Nathan Lukes’ wife, Taylor, gave birth to a baby boy in mid-April with no one knowing then how much the Blue Jays’ fortunes would change because of those circumstances. Lukes went home to Arizona to be with his wife. And in order to fill a spot on the roster, with Lukes off on paternity leave, the Jays recalled Addison Barger from Buffalo.

On the Fox broadcast for the World Series, Hall of Famer David Ortiz revealed that he cursed Toronto Blue Jays sluggre Addison Barger. Ortiz is one of the leading figures on Fox's pregame and postgame shows throughout the season, and since Fox carries the World Series, he has been prominently featured in the coverage.

Lefty slugger Addison Barger wasn't in the starting lineup for the Toronto Blue Jays, but he made World Series history in Game 1 with one swing of the bat: He hit the first pinch-hit grand slam ever in Fall Classic. And Dan Plesac of the MLB Network nailed that Barger would make an impact with a home run at some point.

And so the Jays did, piling up one quality at-bat after another, grinding down Snell, pounding the Dodgers’ suspect bullpen. Their triumph included the first home run by a left-handed hitter off Snell since June 2, 2024, courtesy of Daulton Varsho, and the first pinch-hit grand slam in Series history, courtesy of Addison Barger.

Alejandro Kirk smashes a three-run home run to give the Toronto Blue Jays the lead over Los Angeles Dodgers.