencer.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2025.