On Sunday afternoon the Toronto Blue Jays trounced the last place Oakland Athletics (TOR 12, OAK 1) to clinch the three-game weekend series win. It is Toronto's fourth win in their last five games.
As he often does, George Springer got things started for the Blue Jays. He sent A's starter Luis Medina's second pitch into the left field seats for a leadoff home run and a quick 1-0 lead. Springer went 2 for 3 with the homer and a walk Sunday, and he either scored or drove in three of his team's 12 runs. Here's the game-opening blast:
Sunday's leadoff homer was Springer's third of the season and also his 55th career leadoff home run. That moves him into sole possession of second place on the all-time leadoff home run leaderboard, behind only the great Rickey Henderson. Here's the career leadoff homer leaderboard:
- Rickey Henderson: 81
- George Springer: 55 (and counting)
- Alfonso Soriano: 54
- Craig Biggio: 53
- Ian Kinsler: 48
Springer now has 16 career leadoff homers with the Blue Jays -- the other 39 came with the Houston Astros, of course -- and he holds the single-season leadoff homer records for both Toronto (nine in 2022) and Houston (12 in 2019). Henderson's single-season best was nine leadoff homers with the 1986 New York Yankees.
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts is second among active players with 43 career leadoff home runs. He sits in ninth place on the all-time list.
