ORLANDO, Fla. — Having watched the play countless times, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider doesn't want Isiah Kiner-Falefa to be criticized for getting thrown out at home plate in Game 7 of the World Series — inches short of scoring a championship-winning run.

“I feel so bad for Izzy for getting all the blame,” Schneider said Tuesday at baseball's winter meetings. “Could we have done a better job of getting Izzy another step or two down? Yeah, for sure.”

After Miguel Rojas hit a tying homer for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the top of the ninth inning, Bo Bichette singled with one out in the bottom half off Blake Snell, and Kiner-Falefa entered as a pinch runner. Addison Barger walked, and Alejandro Kirk was hit by a pitch from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, loading the bases.

Kiner-Falefa too

See Full Page