Thirteen-year-old Blake Savage throws the first pitch as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation before the Toronto Blue Jays took on the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday at Rogers Centre.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
Blake Savage rubbed the baseball between his hands as he approached the Rogers Centre mound, preparing for a moment he’d been dreaming about for months.
The 13-year-old from Moncton, N.B. was invited to throw the ceremonial first pitch ahead of Wednesday’s Toronto Blue Jays’ 8-1 win over the Boston Red Sox as part of a wish made possible through Make-A-Wish Canada, the charity that helps children facing critical illnesses fulfill wishes.
From in front of the mound, Savage, a right-hander, fired an on-target throw to a crouching George Springer, an ambassador for the charity. After, Springer congratulated Savage on a good pitch before autographing the ball and a baseball card that Savage brought from home.
Savage lives with a rare genetic heart condition called catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia or CPVT, which causes an abnormal heart rhythm. It can lead the heart to beat too quickly when exercising or under stress. He was diagnosed in 2024 after he survived a sudden cardiac arrest while playing hockey.
According to his mom, Tabatha, he can no longer play hockey because of the physical exertion required by the sport, but he was cleared to play baseball since it naturally allows for rest periods.
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In Moncton, Savage is a second baseman and pitcher. He’s been playing for about four years, but he’s been a Blue Jays fan for much longer. “I’ve probably been a Blue Jays fan for like my whole life,” he said.
Sometimes, he said, he’s even allowed to stay up late to watch their games. Savage especially enjoyed watching Toronto’s run to the World Series last season, and it was at the end of 2025 that he came up with the idea to throw the first pitch at a Blue Jays game.
After months of waiting, when the day finally came, it was full of incredible moments for Savage, who was visiting Toronto for the first time and had 14 members from his extended family in attendance supporting him.
He received a VIP tour of the Rogers Centre and had a special pre-first-pitch meeting with Trey Yesavage, who also signed the back of Savage’s custom No. 17 jersey – the number he always wears – gifted to him by the Blue Jays.
Blake Savage also got to meet Jays' pitcher Trey Yesavage.Nick Turchiaro/Reuters
Savage said he likes watching Yesavage because “he’s just a good pitcher.” During their one-on-one chat, the rookie starter didn’t pass on any advice to Savage but did ask him, “Are you going to pitch it like me?”
Savage confirmed that, yes, he did indeed throw a Yesavage-inspired splitter to Springer.
Afterward, what was going through his mind after meeting two of his Blue Jays heroes?
“I was shocked,” he said. “On TV, they look so much smaller. In real life, they’re way taller.”
The size of the field was also jarring: “It’s a lot bigger than I thought it would be,” he said.
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Springer can relate to how Savage felt. As a kid, he, too, had a meaningful brush with a big-leaguer.
When Springer was 8, Torii Hunter, the five-time all-star former outfielder, was playing for the Minnesota Twins’ Double-A affiliate in New Britain, Conn., Springer’s hometown. Before a game, Hunter played catch with Springer while he was in the stands.
Today, Springer remembers the moment lasting “three seconds,” but it stayed with him.
“That impacted my life to the point where I said, ‘I want to be like him,’” Springer said, standing on the field about an hour before he was activated from the injured list after recovering from a fractured left big toe.
A father of two boys, George Springer said his involvement with Make-A-Wish Canada brought him joy, while his heart went out to the families that he's met and helped.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
“Anything I can do to help, I will. I do it because I want to and because I have genuine fun and get enjoyment out of trying to help anybody.”
Make-A-Wish Canada reports that more than 3,500 wishes for children battling critical illnesses across the country are waiting to be fulfilled. Springer, a father of two boys, has partnered with the charity because he deeply appreciates the work being done.
“As a guy who has kids, stuff like that means the world to me, and it hurts my heart to hear stories, to see stories, but to see their strength means a lot to me,” he said.
Currently, a portion of all kids’ menu orders at Jack Astor’s restaurants goes toward raising money for Make-A-Wish Canada. To generate even more funds, a new T-shirt featuring Springer will be available for purchase online. The limited-edition T-shirt was designed by Toronto artist Kit Weyman, best known for his Vladimir Guerrero Jr. “born ready” T-shirts released during last year’s World Series run.
Along with Savage, the Blue Jays hosted other Make-A-Wish families on Wednesday in recognition of World Wish Day, celebrated annually on April 29 to mark the anniversary of the first wish that inspired the organization’s mission in 1980.
As for his own wish, Savage said his favourite moment of his day was throwing the first pitch. How would he rate the experience overall?
“A 10,” he said, enthusiastically.