George Springer hits 21st postseason homer, passes Derek Jeter and is 5th on career list

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto's George Springer homered on the first pitch from Seattle's Bryce Miller in the AL Championship Series opener on Sunday, moving past the New York Yankees' Derek Jeter into sole possession of fifth place on the career list with his 21st postseason home run.

Springer’s 385-foot drive to right field on a fastball at the outside corner put Toronto ahead with the first postseason leadoff home run in Blue Jays history. Springer has 63 leadoff homers in the regular season, second to Rickey Henderson’s record 81.

“I was just kind of looking for something to hit,” Springer said following Toronto's 3-1 defeat. “It wasn't anything specific.”

Manny Ramirez hit a record 29 postseason homers and is trailed by Jose Altuve (27), Kyle Schwarber (23) and Bernie Williams (22).

Seattle has won three of four games at Toronto this year.

“Everybody knows obviously what we need to do,” Springer said. “If some balls falls, obviously it's a little bit of a different story.”

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Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer watches his solo home run take flight as Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh looks on during the first inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Toronto Blue Jays George Springer, left, watches his solo home run take flight as Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller looks on during the first inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Toronto Blue Jays George Springer celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Toronto Blue Jays George Springer connects for a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Championship Series, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Championship Series in Toronto, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta Hawks coach Quinn Snyder believes fifth-year forward Jalen Johnson is still a work in progress. If he’s right, it’s a terrifying prospect for opponents.

Johnson continued his emergence with his second triple-double in two nights Saturday, finishing with 30 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in a 131-116 win over the Washington Wizards.

It was his fourth of a season in which every one of those performances has been needed as the Hawks manage without four-time All-Star Trae Young, who has been out since late October with a sprained right MCL.

Johnson is averaging 23.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists, all significant improvements from a 2024-25 campaign that was easily his best.

“It’s reflective of a guy that’s done a lot of work that we need to make a lot of plays for us,” Snyder said of Johnson. “The triple-doubles, like the statistics, are great. But he wants to win and there’s more there. He can continue to become more efficient, because we need him to be that.”

Both Friday and Saturday’s performances were historic.

In Friday’s 134-133 home loss to Denver, he recorded the second-fastest triple-double in NBA history, reaching the threshold in only 16:44. (Denver’s Nikola Jokic holds the record of 14 minutes, 33 seconds.)

Saturday, he became only the second Hawks player ever with triple-doubles on both ends of a back-to-back, after Bob Sura did it on April 9 and 10, 2004.

“Yesterday was cool, but tonight was more important because we got the win,” Johnson said. “So I think that’s what makes it better. But it was just a great group effort and like I said before, it’s just a product of my teammates hitting shots and everybody making the game much easier for me.”

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Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) dribbles the ball against Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) shoots against Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) goes to the basket against Washington Wizards forwards Justin Champagnie (9) and Tristan Vukcevic (00) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) fouls Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)