MLB WORLD SERIES: DODGERS VS BLUE JAYS

October 24, 2025

Addison Barger

Daulton Varsho

Rogers Centre

Toronto Blue Jays

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Blue Jays - 11, Dodgers - 4

Q. Addison, obviously first pinch hit grand slam in World Series history. Can you just walk us through finding out you were going to get in the game and then the whole at-bat there.

ADDISON BARGER: Yeah, so they had been talking to me for the last inning or so to get ready, You might come in. Yeah, they kind of just told me when Davis was in the hole, You're going to hit here, and then, yeah.

Q. And that at-bat?

ADDISON BARGER: Yeah, obviously, they brought in the lefty for me, and I was just trying to put the ball in play, get a run home, hopefully. That was kind of my only goal and it ended up working out better than that.

Q. Daulton, you guys, your lineup's kind of known for a couple things, not striking out and making pitchers work. Just that first inning, you guys forced Snell to throw 29 pitches. How much do you think that that early kind of strategy that you guys had helped you later on in the 6th inning when you went on that big run?

DAULTON VARSHO: I think overall, we had a good approach off him. We made him work. That was the biggest thing. They have a good pitching and starting staff, so I think for us just to be able to grind out at-bats knowing we needed to pass the baton to the next guy, that's been our MO all year, and we trusted it.

Q. Addison, you walked into the Rogers Centre yesterday wearing a shirt that said, I hit balls hard. And I'm just wondering just a bit about your confidence wearing that shirt and obviously being able to make that come true.

ADDISON BARGER: Yeah, well, the shirt's just -- it was something that the hitting coaches gave out while I was in the minor leagues, I think, in 2021. So it was a free shirt. I liked the shirt. Yeah, the goal is to hit the ball hard, so I'll take it. (Laughing.)

Q. What was it like for you in your moments, but also just as a teammate in the dugout, to experience that entire inning play out with that crowd.

ADDISON BARGER: Yeah, I think it was just -- I mean, just madness. The fans are so energetic, and we really feel it. Yeah, I thought we put together a lot of really good at-bats and we made things happen and it worked out.

DAULTON VARSHO: Ditto. Same thing.

Q. Yeah, for Daulton, you had your best slugging percentage of your career this year. You hit more fly ball percentage ever. I was wondering, what did you try to emphasize in the off-season to bring out the power that you've shown this year and that you showed tonight?

DAULTON VARSHO: For me, I'm trying to hit a ground ball back to the pitcher. That's been my goal all season. I know it's not like what everybody says about launch angle. So I literally try to hit a ground ball right back to the pitcher and it works for me.

Q. Why do you try to do that?

DAULTON VARSHO: It's really easy for me to hit the ball in the air. I've known that my whole life. So for me, I have to really exaggerate going down to the baseball and it works out for me because I am able to keep my bat in the zone a long period of time when I do that.

Q. Daulton, did it occur to you the historical link, you hit the first home run for Toronto since Joe Carter, and the pitch Joe Carter hit was being thrown to Darren Daulton?

DAULTON VARSHO: Oh, yeah, that's been talked about. So getting named after him, pretty cool. It's kind of a surreal moment, kind of being full circle for me. Yeah, it's honestly an honor to be named after him.

Q. When did you first realize that link tonight?

DAULTON VARSHO: I knew that he was the one that was catching when Joe hit the homer, so obviously, hitting the homer tonight really -- for me, it didn't really mean anything for that matter of fact, but overall, it just was a pretty cool moment to have his name kind of still be honored even though that they lost in that one.

Q. Addison, can you imagine a better way to make your World Series debut?

ADDISON BARGER: No, not really. I think that's probably as good as it gets (laughing).

Q. There were two-plus hours that you weren't in the game. What were you doing during that time?

ADDISON BARGER: Watching the game, for one, cheering on my teammates, and kind of just getting ready to go in case they need me. So I would go down to the cage, take some swings, stretch out, those kind of things.

Q. Wonderful offensive night tonight but, can you talk a little about bit about the pitching, Trey hanging in there, and then the bullpen?

DAULTON VARSHO: Yeah, I thought Trey did a good job of getting through three innings. I know that they worked him really hard. But to be able to give up two runs to that lineup, I mean, that's pretty tough. They got a good lineup. And then I thought our bullpen did a great job of being able to kind of work off of him and be able to make good pitches when they did. And obviously, they're still a good lineup. They can come back to any run deficit, so obviously, still got to keep pouring it on as a lineup and just trust playing good defense behind our pitchers.

Q. Daulton, when you were traded over here they obviously really wanted you. It was right before Christmas if I recall. What do you remember about being told of the trade, how did you find out, and what did the Jays let you know about why they targeted you?

DAULTON VARSHO: Yeah, I just knew that obviously one of us outfielders were going to get traded at that point because we had kind of a plethora of left-handed hitters, so kind of one of us were going to be out the door. Fortunately, it was me, because I love being here, and it's very fun to be here. Obviously we didn't play really well that last year, and then the year before we were out in the first round of playoffs. But I think overall I've enjoyed my time here, and I have learned a lot about myself. Honestly, it was a blessing in disguise because I needed to kind of have that feeling of like, okay, you have ups and downs throughout a career, and it's like trying to figure out how to establish yourself in a career.

Q. You found that out in Toronto because you had ups and downs?

DAULTON VARSHO: Yeah, obviously the first two seasons weren't the seasons that I think everybody expected from me. And this season obviously being hurt and kind of going up and down with injuries. I think, overall, learning my swing and what I need to do to be successful up here has been great. Honestly, it's been one of the blessings of having our new hitting coaches here, because I learned so much about it.

Q. I don't think you guys have been intimidated by anything this year, but when you're facing the Los Angeles Dodgers, the World Series champions, like was there a statement made tonight, do you think?

DAULTON VARSHO: I think overall we just played our game. We didn't try to do anything more. Honestly, we just showed everybody what we can do as a lineup. Just one of those games where you got to move on to tomorrow, because they're going to come at us pretty hard. So you got to be able to turn the page really quick and trust ourselves and be able to do the same thing.

Q. What can you say about the performance of Alejandro Kirk? 3-3, three runs, three RBIs, a walk, and catching a great game.

DAULTON VARSHO: Kirky has been awesome all year. He's been one of those guys that's been a staple for us of being able to be back there. And honestly, being able to catch that many games throughout a whole season is tough. I know from personal experience. But he does a really good job of being able to help our pitching staff be able to get through a lineup. I thought he did a great job of calling the game. And then obviously his bat is the reason why he's in the big leagues, and he's really good.

Q. This question is for both of you: Over your entire careers have you ever had an inning that was that exciting, that momentous?

ADDISON BARGER: I haven't. But, I mean...

DAULTON VARSHO: Off the top of my head I don't have an inning, off the top of my head, that we've done something like that. But, honestly, it was pretty cool for us to kind of string things together and trust each other and pass the baton.

Q. If you have to say something or want to say something, some words about Bo Bichette back in the lineup, and what do you say tonight about Bichette playing second and hitting in the first at-bat?

DAULTON VARSHO: I think overall having Bo in our lineup's definitely different. He brings another element to our team of being able to have really good contact, and be able to shoot the ball the other way whenever he wants. He's obviously a tough out to get out. Honestly, it's great to have him back in the lineup. I know he's not a hundred percent, but it's nice to see him grind with us. And I know for him it's really fun for him to be back in the lineup.

Q. Addison, speaking of free shirts, I think you got a free shirt from David Ortiz in the post game.

ADDISON BARGER: I did, yeah.

Q. Do you still have it? I think they kind of called you out for leaving it on set.

ADDISON BARGER: No, I left it. It has Red Sox on it, I'm not wearing that. Are you kidding me (laughing).

Q. So you have some limitations when it comes to free shirts?

ADDISON BARGER: Absolutely. I'm not wearing a team that's in our division shirt. No way. It's awesome, but no. (Laughing).

Q. Really for both of you, what does it feel like to have big home runs against left-handed pitching, for both of you. Obviously that's been a big part of your development over the past few years. And how do you feel, how have you guys felt against lefties this season, for both of you.

DAULTON VARSHO: For me lefties have been up and down. Right away I was struggling against them. I wasn't kind of seeing left-handed starters very often. A lot of that kind of had to do with my shoulder and coming back from injuries, just having kind of days off. But overall started getting comfortable, having a better approach, just knowing what I need to swing at and what I need to take. And obviously just trying to get a good pitch to hit and try not to miss it.

ADDISON BARGER: Yeah, I would say I'm pretty similar. I'm trying to just put together good at-bats, left-handed, right handed. Lefties are definitely more difficult usually. But, yeah, just trying to put together good at-bats, no matter who is on the mound.

Q. Addison, when Daulton got that home run it was the first runs of the game. What was the feeling on the bench? And you used the word madness earlier to describe the stadium, how much did that kind of ignite everything?

ADDISON BARGER: Yeah, I mean that was a huge homer for us. I mean, got us right back in the game. I was actually down in the tunnel taking swings, getting ready to potentially go in. So it was me and couple other guys and we just celebrated it. It was awesome.

Q. Did you see it?

ADDISON BARGER: We have a monitor in there and it shows it. So it was like -- and we have the broadcast going on. They made the call and we just lost it.