Here is why this Blue Jays veteran was Toronto's MVP over MLB's final month

As the Toronto Blue Jays get set to play in the ALDS for the first time since 2016, they can look back on a memorable final month that nearly saw them lose their grip on the AL East, before a furious finish helped them claim the most wins in a season in franchise history since 1993.

Through it all, one player led the way: in the clubhouse, on the field, and certainly on the stat sheet. Like he has done all season, George Springer was the Jays’ best player in the biggest moments. In 25 games, the 36-year-old hit .347 (34/98) with seven doubles, eight home runs, 16 RBI, and a 1.097 OPS. He also scored 22 runs, walked 14 times, and stole three bases.

Here is why this Blue Jays veteran was Toronto's MVP over MLB's final month

It was the cherry on top for what has been a remarkable and resurgent season for the 2017 World Series MVP, who had serious question marks regarding his outlook and place on the team entering the 2025 campaign. Springer was coming off the worst year of his career, a .674 OPS, 1.1 bWAR stinker that didn’t bode well for the remaining two years of the then team-record 6-year, $150 million pact signed in 2021.

Like he’s done all season, Springer got off to a quick start in September and never let up. He hit a pair of homers, including the 62nd leadoff shot of his storied career, to pace the Blue Jays to a wild, 12-9 win over the Cincinnati Reds on September 2nd, then homered again, walked twice, and scored three times in the 13-9 victory the next night. 

He helped ignite a comeback against his former team, the Houston Astros, with another homer in a critical extra-innings triumph on September 9th, then chipped in six hits, including two doubles and a home run in a three-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles from September 12-14.

The former University of Connecticut star continued to produce in the clutch with five hits and three RBI in the first two games over a crucial series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Then, when it seemed like all the hard work of the past three months of leading the division was unwinding, Springer produced four of his best games to end of a memorable season.

The four-time All-Star collected seven hits in 14 at-bats, including two more homers to send the Jays to their first division title in a decade. He’s embraced his role as mostly a designated hitter, although Springer prefers the term OP, which stands for offensive player, and takes pride in his base-running, as evidenced by a career-high steal-success rate of 94.7%, with 18 steals with just one caught stealing.

As prolific as Springer has been, the biggest games are still to come, with Toronto set to face-off against the winner of the Yankees-Red Sox wild-card series which starts this week. As one of the most experienced playoff performers on the squad, he’ll continue to be leaned on heavily to capitalize on what has been a magical season.