Blue Jays’ George Springer fumes after two straight botched calls as AL East race tightens

George Springer slammed his bat to the ground, letting out all the frustration that one could muster after two critical calls went against him in the thick of a pennant race.

The veteran outfielder first thought he had a potential two- or three-run double that just stayed fair down the line, only for the third base umpire to rule it foul.

Moments later, Springer took a pitch outside the zone that should have run the count full only for the home plate umpire to call strike three with the bases loaded and the Blue Jays trailing 1-0.

Those plays ultimately loomed large in the Blue Jays’ 4-1 loss that cut their AL East lead to just one game following the Yankees’ walk-off win over the White Sox.

“It’s a fair ball down the third-base line, I thought it was fair,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “People in our replay room thought it was fair and it’s not a reviewable play. Sucks. It’s two runs there and it’s a 2-1 game. I don’t know if it’s why we lost, things can change over the course of a game.”

George Springer was absolutely IRATE after his grounder down the line was called foul and then struck out on a ball off the plate on the next pitch pic.twitter.com/L2wO80u8g5

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 23, 2025

The Blue Jays are attempting to win their first AL East crown in 10 years, but suddenly find themselves trending in the wrong direction with Tuesday’s loss marking their fifth in six games.

Each pitch is so critical since it could potentially alter a team’s playoffs fortune, and Springer and Toronto can only hope Wednesday’s pair of calls doesn’t burn them.

With the bases loaded and the Red Sox leading, 1-0, in the second inning, Springer pulled a 2-1 pitch from Lucas Giolito down the third-base line that third base umpire Scott Barry immediately ruled foul.

Replays seemed to show the ball crossing the bag, which means it should have been a fair ball, but those plays are not reviewable.

Springer immediately put his hands on his head while he watched the call be made and then extended his hands in a questioning motion.

“Yeah, it’s a borderline call on a really good hitter, but I think that play is tough. The play in front of the bag that isn’t reviewable. I asked (home plate umpire) Doug (Eddings) if he saw anything different, he said, ‘No,’ so it wasn’t even worth getting the crew together,” Schneider said. “But from my vantage point, from George’s and from replays that we did have, should have been a two-run double.”

Springer’s night only got worse on the next pitch when Giolito clearly missed the zone with a 2-2 slider, but Eddings fell for a frame job and ruled Springer out to end the inning.

While Toronto rallied to tie the game in the fourth inning, the Red Sox scored three runs in the sixth inning to go ahead by the final score.

Toronto holds the tiebreaker over the Yankees in the AL East, but the Blue Jays have a harder schedule remaining with two left against Boston and then three against the Rays.

The Yankees, meanwhile, host two with the White Sox and close at home against the Orioles.

The Blue Jays also are battling the Mariners for the top seed in the AL and own a two-game edge.

“We know it’s going to come down to the wire,” Schneider said, per MLB.com, “and we’ll continue to stay focused on what we have to do rather than anyone else. We’ve got another tough pitcher (Wednesday) in (Garrett) Crochet, so you’ve got to come ready and not say ‘woe is me’ about anything. Every game is going to be important.”