Barger provides ‘swing of the game,’ powers Blue Jays’ offence

TORONTO — On the afternoon of the Toronto Blue Jays’ do-or-die Game 6 of the ALCS, Addison Barger and a few of his teammates were trying to toss baseballs through open windows of the hotel rooms at Rogers Centre, located beyond the outfield wall, and way up high, surrounding the ballpark’s massive LED screen. 

A few of those balls impressively made it to the screaming fans with outstretched arms, though one of Barger’s throws clocked the screen when he tried to hit an open window on the top floor. 

A few hours later, Barger launched another ball over that homerun wall at a much faster clip — 103.1 m.p.h. — and a heck of a lot further, 403 feet in all, when he got a hold of a Logan Gilbert slider. His two-run shot in the third inning gave the Blue Jays a 4-0 lead over the Seattle Mariners en route to an eventual 6-2 victory that forced a decisive Game 7 on Monday night. 

“It felt awesome,” a grinning Barger said of his second homerun of the ALCS, which saw the sold-out crowd here on its feet, part of what was an electric atmosphere all night long. “Obviously that’s a moment you dream about as a kid and everything. 

“Yeah, Gilbert, he’s disgusting — he has a great arm,” Barger added. “I think it was just he left that slider a little too middle and got extended on it. And that was it.” 

That sure was it. And to John Schneider, it was also “kind of the swing of the game,” as the Blue Jays’ manager put it. “But Addy has been exactly what we’ve needed.” 

On Sunday, it was the 25-year-old Barger who kick-started Toronto’s offence in the second inning with an RBI single, part of a 2-3, 3-RBI performance that also saw the right fielder draw a walk.  

“It’s been all year for him,” said Ernie Clement, who was especially thankful for Barger’s two-out home run swing, since Clement had just hit a triple that nearly cleared the wall, and he was crossing his fingers that they’d get another hit to cash him. “All year he’s been an impact player for us and had a lot of big hits and made a lot of really nice plays in the field. So it’s been all around for him — he’s been awesome.” 

Barger, who hit seventh in the lineup on Sunday, has been versatile since he was called up in mid-April, playing both right field and third base. After starting the post-season at third, that versatility has been especially key since Anthony Santander was removed from the ALCS roster due to back tightness, and so Barger has found himself in the outfield for the first time in nearly a month.

“For someone to come in — going back to when Tony got hurt, he kind of stepped in and filled that role of power and production,” Schneider said. 

Barger has also made a pretty significant change at the plate in the last week or so. During this series, which has seen him record hits in four straight games, he moved his hands up on his bat, “which is not easy to do,” Schneider said. 

“And he’s got a great way about him. To not be afraid to make a mechanical change in Game 4 of the ALCS, when it’s your first full year in the big leagues, speaks volumes to his confidence, the confidence that our hitting coaches have in him, and how talented he is.”

To play a big role in powering the offence in Game 6, Barger said, “feels awesome.”

“Obviously the goal is to help the team win every day,” he added. “It’s the playoffs, so we got to win. So any way it comes, we’re pretty happy about it.” 

When Barger powered that slider over the wall on Sunday, he started gunning his way around the bases, slowing only when he was sure it was a homer. 

“We hustle — we run hard,” Barger said. “I think it’s just a testament to the group of guys we have. We bust it down the line every time. We’re never really taking it easy. That’s just kind of the core of guys we have.” 

This core is now just one win away from the World Series, and it’s back at Rogers Centre Monday night.    

“It’s a do-or-die game,” Barger said. “It’s win or go home, so we understand that.”