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Strange sleeping conditions didn’t stop Addison Barger from writing his name in Toronto Blue Jays history Friday night.
Barger wasn’t in the starting lineup for Game 1 of the World Series, the first for the Blue Jays since 1993. He probably won’t say it publicly, but perhaps it was a blessing in disguise.
That’s because he actually spent the night before staying with teammate David Schneider in the Rogers Center hotel and sleeping on a sofa bed, according to ESPN.
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Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Addison Barger celebrates rounding the bases after hitting a grand slam in the sixth inning during Game 1 of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Centre. (Kevin Sousa/Imagn Images)
Schneider joked with reporters after the victory that the takedown was “squeaking all night” and that Barger was not allowed to sleep with Schneider and his girlfriend in their bed.
“It’s a puzzle, but it’s funny,” Schneider said. “They found a place to stay, but for a few days I wasn’t paying for a hotel room,” Barger told ESPN. “I know it sounds crazy, but I’m just trying to save money.”
Despite the apparently uncomfortable sleep, he hit a grand slam, the first in World Series history, in the sixth inning to help the Jays to an 11-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Addison Barger hits a grand slam against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Centre. (Dan Hamilton/Imagn Images)
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It was just the icing on the cake of a crazy week for Barger. The morning after the Jays beat the Seattle Mariners in the American League Championship Series, Barger went home to see his wife, who had just given birth to the couple’s third child.
He returned to Toronto, but Barger doesn’t have full-time housing in the city and needed a place to stay. So he stayed with Myles Straw before sharing a room with Schneider.
It was the biggest home run by a Blue Jay since Monday night, when George Springer’s three-run homer sent the Blue Jays to the World Series.
Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Addison Barger celebrates with his teammates after hitting a grand slam against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning of Game 1 of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Centre. (Dan Hamilton/Imagn Images)
Toronto will look to take a 2-0 series lead on Saturday night – this time Barger had his own place with his family.
