"Sounded like a trash can being hit" - Fans show support as Mariners crowd cheer George Springer getting plunked, recalling controversial Astros past

Veteran Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer exited Game 5 of the American League Championship Series after he was hit by a pitch from Seattle Mariners' Bryan Woo.

With the Mariners leading 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning, Woo's sinker struck Springer on the knee. The Mariners fans at T-Mobile Park cheered as Springer went down in pain.

The crowd started booing when the Blue Jays outfielder made his way back to his feet and tried to walk to first base.

Fans reacted to the Mariners fanbase's gesture for Springer, recalling his involvement in the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal from 2017.

"Sounded like a trash can being hit."

"Baseball gods believe in Karma for 2017."

"It's because he was one of the cheating Asstros, That's why people are booing him even when he's injured."

"Damn. Maybe he shouldn’t have cheated."

"Dude cheated to win a ws. People wondering why mariners booing?? Get outta here."

Springer was replaced by Joey Loperfido after he was unable to shake off the injury and continue as a designated hitter. He reportedly sustained a right knee contusion but the X-rays on Springer came back negative.

Earlier this year, Springer missed 16 games after he was struck in the helmet during a game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Blue Jays manager lashes out Mariners fans for booing George Springer

After the game, Blue Jays manager John Schneider called out the Mariners fans at T-Mobile Park tmfor booing George Springer when he was down after the hit-by-pitch.

"It’s really cool to play here. (But) I think the fans that were booing him should take a look in the mirror and understand what kind of player he is and … I’ll stop there," Schneider said.

"Because when a guy gets hit in the knee and is in obvious pain and you have 40,000 people cheering – not the right thing to do."

After Springer's exit, the Blue Jays blew their lead with Eugenio Suarez's grand slam in the eighth inning, helping the Mariners to a come-from-behind 6-2 win.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash